Q: If we only have one catechumen, would we still dismiss them? That puts a lot of attention on that one catechumen and on the team. We have to be sure they arrive on time and check in so we know that they are there. We have to alert the musician and presider that we are doing the dismissal that day. And breaking open the word puts a lot of attention on that one person.

A: Those are good concerns. Here are a few things to consider.

First, the dismissal is normative for all catechumens. That means it is part of their role and responsibility as members of the order of catechumens to be sent from the Mass after the Liturgy of the Word. Any exceptions to this norm would be just that, an exception based on each individual catechumen’s circumstances. We can’t make a blanket rule for what to do even if there is only one catechumen present because each catechumen will be different and have different needs.

There may be some good reasons for an individual catechumen who is by themselves to not be dismissed, and the rite allows for the possibility that the dismissal from the Mass would not happen (see RCIA 67C).

Involve the community

The rite does not give any examples of when a catechumen might not be dismissed, but some possible reasons could be that the catechumen is caring for younger baptized children or an elderly parent and being dismissed would put undue strain on their responsibility to them. In that situation, before dismissing the dismissal altogether on a regular basis, I would try to work with the catechumen to see if others in the community can assist with caring for the children or the parent so that the catechumen can be dismissed more regularly.

Also note that the dismissal refers to the act of acknowledging the catechumen before the assembly and, when possible, sending them to go forth from the assembly. What they do after they are sent can vary. So if breaking open the word is not a good option, the catechumen might:

• have a conversation with another member of the community
• reflect quietly on their own
• do some work of service at the church or in the neighborhood
• do some spiritual reading
• pray one of our other forms of Catholic prayer, like the rosary, centering prayer, or praying before the Blessed Sacrament
• or just go home

Remember that the time after dismissal is not “class time” but a time to deepen their faith. You could even work with the catechumen to explore various ways to do that which are more engaging for them. The acknowledgement before the assembly is just as important as the sending, and maybe even more so because the rite envisions that you would acknowledge the catechumen even if you cannot dismiss them (again, see RCIA 67C).

Remember that the time after dismissal is not “class time” but a time to deepen their faith.

A public ritual

The public nature of this ritual is important because the catechumens are learning to be public witnesses of their faith. This is how they are trained to evangelize, first by their public wordless witness and second, by their spoken testimony in their conversations with others.

If they are uncomfortable being called forward, you can help them understand that our faith is meant to be seen and shared. It’s not a private faith. And you can invite their sponsor or another member of the assembly to stand with them as they are called forward for the dismissal so that they can get used to being that public witness.

The logistics of arriving on time and informing the presider and music ministers that there will be a dismissal are certainly a concern. Sometimes, you just have to play it “by ear.” I was part of a community where it was just the custom at every Mass for the presider to always ask after the homily if there were any catechumens in the assembly. One time, there was even a visiting catechumen who stood up! And we dismissed that person too along with our parish’s catechumens! It was a wonderful experience for the visiting catechumen and our parish to see that the church is bigger than our own community!

I hope these ideas help you think of the dismissal in a new way. Don’t worry if you can’t make changes all at once in your parish, as long as you’re always working to see what simple next step your parish can take to get closer to the church’s norms for the dismissal of catechumens.