Appendix B-1 Consultations with Diocesan RCIA Leadership
By Robert J. O'Donnell, CSP
Paulist Institute for Religious Research
In some dioceses, the Office of Education (or Adult Formation) is responsible for diocesan RCIA efforts but in most cases works with the Office of Worship (or on a steering committee representing Education, Worship, and Evangelization) to supervise the diocesan component of the RCIA.
Diocesan leaders report good progress toward the comprehensive vision of the RCIA process that they encourage: rooted in the parish community, weekly sessions, lectionary-based faith and personal sharing, discernment with sponsors and team members, an atmosphere of prayer in all RCIA activities, retreats, doctrinal instruction, formation for service and social justice, and socialization into the parish community.
Approximately fifty percent of dioceses have a directory or guidelines for the RCIA. Most are involved in the training and certification of catechists. The General Catechetical Directory, sacramental preparation guidelines, and the RCIA itself and the catechumenate statutes also provide direction and guidance for parish leaders. Some dioceses provide lists of doctrinal topics to be covered in the course of the RCIA, connecting them with the Sunday Scriptures that are the focus of lectionary-based catechesis. Many report that their parishes rely on other published resources that assist fulfilling this same aim of a thorough catechesis with a lectionary-based reflection. Dioceses regularly have materials available for consideration by parish teams. Commonly used programs and materials for adults and children include Catholic Updates, Foundations of Faith, Handbook for Today's Catholic, What It Means to Be Catholic, Come and See, Seasons of Faith, and others.
Dioceses almost unanimously recommend separate instruction and formation of children in the RCIA, with catechists trained to deal with children's level of comprehension and questions. These children can be integrated into the larger program, if appropriate, for celebration of the rites themselves.
Diocesan offices are sensitive to cultural and language differences among parishes and concerned that materials—lectionaries, children's lectionaries, the rites, and catechetical materials—be available in many languages. Illiteracy is also a challenge in some contexts.
Since diocesan personnel report that two-thirds or more of the men and women in the RCIA are already baptized, they have to grapple with the question of approaches to the instruction and formation of these candidates alongside unbaptized catechumens. They recognize that, for practice and personnel reasons, most parishes combine these two groups. This is at least acceptable as long as the distinction in word and rite between the two groups is clearly maintained. There are also the benefits of mutual enrichment and support to be had as both of these groups continue on different but not contrasting conversion journeys.
For a sacramental Church, however, upholding the distinction between those already baptized and those not is crucial. Combining the two groups requires careful celebration of the combined rites. The question of dismissing baptized Christians from the liturgy along with catechumens is a further dilemma. "Dismiss all or none" is one approach. Actual separate processes for the two groups is another being given greater consideration. The catechesis needed by candidates already familiar with the Christian faith may be very different. Flexibility and discernment of individual needs is paramount in working with already-baptized candidates.
After celebration of the Sacrament of Reconciliation near the end of Lent, candidates for entry into the full communion of the Catholic Church generally seem to be received at the Easter Vigil but also in some instances on Easter Sunday or during the Easter Season, or at an appropriate time and setting "when ready." Diocesan leaders are negative about one-on-one instruction of candidates or traditional classes. Formation of candidates in small Christian communities is a suggested alternative.
Ecumenical issues seem to surface as candidates themselves raise them, noting differences and similarities between their former communities and the Catholic Church in worship and doctrine. Catechists are trained to know and respect the reality of the imperfect communion between the Catholic church and other communities and to honor the sacrament of baptism and other spiritual gifts candidates have received in their former churches. The Decree on Ecumenism, the Declaration on Religious Freedom, and other documents inform this teaching on ecumenism.
Diocesan offices and personnel report a growing number and variety of general evangelizing outreach activities, especially on the parish level, and many specific forms of outreach intended to invite men and women to consider joining the Catholic Church (largely through the RCIA)
What draws people to Christ and his Church? What are the human channels of the Spirit and grace for those coming into the RCIA? Personal invitation, Catholic spouses and family, sacramental preparation, Catholic schools, inquiry meetings, bulletin notices and announcements, Catholic revivals, parish fairs, newspaper and radio spots, billboards and flyers, mailings, "Bring a Friend" events, census and home visitation. The quality of parish worship and the witness of the RCIA rites and of the neophytes themselves are also cited. Small Christian communities, Marriage and Engaged Encounter, and ministries of social service are also channels of contact with potential inquirers. Landings, "Come Home," and other outreach to inactive Catholics are frequently mentioned avenues of parish and diocesan evangelization.
