Mount Saint Peter Roman Catholic
Church, 100 Freeport Road, New Kensington, PA 15068
On Holy Saturday, March 26th, 2005, the Catholic Church in the
United States will receive tens of thousands of men and women in the Church.
Parishes welcome these new members through the Rite of Christian Initiation
of Adults (RCIA) and a ceremony bringing men and women into full communion
with the Catholic Church. Listed here are some questions and answers related
to these events.
What is the RCIA?
The RCIA, which stands for Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, is a
process through which non-baptized men and women enter the Catholic Church.
It includes several stages marked by study, prayer and rites at Mass. Participants
in the RCIA are known as catechumens. They undergo a process of conversion
as they study the Gospel, profess faith in Jesus and the Catholic Church,
and receive the sacraments of baptism, confirmation and Holy Eucharist. The
RCIA process follows the ancient practice of the Church and was restored by
the Second Vatican Council as the normal way adults prepare for baptism. In
1974 the Rite for Christian Initiation for Adults was formally approved for
use in the United States.
What are the steps of the RCIA?
Prior to formally beginning the RCIA process, an individual comes to some
knowledge of Jesus Christ, considers his or her relationship with Jesus
Christ and is usually attracted in some way to the Catholic Church. This
time period is known as the Period of Evangelization and Precatechumenate.
For some people, this process involves a long period of searching; for others,
it is a shorter time. Often, some contact with people of faith and a personal
faith experience leads people to inquire about membership in the Catholic
Church.
After conversation with an advisor or spiritual guide, the person, known
as an "inquirer," may decide to continue the process and seek acceptance
into the Order of Catechumens. The inquirer stands in the midst of the parish
community and states that he or she wants to continue the process and become
a baptized member of the Catholic Church. The local parish assembly affirms
his or her wish and the inquirer then becomes a "catechumen."
The period of the catechumenate can last for as long as several years or
for a much shorter time. It depends on how the person is growing in faith,
what questions and obstacles they encounter along the way, and how God leads
them on this faith journey. During this time the catechumens consider what
God is saying to them in the Scriptures, what changes in their life they
want to make to respond to God's inspiration, and what membership in the
Catholic Church involves. Catechumens have a special connection to the Church
and even though they are not yet baptized, they also have certain rights
in the Church.
When a catechumen and the parish team working with him or her believes
the person is ready to make a faith commitment to Jesus in the Catholic
Church, the next step is the request for baptism and the celebration of
the Rite of Election. This rite includes the official enrollment of names
of all those seeking baptism at the coming Easter Vigil. On the first Sunday
of Lent, the catechumens and their sponsors and families and members of the
parish gather at the cathedral church and the catechumens publicly request
baptism. Their names are then recorded in a special book and they are then
no longer called catechumens, but "the elect." The days of Lent are the final
period of purification and enlightenment leading up to the celebration of
initiation at the Easter Vigil. This Lenten season is a period of intense
preparation marked by prayer, study, and spiritual direction for the elect,
and special prayers for them by the parish communities.
The third formal step is the Celebration of the Sacraments of Initiation,
which takes place during the Easter Vigil Liturgy on Holy Saturday night
when the catechumen receives the sacraments of baptism, confirmation and
Holy Eucharist. Now the person is a fully initiated member of the Catholic
Church and will continue to live out his or her response to God as a member
of this faith community.
After the person is initiated at the Vigil, another period of formation
and education continues in the period of the postbaptismal catechesis which
is called "mystagogy." This period continues at least until Pentecost and
often longer. During the period of mystagogy the newly baptized members reflect
on their experiences at the Easter Vigil and continue to learn more about
the Scriptures, the sacraments, and the teachings of the Catholic Church.
In addition they reflect on how they will serve Christ and help in the Church's
mission and outreach activities.
What is meant when people refer to men and women coming into "full communion
with the Church"?
Coming into full communion with the Catholic Church describes the process
for entrance into the Catholic Church for men and women who are baptized
Christians but not Roman Catholics. These individuals make a profession of
faith but they are not baptized again.
To prepare for this reception, the people, who are called "candidates,"
usually participate in a formation program to help them understand and experience
the specific teachings and practices of the Catholic Church. Some of their
formation and preparation may be with catechumens preparing for baptism,
but the preparation for candidates is very different since they have already
been baptized and committed to Jesus Christ, and many of them have also been
active members of other Christian communities.
How many people will be Baptized Holy Saturday?
In 1997 there were 75,645 adult baptisms, an increase from the 69,894 baptized
in 1996. On the first Sunday of Lent this year when the Rite of Election
was celebrated, many dioceses reported that their numbers had increased from
last year.
How many people will come into full communion
with the Church on Holy Saturday?
In 1997 there were 85, 970 received into full communion with the Roman
Catholic Church.
What is the Holy Saturday rite like?
The Holy Saturday Liturgy begins with the Service of Light which includes
the blessing of the new fire and the Paschal candle which symbolizes Jesus,
the light of the World. The second part consists of the Liturgy of the Word
with a number of Scripture readings. After the Liturgy of the Word, the
candidates are presented to the members of the community, who pray for them
and join in the Litany of the Saints. After the Litany and prayer for the
elect, the presider blesses the water placing the Easter or Paschal candle
into the baptismal water. Those seeking baptism then renounce sin and profess
their faith after which they are immersed into the baptismal water three
times with the words, "I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the
Son, and of the Holy Spirit." In some situations the water may be poured
over the head of each candidate.
After the baptism the newly baptized are dressed in white garments and
are presented with a candle lighted from the Paschal Candle. The newly baptized
are then confirmed by the priest or bishop whose imposes hands on their
heads, and invokes the gift of the Holy Spirit. He then anoints them with
the oil called Sacred Chrism.
The Mass continues in the usual fashion. Now the newly baptized participate
in the general intercessions, in bringing their gifts to the altar, and
they share in the offering of Christ's sacrifice. At the Communion of the
Mass, each of the newly baptized receives the Eucharist, Christ's body and
blood, for the first time.
What does the white robe symbolize?
The newly baptized are dressed in a white garment after baptism to symbolize
that they are washed clean of sin and that they are to continue to walk
in this newness of life.
What does the candle symbolize?
A small candle is lit from the Easter candle and given to the newly baptized
as a reminder to them always to walk as children of the light
What does the Sacred Chrism symbolize?
The Sacred Chrism, or oil, is a sign of the gift of the Holy Spirit being
given to the newly baptized. It is also a sign of the close link between
the mission of Jesus and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, who comes to
the person with the Father in baptism.
Why was this ancient rite restored?
It was restored in the Church to highlight the fact that the newly baptized
are received into a community of faith, which is challenged to realize that
they too have become different because of this new life in the community.
If you wish to investigate
becoming a Catholic, or you know someone who is interested in becoming Catholic,
please contact Mrs. Fran Woytek at Mt. St. Peter Church, 724-335-7464.
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This page last updated 01/09/2005
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