RCIA

People with Little or No Christian Background

Many adults who wish to join the Catholic Church have never been baptized The church offers un-baptized adults a process of formation in the Catholic Christian Faith and way of life called Christian Initiation, or Catechumenate. Christian initiation is a gradual process. It begins somewhat informally. After the interested person contacts the local Catholic church, he or she may be invited to meet with other people who are exploring the possibility of becoming Catholic. These people have the opportunity to ask questions about the church and to hear about the message of Jesus Christ and how it is lived out in the Catholic church. A person may continue to participate in these sessions as long as he or she wishes. No commitments are made or expected during this time.

If the person decides to pursue the process of becoming Catholic, he or she enters the catechumenate; un-baptized persons in the Catechumenate are called catechumens. The Catechumenate provides a structure for the proclamation of the gospel, catechesis (the passing on of the teachings of the church), public and private prayer, spiritual direction, the observance of the feasts, fasts, Sundays and seasons of the church calendar, direct contact with members of the parish community and participation in the work of the church for justice and peace. During this time, each catechumen is paired with a sponsor who can serve as a spiritual companion and offer support and encouragement.

Through the various rites of the Catechumenate, the church marks a person’s journey to full membership. These rites reflect his or her spiritual growth and the community’s loving concern. The climax of the Catechumenate process is the celebration of the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist usually at the Easter Vigil, followed by a period for reflection on the sacraments and for integration into the life and mission of the church. From the time an un-baptized person becomes a catechumen until that person celebrates the sacraments of initiation usually takes at least one year. This allows the catechumen to experience one full cycle of the church’s rhythm of feasts and seasons.

Baptized adults who have never been formed in the Christian life also participate in the Catechumenate process. As they prepare for acceptance into the Catholic church, they are known as candidates rather than catechumens. Even though the process is the same, the Catholic church takes care to respect the fact that these people truly are baptized. Only when there is good reason to doubt that the person’s baptism took place or was celebrated validly – a rare occurrence – will such a person be baptized before entering the Catholic Church. Baptized persons are received into the Catholic church, when they are ready, by making a Profession of Faith, receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation and sharing in the Eucharist

Children who have reached school age, whether they are baptized or un-baptized, will participate in the Catechumenate process adapted according to their age.

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