Preface

It is with a great sense of gratitude and satisfaction that we present to you this report on the National Study of the Implementation of the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) in the United States. This report is the fruit of a three-year comprehensive study involving hundreds of people, including the U.S. Catholic bishops, parish and diocesan leaders, people initiated into the Church through the RCIA, and people who withdrew from the RCIA process before initiation.

We are grateful to our predecessors, the chairmen and members of the five bishops' committees who began this project in 1996 and oversaw its development. Their insights and vision on how this study was to be conducted give us much to ponder as we journey with those seeking the fullness of life in the Church. We are also grateful to Sr. Sharon Euart, RSM, under whose supervision this study was conducted. She supported the collaborative efforts of the staff for the Committees on Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs, Education, Liturgy, Pastoral Practices, and Evangelization, which coordinated this study.

Our staff worked closely with Dr. Dean Hoge, director of the Life Cycle Institute of The Catholic University of America, and the Rev. Dr. Robert J. O'Donnell, CSP, director of the Paulist Institute for Religious Research. We are grateful to both for their research and analysis of various components of this study, which were most helpful to our committees' discernment and responses. While individuals were responsible for different portions of the process, all five committees and staff established the goals and procedures and oversaw the process as it developed. This collaboration enabled the study to be as comprehensive and far-reaching as it is. The interdisciplinary approach not only contributed to the success of the study, but it has modeled for all of us the benefits of the collaborative process in the RCIA.

As you read this report, we are certain that you will rejoice with us in the positive results that the research yielded. From the comments of the neophytes to the insights of the bishops in the survey responses, it is clear that the RCIA is one of the most successful elements of the renewed liturgy. As envisioned in the General Directory for Catechesis, the RCIA provides a comprehensive formation process that integrates evangelization, liturgy, catechesis, and the life of the local faith community, and it has the potential to renew parish life in our country.

The implementation of the RCIA is, of course, somewhat uneven. From the study, each of our five committees has gleaned both the positive elements as well as the areas where further effort and development are needed. It is our hope that the data and insights we gained from this study will provide the basis for further development and even greater progress over the next several years in our ministry of evangelization and catechesis.

Most Rev. Michael W. Warfel, Chairman
Committee on Evangelization
Coordinating Chairman of the RCIA Study

Most Rev. Tod D. Brown, Chairman
Committee on Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs

Most Rev. Donald W. Wuerl, Chairman
Committee on Education

Most Rev. Oscar H. Lipscomb, Chairman
Committee on the Liturgy

Most Rev. Stephen E. Blaire, Chairman
Committee on Pastoral Practices


Introduction

This report on the National Study of the Implementation of the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) in the United States completes a three-year project begun in April 1997. At that time, the National Conference of Catholic Bishops (NCCB) Office for Evangelization convened an interdisciplinary task force to ensure that this study would be as comprehensive as possible. Four other offices of the bishops' conference collaborated in the project: Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs, Education, Liturgy, and Pastoral Practices.

In May 1997 an ad hoc advisory committee was formed with representatives from the archdioceses of Washington, D.C., and Baltimore; the dioceses of Arlington, Virginia, Richmond, Virginia, and Wilmington, Delaware; and the Washington, D.C.-based North American Forum on the Catechumenate. This advisory committee provided helpful input to the bishops' RCIA task force in its efforts to provide a comprehensive approach to the national study. The task force also retained as consultants for the project Dr. Dean Hoge, director of the Life Cycle Institute at The Catholic University of America and the Rev. Dr. Robert J. O'Donnell, CSP, director of the Paulist Institute for Religious Research. Drs. Hoge and O'Donnell assisted the task force throughout the study and authored the executive summaries for the report.

The task force members believed from the outset that, because many individuals are responsible for the implementation of the RCIA, the study should include more groups than those who were received into the Church. Therefore they decided that the study would gather information from several sources—diocesan RCIA coordinators, diocesan and parish leaders, those received into the Church through Baptism or reception into full communion, those who withdrew from the RCIA before Baptism or reception, and diocesan bishops. The following is a brief overview of each of the five components of the study.

Diocesan RCIA Coordinators
Information forms were sent to all diocesan RCIA coordinators in the United States. In addition to the form to be returned to the NCCB, a similar form was provided that could be sent, with each diocese's logo and address at the top, to all their parishes. A computer program was designed to assist dioceses in compiling the information that would be sent to the NCCB. Fifty-five percent of the dioceses responded with this information in 1998.

Regional Consultations with Diocesan and Parish Leaders
In the fall of 1997, the Rev. John Hurley, CSP, director of the NCCB Office for Evangelization, met in various regions of the country to coordinate consultations that would bring together diocesan and parish leaders throughout 1998. The consultations would be held in eight regions comprising forty-six dioceses. Participants in the eight consultations included 152 diocesan leaders and 496 parish leaders, including two bishops and seventy-five priests and deacons. The only consultation not conducted in 1998 was the pilot in Washington, D.C., in December 1997. At each of the coordinating meetings, dioceses assumed responsibility for inviting diverse types of parishes to their respective regional consultations. These types included urban parishes with and without schools, suburban parishes with and without schools, rural parishes, multicultural parishes (with Masses celebrated in more than one language), ethnic parishes, parishes without a pastor in residence, parishes with missions, recently merged parishes, university parishes, and other parishes that a diocese thought would make a unique contribution to the study.

Survey of Persons Becoming Catholic Through the RCIA
Participants in this survey became Catholic through the RCIA during the Easter seasons of 1993, 1994, 1995, and 1996. Although the survey was conducted in 1998, individuals received into the Church in 1997 and 1998 were not included. Two distinct groups received this survey: persons from parishes that provided fewer than three weeks of mystagogia and persons from parishes that provided three or more weeks of mystagogia. The task force received 352 surveys from the first group and 348 from the second group, which constituted a 46-percent response rate. The names of those who became Catholic, which were provided by the various types of parishes participating in the regional consultations, reflected great cultural diversity.

Telephone Survey of Persons Not Completing the RCIA
Telephone interviews were conducted throughout 1998 and 1999. This part of the study was challenging. Names, addresses, and telephone numbers were provided by the parishes participating in the regional consultations, and letters were sent to those to be interviewed by telephone. Three individuals were carefully chosen to conduct these interviews, in addition to someone who was available to conduct interviews in Spanish. Although the goal was 150 completed calls, only 107 were completed. However, the information gathered from these calls is important to the report.

