Does RCIA change what it means to belong?

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5 thoughts on “Does RCIA change what it means to belong?”

  1. As you know, conversion is made difficult by those who come with an insincere heart. Those who wish to receive or complete the Sacraments of Initiation because it is their “family tradition” to be married in the Church. It would seem that a deeper concentration centered on the Sacrament of Marriage and Family is core in some programs more than others in order to grow commitment to the Truths of the Gospel message. Thoughts?

    1. I find there is a lot of misinformation out there when if comes to couples looking to get married in the Church. They assume (or worse, are told by a priest) that both parties must be fully initiated in order to marry in the Church. This just is not true! As long as one party is fully initiated, the other party does not need to be fully initiated. Depending on their status (non-baptized, baptized in a different Christian tradition, baptized Catholic) there is extra paperwork, permissions, and stipulations needed, but it does not preclude them from being married in the Catholic Church. I have had to explain this to countless couples over the years and their learning this allows them to make much more informed decisions.

  2. Judi Hornback

    I believe that setting the expectations from the beginning works!
    If you explain the process when you talk to a potential Inquirer the very first time, and it’s “their time”, then there shouldn’t be a problem.
    But everyone (team members, pastor, catechists, whomever is involved in the RCIA process) has to be on the same page, saying the same thing.
    For those who fear losing a catechumen or candidate, it’s okay–it just means that it wasn’t “God’s time” for them to join in the process.
    We need to follow the Rite!

  3. Sherru Gibbons

    You are only talking about actual unbaptized Catechumens. In our program, we also have baptized non-Catholics and those baptized Catholic but not raised in the Church. Some of these are already much more committed Christians than others. In our small parish, they all participate in the same program. WE are too small to run two programs. What are some practical suggestions to help make this work?

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