A New RCIA Program

Introduction

I would propose that this period of discernment, of venting, of clearing away all the bad press Catholics get and getting people on the right path to Catholicism should last for as long as is necessary.  For some people this may be a short time and for others this may take longer.  This part of the journey should be as long as it needs to be.

This is the time when good catechesis on the ancientness, the richness and holiness of this church needs to be evangelized in good constructive ways.  This is a time when people will embrace us or leave us.  Many are invited, but few are chosen.  Our RCIA program should not rest on how many people go through it, but on how healed and holy they are when they finish it.  This is a time when they need to know who we are and what we are all about.  We are here to do God's work, not get in the way of it.  This is a never ending process of catechesis and it should come directly from the Catechism of the Catholic Church.  The Catechism should only be used as a reference by facilitators, never given to the new prospects.  It is far too difficult to understand for one not familiar with our faith and would only lead to confusion and frustration, as so stated in its own introduction.

Several good books that we use here at St. John's in Chico to introduce our faith are "Handbook for inquirers"; "Handbook for today's Catholic"; and "Life in Christ".  At some point "The New American Bible" should be presented in a prescribed way at a sacred moment in their lives.  But not until a full catechesis has been done on how the Catholic Bible is different; how to view the Bible; how to interpret it; how to read it; and how to live by it. (see "Remembering" lesson #4).  Again--this is a time of inquiry and discernment.  This is the time for them to question us on our faith and what we know about our own church.  Let it happen and be prepared to be attacked, but remember your job is to be an instrument of God and let the Holy Spirit guide the whole process.

This is the moment when the tough question is asked of those who have continued with their formation through the pre-catechumenate stage--do you wish to become a member of this Body of Christ?

For those who answer in the affirmative--welcome them into their learning process of what it means to become a Catholic Christian in light of thousands of years of history.  For those who are undecided invite them to remain and continue on with their pre-catechumenate formation, but be very clear that they will not be included in the presentations to the Catholic community at large.  This is the time when prospective converts should be put through the Rite of Acceptance and Welcoming at the very beginning of this section.

This is a wonderful rite and it gives the assembly an opportunity to meet and welcome prospective new members into the community.  It involves them in ways they cannot even begin to imagine.  They meet a group of people who want to become what they are and have been most of their lives if not all of it.  This is a great time for a party for the community and those preparing to enter into it.

By this time those who are catechumens and those who are candidates have committed themselves to becoming Catholic.  Now is the time to begin serious catechesis on what it means to become Catholic.  Now is the time to separate out those who are candidates and those who are new to God's stuff.  The candidates already know who God is and what it means to have faith, they just want to move on to the meat of catechesis which will be different than the milk given to the catechumens.

Along with the Catechumens I would gently guide them through the New Catechism of the Catholic Church.  Not every aspect of it must be covered, but surely the most important parts of it.