Survey of Bishops
This survey was conducted in 1999. The NCCB Committee on Evangelization prepared a survey that was mailed to all bishops in the United States. The task force received 166 surveys from 177 Latin diocesan bishops, a 94-percent response. Eastern Catholic bishops said that the RCIA is not the process primarily used for initiation into their Churches; therefore, only information received from Latin bishops is summarized.

This is the first comprehensive national study of the implementation of the RCIA in the United States. Although the NCCB's RCIA task force reviewed the results compiled by Drs. Dean Hoge and Robert J. O'Donnell, CSP, the compilers ensured that no data were compromised or misrepresented. The responses of the five bishops' committees highlight their respective areas of the study. These responses, which are meant to guide reflection by all who are instrumental in implementing the RCIA, emphasize that a comprehensive approach is necessary in carrying out this ancient tradition of welcoming and nurturing new life in the Church.

Rev. John E. Hurley, CSP, Study Coordinator
Director, Office for Evangelization

Br. Jeffrey Gros, FSC, Associate Director
Secretariat for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs

Sr. Maureen Shaughnessy, SC, Assistant Secretary for
Catechesis and Leadership Formation
Department of Education

Sr. Ann Rehrauer, OSF, Associate Director
Secretariat for the Liturgy

Ms. Siobhan Verbeek, Associate Director
Secretariat for Doctrine and Pastoral Practices


I. Executive Summaries

Survey of People Initiated into the Church through the RCIA

The NCCB's RCIA task force, considering it important in the national study to hear from people who had completed the RCIA, targeted those who were initiated between 1993 and 1996—not less than one year or more than five years before the study. The task force also sought a representative, nationwide sample. RCIA leaders in eight regional consultations were asked to send the names of initiates from parishes with diverse profiles, including urban parishes with and without schools, suburban parishes with and without schools, rural parishes, multicultural parishes, ethnic parishes, and others. Forty-six percent of initiates who received short questionnaires returned them, resulting in 352 responses from initiates who completed a full RCIA process including three weeks or more of mystagogia, and 348 responses from initiates who completed an RCIA process that stopped at the Easter Vigil or included fewer than three weeks of mystagogia. (According to the 1999 Murnion-DeLambo study, about three-fourths of the parishes in the United States using the RCIA follow a nine-month model.) The minimum age of the participants was seventeen.

Because this study had only a 46-percent response rate, the data are biased. Based on other research work, the compilers believe this study may include a disproportionate number of more-educated whites and of persons currently active in parishes. To incorporate as much cultural diversity as possible, the task force sent questionnaires to RCIA participants in ethnic and multicultural parishes. However, some ethnic groups, particularly Latinos, had low rates of returning questionnaires and are therefore under-represented in this study.

In comparing responses of participants in the two RCIA groups (those from parishes providing fewer than three weeks of mystagogia and those from parishes providing three or more weeks of mystagogia), the compilers found no substantial differences and combined the two groups into a single data set.

Who Are the Participants?
Three types of participants are distinguished in this study: (1) persons who were never baptized; (2) persons who were already baptized in another Christian community and who celebrated Confirmation and Eucharist through the RCIA; and (3) persons who were already baptized in the Catholic Church and who celebrated Confirmation and/or Eucharist through the RCIA. Twenty-five percent of respondents are of the first type, 61 percent are of the second, and 14 percent are of the third.

The participants' average age is thirty-seven years, and 64 percent of them are female. Eighty-six percent are white, 8 percent are African American, 2 percent are Latino, and 4 percent are Asian. Fifty-two percent have a college degree or more, which is far above the national average. The majority are married (58 percent), and only 14 percent have never married. Seventy-one percent have children.

Why Did They Participate?
Responses indicate that the individuals' main motivation for participating in the RCIA is to unify an ecumenical or interchurch marriage. Of married participants, 83 percent have Catholic spouses. Participants' second strongest motivation reportedly is a spiritual need and hunger, most often related to family life, health (of oneself or a loved one), a death of a loved one, a feeling of emptiness, or an inspiring experience. The third strongest motivation cited is a feeling of loneliness or a need for an authentic community. These motivations are often combined, and many persons mention more than one.

After Initiation
Did many of these participants meet with RCIA group members after their initiation? Yes, 54 percent did. Most often, the meetings were informal. Are the initiates active in their parishes now? Yes, their level of Mass attendance and involvement in parish ministries is much higher than the Catholic average. Are they happy with their parishes? Yes, the majority are. The few unhappy ones cite a lack of activities in their parish, particularly for young families or single persons.

Participants' Experiences of the RCIA
The evaluations of RCIA in this study are positive for the most part. The most appreciated aspects of the RCIA reportedly are the experiences of spiritual growth and of incorporation into parish life. The only aspect cited as inadequate by some initiates is their "gain in knowledge of the Bible."

Specifically, participants' experiences with their sponsors are usually rated as "good," and they find this to be crucial. The RCIA leadership teams are rated "good" for their organization, commitment, and accessibility. The process of introducing participants to the various ministries in the parish is rated "good," but not uniformly so, as some persons indicate that too little time is devoted to this. The written materials are rated "good," though some persons say they are not informative enough. The five rituals receive high approval.

Is the RCIA too long, or does it make too many demands on participants? No, it is evaluated as "about right" on both counts.

The most prized aspects of the RCIA experience cited by participants are the feelings of community, friendship, and acceptance that it produces. Responses indicate on balance that the human bonds and sentiments are cherished more than the instruction.

Suggestions Made by Participants
Participants were asked (a) what are the greatest strengths of the RCIA; (b) what are the greatest weaknesses of the RCIA; and (c) if they had any recommendations for changes in the RCIA. Seventy-eight percent identify strengths, 49 percent note weaknesses, and 52 percent have written in specific suggestions. The most noted strengths are (1) feelings of community and friendship in the group, (2) good RCIA leadership, and (3) the sharing of love and faith.

The most noted weaknesses are (1) inadequate study and explanation of doctrines, (2) poor organization, and (3) the lack of follow-up after Confirmation.

The suggestions made by participants are difficult to summarize; however, they indicate that they generally appreciate the feelings of community more than they appreciate specific teachings. But one portion of the initiates—about 10 or 20 percent—would have liked more course content on sacraments, doctrines, Bible, church teachings, and the uniqueness of the Catholic Church. The more-educated half of the participants disproportionately mention this, and in general, they evaluate all aspects of the RCIA as being slightly lower than the less-educated half do.

In the responses to these three questions, the most common suggestions for improving the RCIA are (1) to have a follow-up session or some "aftercare" beyond the initiation (some persons suggest holding reunions or sharing address lists); (2) to pay more attention to accommodating all individuals, especially those who are shy or have unusual needs; (3) to include more study of doctrines, sacraments, and moral teachings; and (4) to study more deeply the uniqueness of the Catholic Church.