Diocesan leaders estimate that fewer than one-third of those in the RCIA are catechumens preparing for Baptism. A majority are candidates already baptized in other Christian churches and communities and seeking reception into the full communion of the Catholic Church, with a significant minority of uncatechized baptized Catholics. Most have Catholic spouses and/or relatives. The overwhelming majority of catechumens and candidates are young adults or in early middle age, accord to diocesan leaders.
What are the obstacles inhibiting men and women from entering the Catholic Church and/or participating in the RCIA? First and foremost are complications from divorce and remarriage cases. Second is opposition by family and friends. Other obstacles include: the burdens of work schedules, inflexibility in the RCIA schedule, distaste for public rites, the length of the commitment required for the RCIA, and difficulties with Catholic doctrinal and moral teaching.
Diocesan leaders are as concerned as parish RCIA coordinators to integrate neophytes and newly received Catholics into the Church and parish community. The mystagogia can play an important role in this integration, along with its more interior and personal values for neophytes. Many dioceses have a special liturgy and gathering of the recently baptized and newly received with the bishop during the Easter Season. Reports suggest that perhaps one-half of parishes have a functioning mystagogia, whether for the Easter Season or longer. Invitations to serve in parish ministries (with caution against rushing neophytes prematurely into liturgical ministries or onto the RCIA team itself) are part of the mystagogia in many parishes and, in many others, an ongoing feature of the entire RCIA process. These invitational efforts receive particular focus in presentations by parish ministry coordinators and at parish ministry fairs. The baptismal call to service also embraces commitment to live and witness to the Gospel in "the marketplace" and larger community, as well as in the family.
Those responsible for the RCIA on the diocesan level are concerned about seminary and clergy education on the RCIA and diocesan support for full implementation of the RCIA in all parishes. In the area of evangelization, they highlight the challenge of reaching out to varied ethnic groups. Other areas of challenge: providing for ongoing inquiry, meshing catechetical content with the lectionary, and providing for the mystagogia period and neophytes' continuing involvement with the Church and their parish.
The Office of Worship, often alone or in conjunction with others, usually has a prominent role to play on the diocesan level with respect to the RCIA: organizing a diocesan coordinating committee, providing resources and training for parishes, and offering guidelines for implementing the RCIA in parishes.
The most visible diocesan involvement in the RCIA is the Rite of Election, almost universally celebrated with the bishop (or an auxiliary bishop) on the First Sunday of Lent, often in several locations, including the cathedral. Multiple locations are frequently needed to accommodate different regions in the diocese, to permit great numbers to participate, and to allow for multicultural adaptations. A few dioceses have experimented with a large (usually civic) setting able to gather in thousands at one time. In the Rite of Election, concern for multicultural adaptation is foremost, with a variety of language, music, symbols, and dress being adopted and integrated. Welcoming the disabled is also an aim.
Diocesan personnel strongly recommend separate instruction and formation of children in the RCIA, with the possibility of combining them with adults (e.g., of the same family) for the rites themselves. At times, children are prepared through Catholic school-based catechesis. Adapting the rites to children is a concern, as is appropriate accommodation of the rites to the situation of rural parishes and missions. Some sentiment among diocesan officials toward clearer distinction and even separation of candidates and catechumens has been expressed. They are also conscious of supporting parishes in moving toward a year-round process, with integration of doctrinal catechesis and lectionary-based reflection, and in implementing an effective period of mystagogia.
Other concerns among diocesan RCIA personnel: adapting the scrutinies and exorcisms, providing for full implementation of the RCIA including a year or more process for catechumens, and the separation in some dioceses of Confirmation of uncatechized Catholics and children welcomed into full communion from the Rites of Initiation and reception.
Given their role in the celebration of the Rite of Election, diocesan offices are particularly sensitive to the need for multicultural adaptation and welcome in dioceses and parishes and their programs and celebrations. Also given the impact of the Rite of Election in conveying the larger-than-parochial reality of the Church, they have striven to develop celebrations, sometimes several in a diocese, in which a good number of Catholics can experience the reality of a diverse and welcoming local Church gathered in prayer aroundits bishop. Diocesan RCIA coordinators are also very conscious of the need to distinguish candidates from catechumens out of respect for the dignity of the baptized and out of ecumenical concerns.
Diocesan offices not only provide needed standard training and materials but in some instances have taken the lead in providing adaptations of the RCIA for rural parishes (with one Sunday liturgy), children, and multicultural communities.
Diocesan leaders also stress the importance of identifying divorce/remarriage situations early in the process so these can be properly addressed. Some dioceses require postponement of acceptance as a catechumen or the Rite of Election until these difficulties are resolved—and offer to work closely with parish personnel for an expeditious resolution of these cases.