Q. Hello! I am the director of our initiation ministry in my parish. We do not have a deacon, and my pastor does not get involved, so it’s just me and my team. My pastor does not like to do the scrutinies at this time of year. He usually encourages me to do a simplified […]
Q&A: What do we do if the pastor won’t celebrate the scrutinies?
Q. One of our catechumens informed us that her godparent will not be able to be present for the three lenten scrutinies, and now she needs to look for a “proxy.” I have three questions: Who selects the proxy? Does the proxy need to fulfill all of the canonical qualifications of a godparent? Does the
Q&A: Proxies for the scrutinies
Q. We have eight seekers in our RCIA process. Only three or four are participating in Sunday Mass. I have stressed the importance of Sunday Eucharist, and I’m baffled about how to deal with this challenge. Do you have any suggestions? A. Thanks for your question. I hear you and know how you feel! When
Q&A: What do we do about RCIA seekers who don’t go to Mass?
Q. We have a candidate who received all of her sacraments in the Eastern Orthodox Church and wants to become Roman Catholic. She has been attending our sessions so that she understands the nuances and differences. When is it best to have her do the Profession of Faith? (We celebrate reception and sacraments for our
Q&A: What is the process for receiving Eastern Rite Christians?
Q. We have a candidate who was baptized as a Baptist going through RCIA. Can he be confirmed with our teen confirmation candidates when the bishop comes to celebrate? A.Thanks for reaching out. Your candidate needs to celebrate the Rite of Reception into the Full Communion of the Catholic Church prescribed in RCIA Part II:5.
Q&A: Can we celebrate confirmation with an RCIA candidate when the bishop comes to our parish?
Q. I have a question about the minor rites. Because of COVID, should we skip all exorcisms, blessings, and anointings before the Rite of Election? Or should we try and include the anointing at the Rite of Election? Is the anointing in the minor rites the same thing as the prebaptismal anointing? A. I would not
Q&A: How to celebrate the Anointing of the Catechumens and other RCIA minor rites in pandemic
Q. We do not have any catechumens this year, and therefore no scrutinies. How do we liturgically engage in the journey of the baptized candidates? A. This is a common question. Because there are few Lenten preparation rites for the baptized candidates in the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, we can tend to think that
Q&A: What rites can we celebrate with RCIA baptized candidates in Lent?
Q. How do I get buy-in for my RCIA vision from the parish leadership and faith community? A. This question is at the heart of being human and being in relationship. Differences among us are baked into our DNA. The challenge is, in spite of all our differences, how do we join together to proclaim
Q&A: Eight ways to get RCIA buy-in from everyone in the parish—including the pastor
Q: What would you do with someone coming from a tradition that baptizes adults and older teens and so was catechized but never baptized? We don’t have an unbaptized, catechized, category. A:This is a great question, and it is actually a fairly common one. In the United States and in some parts of Canada and
Q&A: Does the RCIA have a category for unbaptized, catechized seekers?
Q: When is the appropriate time for an inquirer or catechumen to begin using the Sign of the Cross? A: You have probably heard the saying, lex orandi, lex credendi (the law of praying establishes the law of belief). The Sign of the Cross perfectly illustrates that maxim. However, there do not seem to be any canonical or juridical
Q&A: When should we introduce seekers to the Sign of the Cross?