–Dr. Dean Hoge


Consultations with Diocesan and Parish Leaders

This executive summary is based on eight regional consultations with diocesan and parish RCIA leaders, involving both group discussions and individual questionnaires, conducted from 1997 to 1999. There were separate discussion groups for diocesan and parish leaders. The consultations involved 152 diocesan representatives and almost five hundred parish RCIA leaders, representing forty-six dioceses and more than one hundred parishes.

Catechetical Issues
Diocesan leaders report good progress toward implementing a comprehensive vision of the RCIA process as being rooted in the parish community and as including the following: weekly or more frequent sessions, lectionary-based faith/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. Both parish and diocesan RCIA ministers stress the nurturing and support of catechumens and candidates in their process of conversion.

Across the spectrum of parishes, the RCIA varies in structure, but many common features emerge. In a typical parish, a coordinator (staff member or volunteer) works with team members, recruits and/or trains sponsors, and provides for the catechesis of inquirers, catechumens, and candidates. As might be expected, more affluent suburban and urban parishes with more personnel and resources generally have a more formal and thorough RCIA structure and process, at times providing distinct processes for subgroups such as families with children and candidates already baptized.

Diocesan programs—as well as broader training opportunities, such as those offered by the North American Forum on the Catechumenate—are prime sources for the formation and continuing education of coordinators and some team members. Diocesan training opportunities, especially for catechists, reportedly are much appreciated and are an important support for the RCIA in parishes.

Approximately 50 percent of the U.S. dioceses have directories or guidelines for the RCIA. Most dioceses are involved in training and certifying catechists. The General Directory for Catechesis, sacramental preparation guidelines, and the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (hereafter Rite) itself, including the national 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 parishes provide for formal catechetical instruction on these topics by specially trained catechists or parish staff members (including pastors and associates) to ensure a solid doctrinal foundation. To fulfill this aim of providing a thorough catechesis for adults and children with a lectionary-based reflection, parish ministers commonly use other published resources, including Catholic Updates, Foundations of Faith, Handbook for Today's Catholic, What It Means to Be Catholic, Come and See, Seasons of Faith, among others. They mention using the Catechism of the Catholic Church as a background resource. In a few instances, parishes work out joint provisions for catechesis, with rites still celebrated in the home parish of the catechumens and candidates.

Unbaptized or uncatechized children are almost always given formation and instruction in a separate initiation process that accommodates their distinctive interests and abilities. This is both the typical parish pattern and the preference of most diocesan leaders. For the rites, however, children are usually integrated with adults—especially when whole families are in the RCIA.

Echoing the concerns of many parish coordinators, diocesan offices report that they are sensitive to cultural and language differences among parishes and are concerned that materials—lectionaries for adults and children, rites, and catechetical materials—should be available in many languages. Illiteracy reportedly is also a challenge in some contexts.

Ecumenical Issues
Since diocesan and parish leaders report that, because two-thirds or more of the men and women in the RCIA are already baptized, they have to grapple with the question of how to approach the formation and instruction of these candidates along with unbaptized catechumens. For practical and personnel reasons, most parishes combine these two groups, noting the benefit of the mutual enrichment and support that develops as both groups continue on their conversion journeys. The provision of combined rites at the various stages of the RCIA process recognizes, on the liturgical level, the presence of both catechumens and candidates among those becoming Catholic.

Some parishes resolve the question of whether to dismiss baptized Christians from the liturgy along with catechumens by taking a "dismiss all or none" approach.

Some diocesan and parish leaders say they are giving greater consideration to separate formation and liturgical celebrations for the two groups. The catechesis needed by candidates already familiar with the Christian faith may be very different from that needed by those unfamiliar with it. Both diocesan and parish personnel stress that flexibility and discernment of individual needs is paramount, especially in working with candidates already baptized.

Parish leaders and team members emphasize the importance of highlighting the dignity of the candidates' Baptism and distinguishing between catechumens and candidates in name and in rituals. Candidates already baptized are typically invited to their first Sacrament of Reconciliation (usually at a parish communal service) near the end of Lent and are welcomed into the full communion of the Catholic Church at the Easter Vigil. In a few parishes, candidates are welcomed into full communion at other times (e.g., Easter Sunday or "when ready" during the Easter Season).

Both diocesan and parish leaders indicate that one-on-one instruction and reception of candidates is an unsatisfactory approach. Providing formation of candidates in small Christian communities is suggested as an alternative.

According to parish RCIA leaders, ecumenical issues surface as candidates note differences and similarities between their former communities and the Catholic Church in worship and doctrine. The RCIA process tries to respect the spiritual gifts that the candidates have experienced in their former churches. The Second Vatican Council's Decree on Ecumenism (1964) and Declaration on Religious Liberty (1965), among other church documents, inform this teaching on ecumenism. As part of their involvement in parish life, some groups of catechumens and candidates participate in ecumenical and interchurch prayer services and other activities.

Evangelization Issues
Diocesan offices and parish leaders report a growing number and variety of evangelizing outreach activities, especially on the parish level, including many specific forms of outreach inviting men and women to consider joining the Catholic Church 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? Both diocesan and parish leaders frequently mention personal invitation, Catholic spouses and family, sacramental preparation, Catholic schools, inquiry meetings and classes, bulletin notices and announcements, Catholic revivals, parish fairs and socials, newspaper and radio spots, billboards and flyers, mailings, "bring a friend" events, pew cards for visitors, censuses, and home visits. (These efforts are typical of parishes in every region. Dioceses and parishes in the South and those with African American and Latino communities appear to be somewhat more intentional and proactive in their explicit evangelizing activities.)

The quality of parish worship and the witness of the RCIA rites are also cited as important influences. Small Christian communities, Bible study groups, marriage and engaged encounter programs, and ministries of social service are mentioned as additional channels of contact with potential inquirers, as are Landings, "come home" events, and other forms of outreach to inactive Catholics.

According to parish leaders, the largest portion of catechumens and candidates are in the twenty- to thirty-five-year-old range, the most likely time in the life cycle for church and religious commitment and for participation in sacramental preparation programs. Parish leaders also report that a substantial majority of those in the RCIA have Catholic spouses or relatives, a key personal influence in their faith journey.
What are the obstacles inhibiting men and women from entering the Catholic Church and/or participating in the RCIA? According to diocesan and parish ministers involved in the RCIA, the greatest obstacle is complications in divorce and remarriage cases. The second most cited obstacle is opposition by family and friends. Other obstacles identified in the study include the burden of work schedules, inflexibility in the RCIA schedule and the length of the time commitment required, some individuals' distaste for public rites, and individuals' differences with Catholic doctrinal and moral teaching.

