 RCIA:
An Introduction
SOME COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT BECOMING CATHOLIC
Why
does it take so long?
The decision to become a Catholic Christian is a lifetime decision which
affects the way we live our whole lives. It impacts our business decisions,our family life, our relationships. And so it is worthy of careful
examination in order to be sure that this is the right choice. The Christian
life is an ever-deepening relationship with the Risen Christ, present within
us and in the community of believers. Like any relationship, it takes time
and attention to develop and deepen.
Will there be pressure
on me to join the Church if I attend the inquiry
classes?
No. The purpose of the process is to provide you with the information and
experience you need to decide whether God is calling you to the Catholic way of
life. You are the only one who can make that decision. Our role as
leaders and teachers in the RCIA is to help you discern for yourself. If you
decide that this is not for you, we will wish you well and pray for you as
you continue your search. We do not expect you to have made a decision to
become Catholic when you enter the RCIA.
The model for the process is Jesus’ method. When Jesus first encountered
potential disciples in John 1:38-39, he asked them, “What do you want?”
When they replied by asking him where he lived, he responded, “Come and
see.” That is our approach: What do you need? Come and see whether that need
can be met here. Worship with us, explore our belief and practice, spend a year
among us participating in the community, and then decide whether you want to
follow our way of life.
What
if I just want to learn about the Catholic Church without joining?
We
welcome people who just want to understand what being Catholic is all
about. It is not unusual for people who are engaged or married to a
Catholic to participate in the classes so that they will understand their
spouse’s religion. This is also true of parents whose children are being
raised Catholic – they want to know the answers to their children’s
questions. Sometimes such persons enters the program to explore becoming a
Catholic, decide that it is not what they want, but choose to stay in the
classes for greater understanding. They are quite welcome to do so.
Why does it have to be so public, with all the rites and ceremonies at Mass?
Although in one sense the decision to embrace the Catholic faith is a deeply
personal one, it also has a community dimension. Catholics believe that we
encounter the Risen Christ first in the community of believers, then in the
Word of God and the Sacraments, one of which is the Eucharist, the Breaking of
the Bread (see Luke 24: 13-35). One’s faith is never a totally private matter.
It is lived out in the context of community. Baptism invests us with the
mission of Christ in the world. In accepting Christ, a person
seeking baptism also accepts the Body of Christ, the Church, that whole
motley crew of folks through whom Jesus chooses to be present in the world. The
rites focus on the communal nature of Christianity and are an essential
dimension of the process.
I was baptized Catholic and made my first Communion, but then my family stopped
going to Church. I would like to be confirmed and be an active Catholic. Am I
welcome in the RCIA?
Absolutely! Persons who have not practiced the faith as adults and have had
little or no instruction in the faith are very comfortable in the RCIA even
if they are already Catholic. Some adaptations are made to respect your
baptism, and you may take Communion at Mass whenever you feel ready, or you may
choose to wait until the Easter Vigil. We will work out whatever is best for
you.
What
about my children? If I become Catholic, can they do it too?
Of
course your whole family is welcome. If neither parent is a practicing
Catholic, we defer the baptism of children until the Easter Vigil. Infants
and young children do not require additional preparation – they will grow in
the faith just as any other person baptized as a young child. As the parent,
you make that choice for them. School aged children or teenagers will be
instructed in a process similar to the RCIA, adapted so as to be appropriate
to their age. The older the person is, the more he or she must participate
in the decision to be baptized. We also welcome into these classes children
and teens who have been baptized but have not received instruction in the
faith, and who have not received reconciliation (a.k.a. “confession”) and
Eucharist at the customary age of seven or so. The expectation is that
children who participate in this process will then enter the regular parish
religious formation classes and continue their formation.
What do I do if
I want to know more or enroll?
Call your local parish and make an appointment with the pastor or the
director of religious formation. Here at Sts. Joseph and Paul, we welcome
inquiries at any time and will be glad to mail registration materials or meet
with you.
If formal classes
have not yet begun we will meet with you on a more
informal basis, provide you with reading material, and perhaps assign a
sponsor from among our parishioners, who will help you get acquainted and
help you find answers to your questions. So, what have you got to lose?
You have much to gain. Look into the RCIA for yourself, and share this
information with persons who may be interested.
A
Catholic Web Site for Seekers
10-3-08
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