Diocesan leaders and parish RCIA coordinators indicate that they strive to integrate neophytes and newly received Catholics into the Church and parish community. Many dioceses have a special liturgy and gathering of recently baptized and newly received Catholics 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. A few parishes have a mystagogia that extends into the full year after the initiation rite. A small but significant number of parishes guide newly baptized or newly received Catholics into small Christian communities. Some parishes invite them to serve those entering the Church the following year in supportive roles: for example, joining in the liturgy for neophytes or hosting receptions for catechumens and candidates.

Invitations for new Catholics to serve in parish ministries are part of the mystagogia in many communities, though parish leaders exercise caution against rushing the neophytes prematurely into liturgical ministries or onto the RCIA team itself. Presentations by parish ministry coordinators, often at parish ministry fairs, are a common vehicle for these invitational efforts. Moreover, most parishes report that they try to invite and involve catechumens and candidates in parish activities and service, as appropriate, even earlier than the mystagogia period. The mission of the baptized "in the marketplace" is also increasingly emphasized, according to parish reports.

Those responsible for the RCIA on the diocesan and parish level indicate that they are concerned about seminary and clergy education in the RCIA and about diocesan support for full implementation of the RCIA in all parishes. In the area of evangelization, they highlight the challenge of reaching out to diverse ethnic groups. Other areas of challenge that they cite include providing for ongoing inquiry by potential catechumens and inactive Catholics, meshing catechetical content with the lectionary, and providing for the mystagogia period and for neophytes' continuing involvement with the Church and their parish.

Parish RCIA leaders say they would appreciate help with approaching annulment and marriage cases and with recruiting and training sponsors and team members.

Liturgical Issues
Diocesan offices of worship, alone or often in conjunction with other diocesan offices, usually have a prominent role to play in the RCIA that includes organizing a diocesan coordinating committee, providing resources and training for parishes, and offering guidelines for implementing the RCIA in parishes.

The RCIA process in most parishes (where implemented) follows a typical pattern, with all or most of the following elements present: initial contact and an interview with an inquirer, an inquiry phase of several weeks or longer, acceptance as a catechumen or welcome as a candidate, a catechumenate of several months or longer, a parish "sending" and a diocesan Rite of Election at the beginning of Lent, scrutinies during Lent, a retreat (rarely on Holy Saturday), the rite of initiation at the Easter Vigil, and a mystagogia period that often includes a bishop's liturgy with neophytes.

While a majority of parishes have a process extending roughly from September to June, an increasing number are aiming for an ongoing RCIA process that would enable them to welcome catechumens and candidates at any point during the year, to give catechumens a generally fuller period of preparation, and to adapt the RCIA to the needs and backgrounds of individual candidates. Only in rare instances of exceptional need are adult Baptisms celebrated at a time other than the Easter Vigil, but some parish ministers report that they favor a more flexible schedule for celebrating the entry of candidates already baptized into full communion with the Catholic Church.

Liturgical celebrations of steps in the initiation process—the acceptance of catechumens, the welcome of candidates, and the Lenten scrutinies—are generally done during parish Sunday liturgies. The parish's sending of catechumens to the Rite of Election likewise commonly takes place at a parish Sunday liturgy, but the Rite of Election itself almost always is done at a diocesan celebration. The handing over of the Apostles' Creed and the Our Father is generally done either at a special gathering or parish liturgy.

Common adaptations of the rites carried out on the parish level include providing for greater participation by the parish assembly, accommodating the use of B and C cycle readings in Lent, using more inclusive language, and adapting the scrutinies to cultural or personal contexts. Approaches to the possibility of combined rites for catechumens and candidates are varied: Some parishes want to integrate these rites more thoroughly; others emphasize greater care in distinguishing the two groups, even separating celebrations for them. Many parish RCIA ministers express concerns not only about combining these rites but also about taking care in celebrating exorcisms and the scrutinies, about the use of language (especially in the intercessions), about dismissal (particularly in rural parishes with one Mass), and about the year-long process. Responses indicate that a rite for pairing sponsors with catechumens and candidates would be welcomed by diocesan and parish leaders.

The most visible moment of diocesan involvement in the RCIA is the Rite of Election, which is almost universally celebrated with the bishop (or an auxiliary bishop) on or about the First Sunday of Lent, often in several locations, including the cathedral. The rite is frequently held at multiple locations to accommodate those in different regions of the diocese, to permit greater numbers to participate, and to allow for multicultural adaptations. A few dioceses have experimented with holding this rite in a large (usually civic) setting where they have the capacity to gather in thousands at one time. The foremost concern of diocesan RCIA leaders regarding the Rite of Election reportedly is multicultural adaptation, and they adopt and integrate a variety of languages, music, symbols, and styles of dress into the rite. As a concern, they also mention welcoming the disabled in this rite.

In addition, diocesan RCIA leaders voice their desire for flexible adaptation of the scrutinies and exorcisms, their hopes for full implementation of the RCIA (including a year or more process for catechumens), and their reservations about some dioceses' policy of separating the Confirmation of uncatechized Catholics and of children welcomed into full communion from the rites of initiation.

Pastoral Practices
Diocesan RCIA leaders report that they are particularly sensitive to the need for the diocese and parishes to provide multicultural adaptation and welcome in their RCIA process and celebrations. Diocesan RCIA coordinators also indicate that they are 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 standard RCIA formation and materials but also, in some instances, have taken the lead in providing adaptations of the RCIA for rural parishes (with one Sunday Mass), for children, and for multicultural communities.
Diocesan leaders also stress the importance of identifying RCIA participants' divorce/remarriage situations early in the process so these can be properly addressed. Many dioceses reportedly require the postponement of an individual's acceptance as a catechumen or participation in the Rite of Election until such difficulties are resolved—and they offer to work closely with parish ministers for an expeditious resolution of these cases.
The parishes most committed to evangelization and to the RCIA emphasize the role of personal invitation and proactive outreach to draw men and women to the Lord and the community of faith. Leaders report that good liturgy and preaching as well as a commitment to service in the parish are integral to this outreach.

When inquirers present themselves for the RCIA, personal and individual attention is a key element of their pastoral care, as is ongoing attentiveness to their faith stories and journeys. Hence, RCIA leaders express a need for capable and dedicated parish team members and sponsors. The initial interview with potential catechumens and candidates reportedly is important not only to shape their future formation path but also to uncover potential obstacles such as divorce/remarriage and family hostility. Parish RCIA leaders express a need for diocesan direction and help, especially in dealing with marriage cases.

The frequently mentioned difficulty experienced by potential new Catholics—the inflexibility in the scheduling of the RCIA meetings—points to a need for creative ways of reasonably accommodating different persons' situations within the boundaries set by the Rite itself. One possibility is offering separately scheduled opportunities for instruction and formation.

One of the dilemmas in current pastoral practice, reflected by parish reports, is how to provide for attentiveness to catechetical content despite a limited number of qualified catechists. This limitation tends to restrict the offering of RCIA sessions to a single weekly Sunday gathering of catechumens and candidates after their dismissal following the liturgy of the word. The Rite itself (no. 81) actually envisions gatherings for other celebrations of the word (apart from Sunday) and in conjunction with catechetical instruction. Further adaptability and flexibility is called for in the formation and reception of already baptized candidates, according to both diocesan and parish reports.

Parish-level adaptations of the rites seem based largely on options offered within the RCIA rituals and statutes, demonstrating special sensitivity to cultural and personal differences and a legitimate desire to promote involvement of the larger liturgical assembly and parish in the rites. Language adaptations are a concern and a sensitive issue among RCIA leaders.

The trends toward a year-round RCIA (into which someone can enter in any season) and toward greater care in providing distinctive formation, pacing, and liturgical celebration for already baptized candidates are evidence of well-grounded pastoral concern and adaptability. While the period of mystagogia has its own integrative purpose on a spiritual and communal level, many parish teams strive to invite and involve catechumens and candidates in parish activities and ministries throughout the RCIA process.

–Rev. Dr. Robert J. O'Donnell, CSP


Survey of People Who Withdrew from the RCIA

The RCIA task force believed it was important in the national study to contact participants who withdrew from the RCIA process. One hundred and seven such persons were interviewed. Only those who participated in the RCIA for at least one or two weeks were included; however, eight persons who withdrew after the initial interviewing also were contacted.

These persons were found to share many characteristics of those who completed the RCIA (see pages 6-7) except that they are a bit less educated (only 35 percent have a college degree compared to 52 percent of those who completed the RCIA) and fewer are currently married. In this sample, 27 percent are in their first marriage, 23 percent are in their second marriage, 24 percent are divorced or separated, and 21 percent have never married. By comparison, in the sample of persons who completed the RCIA, 58 percent are in their first marriage, 13 percent are in their second marriage, 10 percent are divorced or separated, and 14 percent have never married. That is, the persons who withdrew from the RCIA are disproportionately in a second marriage, divorced, or separated.

In other respects this sample resembles the persons completing the RCIA. Gender and age are similar. The same percentage have children. The sizes of their RCIA groups are similar. However, two differences are found. First, the spouses of persons in this sample attend church less regularly than those in the other sample do (and these spouses probably exercised less influence on the respondents to continue the RCIA). Second, the people in this sample less often report that the staff and parishioners in their parishes made them feel welcome.

How long did these persons participate in the RCIA? The times varied. Twenty-seven percent took part for up to two months, 25 percent took part for up to six months, and 24 percent took part for more than seven months. Five persons have returned to complete the RCIA in the meantime, mostly by later joining the RCIA in another parish.

Participants' Experiences of the RCIA
How well did these persons rate the RCIA? First, in response to the question of how adequate it was in providing the opportunity to discuss all their concerns, 53 percent say "very adequate." (In the sample of those who completed the RCIA, 73 percent give this response.) Second, in response to the question of how adequate the RCIA was in helping them to feel a part of parish life and mission, 43 percent say "very adequate." (In the sample of those who completed the RCIA, 74 percent respond this way.)

In this sample 65 percent said they had a sponsor. How was their experience with their sponsor? They are less satisfied than the people in the other sample: 62 percent say "very good," compared with 78 percent of those who completed the RCIA. How did these people rate the effectiveness of the RCIA team? Fifty-four percent say "very good," compared with 74 percent in the other sample.

Do these people think the RCIA takes too long? Yes, some do; 38 percent say it is "too long," compared with 15 percent in the other sample.

Are the demands made by the RCIA acceptable? Most in this sample say yes. Only 3 percent say there are too many demands; 74 percent say they are about right, and 5 percent say there are too few demands. The persons who completed the RCIA express similar views.

What were the greatest strengths of the RCIA in these people's experiences? Their main responses are (1) that those involved were supportive, loving people of faith; and (2) that the process helped them to understand and to strengthen their faith.

What were the RCIA's greatest weaknesses? The main responses of this sample are (1) that it didn't clarify annulment issues at the beginning; and (2) that it had poor scheduling and time management.
From these people, the four main suggestions for the RCIA are (1) to shorten it; (2) to make it more personal and less ritualistic and formal; (3) to offer it at more convenient times and with a more flexible schedule; and (4) to individualize the program to fit different life stages and marital statuses.

Why did these persons discontinue their participation in the RCIA? Their seven most common responses are as follows: (1) "My spouse or I need an annulment"—20 persons; (2) "I couldn't go because of work or school"—18 persons; (3) "I disagreed with some church teachings or lost my faith"—12 persons; (4) "I was too busy with my baby or family"—10 persons; (5) "I felt unwelcome or unaccepted, or I found a lack of diversity"—10 persons; (6) "I was too busy with other things"—8 persons; and (7) "I had other family or personal reasons"—8 persons.

Would they consider continuing with the RCIA in the future? Sixty-nine percent say "yes," and another 12 percent say "maybe." But some of these people identify conditions for doing so. The conditions are diverse, including the following: "If my life became more settled," "if I or my spouse get an annulment," "if it were in a different parish or were a different program," or "if the schedule were better."

–Dr. Dean Hoge


Survey of Bishops of the United States

This executive summary is based on responses from 178 bishops, four of whom were from the Eastern rite. One hundred and sixty diocesan bishops responded, including twenty-eight archbishops of whom six were cardinals. Six episcopal administrators were also included. This survey was conducted in 1998.

Bishops indicate in the study that they feel there has been good implementation of the RCIA in many though not all parishes, noting progress in the quality of the processes year by year, as well as an increase in the numbers of men and women coming into the Church. They overwhelmingly affirm that the RCIA "has the power to transform parishes when implemented as the rite is intended." They also affirm that the support of diocesan and parochial leaders for the RCIA is crucial to its universal and proper implementation.

Catechetical Issues
Bishops report that they recognize and support efforts made to balance process with Catholic content and identity in the RCIA training for team members, as well as the involvement of pastors and associates. A number of bishops indicate concern about having an effective mystagogia and keeping newly baptized and received Catholics active in the community of faith.

Ecumenical Issues
Some bishops express concern about the need to clearly distinguish already baptized candidates from catechumens preparing for Baptism.

Evangelization Issues
The bishops reportedly would like parishes who have not done so to implement the RCIA. Dioceses provide needed and important support in training workshops, resources and materials, and formal and informal guidance and guidelines for the RCIA in parishes.

Bishops also indicate that they are convinced that the RCIA is a "great source of renewal" for parishes and an inspiration for greater outreach and an evangelizing spirit.

Liturgical Issues
Bishops overwhelmingly say that they view the diocesan celebration of the Rite of Election as a highlight of their liturgical and pastoral year that draws together many diverse faithful of their dioceses to celebrate the call of others to join the Catholic communion. While many dioceses try to hold the Rite of Election only at the cathedral or in another single large setting, a majority have moved toward multiple celebrations because o the numbers involved and the cultural diversity and geographic expanses of their dioceses.

Pastoral Practices
A number of bishops point to remarriage/annulment cases as impeding people's entry into the Church and called for early, prompt, and caring pastoral attention to these needs among prospective Catholics. Many stress the importance of getting all pastors to understand, implement, and support the RCIA in their parishes.

–Rev. Dr. Robert J. O'Donnell, CSP


Statistics on the RCIA from Diocesan Offices

In early 1998 four-page questionnaires were sent to diocesan offices, asking about their implementation of the RCIA. Included was a sample questionnaire about the RCIA that diocesan staff could send to parishes, if they desired, to help gather the information. One hundred and three replies were received from dioceses, which was 54 percent of those sent out.

The diocesan staffs used three methods to fill out the reports: (1) Some reported what they then knew about the parishes; (2) some sent out the parish questionnaire, then compiled parish data from the responses that came back; and (3) some sent out the parish questionnaire, then used multiple sources of information, including the questionnaires, to make the estimates they put into the report.

Diocesan Data
In 1999, the data from the diocesan reports were analyzed. Other information received indicates that the dioceses that returned the questionnaires tend to be slightly larger than average dioceses.

The average number of persons per diocese initiated through the RCIA in the previous year is 640 adults and 255 children. Of the adults, 32 percent are formerly unbaptized, 44 percent are baptized adults who were not yet in full communion with the Catholic Church, and 24 percent are persons already baptized Catholic.

The reports indicated that diocesan staffing for evangelization typically takes the form of a staff person who is responsible for several programs in addition to evangelization (including, most commonly, religious education). Typical staffing for the RCIA is similar, according to the reports, usually involving a full-time person with responsibilities for several programs. Sixty-eight percent of the dioceses have a commission or committee for initiation.
The diocesan office responsible for the RCIA is usually the office of worship (or liturgy) or the office of religious education. Commonly other diocesan offices help.

Regarding the Rite of Election, more dioceses reportedly celebrate several rites than those who celebrate one rite (62 percent vs. 38 percent). The majority celebrate it at one site rather than various sites (60 percent vs. 40 percent). The bishop commonly presides at this rite. In 61 percent of the dioceses, the bishop presides at all Rites of Election.

Most dioceses provide training for implementing the RCIA; in the previous three years, 71 percent have done so.

Parish Data
About 15 percent of all parishes implement a full-year RCIA for adults. About 46 percent have a nine-month RCIA. About 13 percent use a one-on-one adult initiation model. About 6 percent have some other kind of model, and about 17 percent have no adult rite at all.

For children's initiation, about 8 percent of all parishes have a full-year initiation model, about 27 percent have a nine-month model, about 13 percent have a one-on-one model, about 10 percent have some other model, and the other 41 percent have no children's process at all.

About 59 percent of parishes begin the pre-catechumenate in September. About 62 percent provide a process of discernment before celebrating the Rite of Acceptance. About 22 percent of parishes celebrate the Rite of Acceptance more than once a year, while about 46 percent celebrate the rite on one fixed date.

About 68 percent of parishes participate in the diocesan Rite of election. About 72 percent celebrate the Sacraments of Initiation (Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist) of adults at the Easter Vigil, while about 45 percent do the same with children at the Easter Vigil.

–Dr. Dean Hoge


II. Bishops' Committee Responses

Committee on Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs

Initiation into the Catholic Church means being received into a community that is committed to the full communion of all Christian churches. As Pope John Paul II has said: "To believe in Christ means to desire unity; to desire unity means to desire the Church; to desire the Church means to desire the communion of grace which corresponds to the Father's plan from all eternity. Such is the meaning of Christ's prayer: Ut unum sint" (That They May be One, Ut Unum Sint [hereafter UUS], no. 9).

This study reminds us that most of those coming to the Catholic Church are candidates for full communion and not catechumens. Among those coming into full communion are catechized Christians from churches with which the Catholic Church is in formal dialogue with the goal of full communion, including the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox, Anglican/Episcopal, Lutheran, Reformed (Calvinist), Disciples, Methodist, and Polish National Catholic churches. Christians nurtured in churches that do not share this ecumenical goal—or that even carry a prejudice against Catholicism—also become Catholics. Ecumenical sensitivity takes account of the particular situation of each.

Before full communion between our churches is achieved, individuals may come forward for full communion: "Every Christian has the right for conscientious religious reasons, freely to decide to come into full Catholic communion. The work of preparing the reception of an individual who wishes to be received into full communion with the Catholic Church is of its nature distinct from ecumenical activity" (Directory for the Application of Principles and Norms [hereafter ED], no. 99).

It is our common Baptism that places us in real, if imperfect, communion with other Christians so that the initiation of the baptized, though not an ecumenical activity, requires a particular ecumenical sensitivity (cf. ED, nos. 92-101). Even churches that do not share our common pilgrimage toward visible unity, like Pentecostal, Baptist, and some evangelical Christians, have productive dialogues, cordial relations, a common Scripture, and often, a common Baptism recognized by the Catholic Church.

We are fortunate to have resources in addition to the directives in the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (hereafter Rite) itself, Pope John Paul II's 1995 encyclical That They May Be One (Ut Unum Sint) and the General Directory for Catechesis. The Vatican's 1993 Directory for the Application of Principles and Norms on Ecumenism includes an extensive section on sacramental life (chapter four), the theological basis for Catholic ecumenism (chapter one), and an explication of ecumenical formation (chapter three). It is an important reference resource for each community implementing the RCIA.

In 1998 the Vatican provided The Ecumenical Dimension in the Formation of Pastoral Workers, which is important for those designing RCIA processes. In this reflection on the NCCB's RCIA study, we will discuss the distinction between candidates and catechumens, the ecumenical content of the RCIA, and concerns regarding marriage. Many of these concerns are not ecumenical in themselves because they do not directly serve the unity of our churches, but they are of concern to us as ecumenically sensitive Catholics.

Candidates and Catechumens
Catholic understanding preserves a clear distinction between the baptized candidates for full communion and those who are catechumens (Rite, nos. 402, 506). We are challenged to take our baptismal theology seriously. "This is the liturgical rite [of the reception of baptized Christians into full communion] by which a person born and baptized in a separated ecclesial Community is received, according to the Latin rite, into the full communion of the Catholic Church. The rite is so arranged that no greater burden than necessary (see Acts 15:28) is required for the establishment of communion and unity [emphasis added]" (Rite, no. 473).

The study indicates a concern on the part of the bishops that sufficient distinction be made in both the formation and in the ritual between the baptized and unbaptized persons coming forward for initiation.

The Rite provides for separate or combined rites (Rite, nos. 400-594). However, care must be taken not to confuse the faithful or the candidates by rites that, for example, dismiss the baptized with those who are unbaptized catechumens after the Gospel, or present a Bible at the Rite of Reception to a Protestant who has been nourished for decades on the Sacred Scripture.

The Rite of Calling the Candidates to Continuing Conversion can invite the whole parish community into reflection on conversion (Rite, nos. 434-472). This conversion entails, of course, a zeal for the unity among the churches (cf. UUS, nos. 2, 4, 7).

In some parishes it is necessary to combine processes for candidates and for catechumens. This can be positive if the faith sharing of the baptized assists the parish to understand the gifts received from the community that originally nourished the faith of the candidate (Rite, Appendix III/U.S. statutes, no. 31; cf. UUS, nos. 46-49). Rites can even take account of the positive contribution of the church of origin and our hopes for full communion with that church. The results of thirty years of ecumenical dialogue can be a resource in such sharing.¹

Individualized care needs to be given to each candidate. The study shows that some parishes provide some formation elements in common and some separately in subgroups for catechumens and for candidates with different levels of Christian formation. This is an encouraging sign of the adaptation of the RCIA process.

Knowing the churches from which RCIA participants are coming is important for catechists and sponsors. Some come with a rich evangelical experience but no sacramental understanding. Others come from sacramental churches with which Catholics have agreed-upon statements, so that we build on a common heritage. These and other differences and commonalities are important background for the formation of all RCIA ministers.

The Rite of Reception of Baptized Christians into the Full Communion of the Catholic Church suggests that candidates be initiated at a time other than the Easter Vigil (Rite, nos. 473-504; cf. ED, nos. 99-101). Combined rites are proposed if adequate distinction can be made between the baptized and catechumens (Rite, nos. 562-594; ED, no. 100). The rites are an occasion to call Christians from other traditions to cherish the church in which they were nourished and to pray for the unity of our churches.

Some participants—such as those who were Orthodox (cf. Rite, no. 474), those who have been committed to the RCIA for several years but could only be initiated when their marriages were regularized, or those in interchurch marriages who may have followed the liturgy and adult faith formation for years—are not really subjects for candidacy processes. However, they may benefit from a mystagogia process after their full initiation. The study shows that discernment, flexibility, and knowledge of the Church's resources are key.

Initiation for Unity
Central to Catholic identity is the zeal for the unity of the Church: "It is absolutely clear that ecumenism, the movement promoting Christian unity, is not just some sort of ‘appendix' which is added to the Church's traditional activity. Rather, ecumenism is an organic part of her life and work, and consequently must pervade all that she is and does; it must be like the fruit borne by a healthy and flourishing tree which grows to its full stature" (UUS, no. 20).

The study shows that RCIA processes provide opportunities for prayer and dialogue with other Christians. When treating elements of the Catholic faith, it is also important to present them in the context of the present ecumenical developments in the Church. Catholic identity is a positive affirmation that includes a commitment to all who share Baptism with us, especially with those on the pilgrimage toward full communion with us.

This means that areas of agreement with other Christians will be affirmed, points on which Catholics differ with other churches will be noted, and developments toward resolving these differences will be made clear (cf. Ecumenical Formation: Ecumenical Reflections and Suggestions, nos. 16-23). This is essential in areas of sacramental faith and practice, where Christians encounter one another in common worship and hunger for the day when full communion will be achieved.²

Marriage and Catholic Initiation
While not specifically an ecumenical issue, approaches to marriage have emerged as both the primary attraction to Catholic initiation and as one of the challenges for those wishing to come into full communion with the Church. The study shows the necessity of providing ways, early on in the discernment, to make Catholic faith and marriage practice transparent to its gospel values, and to note the processes necessary for rectifying irregular marriages before full initiation is possible.

Catholic spouses in interchurch marriages are particularly challenged to know the spirituality and tradition of their spouses and to reach out to inactive spouses.³ If children, especially those in Catholic schools, come forward for church initiation, it is important that they have full parental support and participation in the process. Caution is particularly needed when parents may not be Catholic themselves.

Catholics share with Orthodox and Reformation Christians a fundamental faith in the sacredness, permanence, and fidelity of marriage, though significant differences exist in doctrine and practice as well. The Catholic Church's dialogues with Orthodox, Protestant, and Anglican/Episcopal churches will be a resource in inviting discussion with couples or individuals in or interested in the RCIA who have a different understanding of Christian marriage than the Catholic Church.⁴

Committee on Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs: Bishop Tod D. Brown (chairman); His Eminence William Cardinal Keeler; Archbishop Rembert G. Weakland, OSB; Bishop Joseph J. Gerry, OSB; Bishop Donald E. Pelotte, SSS; Bishop Placido Rodriguez, CFM; Bishop Nicholas J. Samra; Bishop William S. Skylstad; Bishop John J. Snyder; and Bishop J. Kendrick Williams. Bishop Consultants: Archbishop Alexander J. Brunett; Archbishop Oscar H. Lipscomb; Bishop Patrick R. Cooney; Bishop Howard J. Hubbard; Bishop John H. Ricard, SSJ; Bishop Richard J. Sklba; and Bishop James C. Timlin.


Notes

1. Lukas Vischer and Harding Meyer, eds., Growth in Agreement Reports and Agreed Statements of Ecumenical Conversations on a World Level (New York: Paulist Press, 1984); Jeffrey Gros and Joseph Burgess, eds., Building Unity (New York: Paulist Press, 1989) (U.S. dialogues with Roman Catholic participation); Joseph Burgess, Jeffrey Gros, eds., Growing Consensus (New York: Paulist Press, 1995) (U.S. dialogues); William G. Rusch and Jeffrey Gros, Deepening Communion (Washington, D.C.: United States Catholic Conference, 1998) (statements on a world level with Roman Catholic participation).
   
   
2. Cf. Jeffrey Gros, That All May Be One: Ecumenism (Chicago: Loyola University Press, 2000).
   
   
3. Cf. Center for Marriage and Family, Ministry to Interchurch Marriages (Omaha, Neb.: Creighton University, 1999).
   
   
4. Cf. Growth in Agreement Reports and Agreed Statements of Ecumenical Conversations on a World Level (New York: Paulist Press, 1984), pp. 277-307; Ronald G. Roberson, ed., Oriental Orthodox-Roman Catholic Pastoral Relationships and Interchurch Marriages (Washington, D.C.: United States Catholic Conference, 1995); A Guide on Catholic-Orthodox Marriages (Washington, D.C.: United States Catholic Conference, 1998); Rozanne Elder, Ellen Wondra, and Jeffrey Gros, eds., Common Witness to the Gospel: Documents on Anglican-Roman Catholic Relations, 1983-1995 (Washington, D.C.: United States Catholic Conference, 1997), pp. 186-216, 221-231.

1. On Catechesis in Our Time/Catechesi Tradendae, no. 5; cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 426.

1. National Conference of Catholic Bishops, Go and Make Disciples: A National Plan and Strategy for Catholic Evangelization in the United States (Washington, D.C.: United States Catholic Conference, 1993), pp. 7-8.
   
   
2. Cf. Paul VI, On Evangelization in the Modern World (Evangelii Nuntiandi) (Washington, D.C.: United States Catholic Conference, 1975).

The staff of the bishops' Committees on Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs, Education, Evangelism, Liturgy, and Pastoral Practices recognized early in the national study of the implementation of the RCIA in the United States that the RCIA is best implemented through a collaborative approach. Therefore, on the national level, these five bishops' offices collaborated in studying the implementation of the RCIA for this report. During the study, the staff also heard from diocesan leaders that there is a yearning for a collaborative approach in order to implement the many facets of the RCIA successfully.

The results of this comprehensive study make it clear that the RCIA is renewing the life of the Church in the United States. It is also clear that the overall implementation as intended by the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (hereafter Rite) must continue to be a major priority in the local churches. The diocesan bishops in the United States overwhelmingly support the ongoing implementation of the Rite, and they hope that all pastors and catechists will experience this "great source of renewal" for parishes that inspires greater outreach and an evangelizing spirit.

This report points to the following four major areas of concern: (1.) a need for ongoing formation for RCIA leaders and for participants in the process; (2.) a need for greater distinction between those preparing for Baptism and those seeking full reception into the Catholic Church; (3.) a need for early pastoral attention to irregular marriages; and (4.) a need for greater adaptation of the Rite in the local churches.

1. A Need for Ongoing Formation

Ongoing formation is of utmost importance for the continuing implementation of the RCIA. This formation is essential for all catechists. Catechists are key to the RCIA process, and they need a formation that equips them to be sensitive to the needs and situations of the people they serve. Each community of faith is unique as is each catechumen or candidate. Within dioceses, it is important that all involved in the RCIA realize that a great resource for ongoing formation is the sharing of diverse experiences among catechists.

As the bishops suggest, this ongoing formation is likewise important for pastors in their unique catechetical roles in their parishes. It is also important that this ongoing formation be extended to all clergy and pastoral staff members. Since it is clear that not all parishes have implemented the Rite, and since there are various stages of implementation in parishes that do, such formation will help to realize the bishops' hopes that all parishes will use the RCIA.

This study also affirms that faith formation is a lifelong process. It does not end at the Easter Vigil. New members in the Church want more opportunities to further their own faith formation. In the study, too many people say that there are few or no ongoing formation opportunities after their reception into the Church. These same people overwhelming say that the greatest strength that they experienced in the RCIA was a feeling of being connected to a community. Mystagogia, on the other hand, is evidently the weakest aspect of the RCIA.

In sum, lifelong formation is essential for all disciples in the Church, and the newest of these disciples greatly value it.

2. A Need for Greater Distinction Between Those Preparing for Baptism and Those Seeking Full Reception into the Catholic Church

This distinction is integral to the RCIA, and RCIA diocesan leaders' and bishops' responses express concern about it. The dignity of Baptism is of great importance for all involved in this formation process. This distinction impacts all aspects of pastoral life: catechetical, liturgical and communal formation. It is often mentioned that catechumens and candidates are often joined together throughout the RCIA because of a lack of resources, primarily time and people. This lack of resources, however provides opportunities to invite others into this essential ministry in the communities.

3. A Need for Early Pastoral Attention to Irregular Marriages

A major obstacle for many people to beginning the RCIA process or to being initiated into the Church is an irregular marriage. Many people in this situation evidently choose not to begin the RCIA. OthersCwhen they become aware of the fact that it is problematicCwithdraw from the process. It is also apparent from the study that some people in irregular marriages participate in the RCIA and find out only late in the process that there is an obstacle to their full reception into the Church. This finding underlines the importance of having a personal interview with a pastoral leader before one formally enters the RCIA process in order to discuss the possibility of regularizing such a marriage.

4. A Need for Adaptation of the Rite

Adaptation is of great importance for all involved in the RCIA. The Rite (and its General Instruction) challenges us to adapt its provisions when pastoral needs arise and calls all involved in the implementation of the RCIA to be open to such adaptation. It is clear that the way of adapting the Rite in one community may be different from that of another community. The need for adapting the Rite primarily surfaced in the study with regard to the great ethnic and regional diversity across the United States. As Pope John Paul II said in 1998, "The Church in the United States has been enriched by a great diversity of expressions of faith found among people of different ethnic backgrounds. This rich diversity indicates that the Church is catholic in the full sense, embracing all peoples and cultures."¹ Indeed, it is a challenge that must be embraced by the local churches. Let us pray that the Holy Spirit will renew our journey to the fullness of life:

1. John Paul II, Ad Limina Apostolorum III (Pennsylvania and New Jersey), March 12, 1998.

References
Second Vatican Council, Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy (Sacrosanctum Concilium). Washington, D.C.: United States Catholic Conference, 1995.

Second Vatican Council, Decree on the Missionary Activity of the Church (Ad Gentes Divinitus). Washington, D.C.: National Catholic Welfare Conference, 1965.

John Paul II, The Day of the Lord (Dies Domini). (<http://www.vatican.va>)