CALL TO SPONSORS of 2009 Tiber Swim Team

[quiet52]

If you sponsored someone who received the sacraments of initiation this Easter, please continue to pray for them daily. Please continue to talk with them regularly, to challenge them, to pray with them, and to draw them into the life of the faith community. Please encourage them to participate in mystagogical sessions, if your parish offers them – or in other adult faith formation opportunities. Talk about the Sunday readings, or discuss the homilies. Ask if they have questions. Stay informed about parish events, outreach and service activities, and faith formation opportunities. Share your books on the faith with them. Share your own daily faith struggles. Work on your own faith journey more fervently, and share how you’re doing that.

Our newly-initiated haven’t “graduated” from anything now that they’re “initiated.” They’ve only just begun their full participation in the faith. It’s still new – they’re still new. Please don’t abandon them.

You said “yes” to an important ministry. Thank you. Please continue to say “yes” to our newly-initiated. Please help them to remain active Catholics. Our Church needs them. The world needs them to be lights of Christ.

I read or have been told that significant numbers of those receiving the “Easter sacraments” don’t attend weekly Mass one year after their full initiation. Different sources give different numbers (30%, 40%, 50%). The less participation in Mystagogy, the higher the number.

I’ve been told that for those who don’t participate in mystagogy or in any formal faith formation after joining the Church, only about 20% call themselves practicing Catholics five years later. I don’t know if any statistically-valid research has been done, and if it’s been done, I don’t know how it was conducted – but sponsors, you are important!!!

And after Easter 2010, help your RCIA team coordinate a gathering of the 2009 and 2010 groups, including sponsors & catechists, and celebrate together!

Please continue to love the person you have sponsored. Please remain involved in their journey of faith. And may you be blessed in the process.

 

[anjoh66]

Our newly-initiated haven’t “graduated” from anything now that they’re “initiated.” They’ve only just begun their full participation in the faith. It’s still new – they’re still new. Please don’t abandon them.

I’ve been told that for those who don’t participate in mystagogy or in any formal faith formation after joining the Church, only about 20% call themselves practicing Catholics five years later. I don’t know if any statistically-valid research has been done, and if it’s been done, I don’t know how it was conducted – but sponsors, you are important!!!

Thats is horrible if it is right.
That is one of the reasons we in sweden are demanding a very deep catechesis of at least two years for anyone who wants to join the church.

This really shows that it is never good when things are going too fast and the catechumens and candidates are running Gauntlet to the easter vigil and after recieving the prize they think it is finished when it acctually just begun.

The only solution is longer catechesis for the catechumens and candidates, let them pass at least two years and make them feel as a part of the church in the catechumenate so that easter vigil doesnt become some kind of magic moment.

 

[tinalewis]

Wow - these are horrible statistics indeed!

I was accepted into the church only a year ago. I dropped out of RCIA classes just prior to the Rite of Sending in February 2008 and I attended two mystagogy sessions with my former classmates after I became Catholic.

Yet I’m still going to Sunday Mass, I’m a scheduled weekly adorer in a perpetual adoration chapel, and I still go to several weekday Masses as well as serving as a EMHC both at our church and now weekly at a local hospital.

More classes don’t necessarily translate into greater faith. I really believe it should be on an individual basis. Those neophytes who want more instruction and hand-holding should have the opportunity to receive it. Those who don’t want additional formal classroom support should be able to opt-out of post-Easter Vigil training without being made to feel that they’ve quit anything.

With my current schedule, if I were obligated to continue classes as a neophyte or if I had to participate in RCIA for two years, I’d be stretched too thin and I doubt I’d be very happy about it. Don’t we want new Catholics to enjoy their new faith? Wouldn’t we like to see every new Catholic feel comfortable and have enough energy to give back to others? I hope we do.

 

[anjoh66]

Wow - these are horrible statistics indeed!

I was accepted into the church only a year ago. I dropped out of RCIA classes just prior to the Rite of Sending in February 2008 and I attended two mystagogy sessions with my former classmates after I became Catholic.

Yet I’m still going to Sunday Mass, I’m a scheduled weekly adorer in a perpetual adoration chapel, and I still go to several weekday Masses as well as serving as a EMHC both at our church and now weekly at a local hospital.

More classes don’t necessarily translate into greater faith. I really believe it should be on an individual basis. Those neophytes who want more instruction and hand-holding should have the opportunity to receive it. Those who don’t want additional formal classroom support should be able to opt-out of post-Easter Vigil training without being made to feel that they’ve quit anything.

With my current schedule, if I were obligated to continue classes as a neophyte or if I had to participate in RCIA for two years, I’d be stretched too thin and I doubt I’d be very happy about it. Don’t we want new Catholics to enjoy their new faith? Wouldn’t we like to see every new Catholic feel comfortable and have enough energy to give back to others? I hope we do.

Well in my country it is praxis of two years it is the decree from the bishop and still people convert so i guess that if you really wanna join the church you will do so no matter the time it takes.

If you are not participating as a candidate/catechumen, why should you do so after being accepted/initiated?

Most important is to get the catechumens feeling welcome in the church even before their initiation and make them understand that they are already a part of the church and there is no need for running gauntlet for some prize at easter vigil.

 

[tinalewis]

If you are not participating as a candidate/catechumen, why should you do so after being accepted/initiated?

Most important is to get the catechumens feeling welcome in the church even before their initiation and make them understand that they are already a part of the church and there is no need for running gauntlet for some prize at easter vigil.

To give an answer to your question - if the goal is to keep new Catholics growing in faith and involved in church activities and the method employed to accomplish this is to insist on more contact and more instruction, then statistically-speaking I *should *participate in post-Easter Vigil contact and instruction. I’m “at risk” for joining these horrible statistics.

I think I see your point in that perhaps some RCIA participants see Easter Vigil as one check mark on their “To Do” list that they can then move on to the next item on their list. Perhaps rather than lengthening class instruction or extending sponsor-neophyte contacts, RCIA instructors could emphasize that Easter Vigil isn’t the check-box, but only one step in a lifelong process. Some folks such as myself can already see the lifelong committment and we should be encouraged to listen to our own hearts without being tied to post-Easter Vigil activities.

 

[anjoh66]

To give an answer to your question - if the goal is to keep new Catholics growing in faith and involved in church activities and the method employed to accomplish this is to insist on more contact and more instruction, then statistically-speaking I *should *participate in post-Easter Vigil contact and instruction. I’m “at risk” for joining these horrible statistics.

I think I see your point in that perhaps some RCIA participants see Easter Vigil as one check mark on their “To Do” list that they can then move on to the next item on their list. Perhaps rather than lengthening class instruction or extending sponsor-neophyte contacts, RCIA instructors could emphasize that Easter Vigil isn’t the check-box, but only one step in a lifelong process. Some folks such as myself can already see the lifelong committment and we should be encouraged to listen to our own hearts without being tied to post-Easter Vigil activities.

We must remember that everybody is different and what is true to one person may not be for another.

For me acctually the above statistics is strange as people usually convert because of their belief and admittance to the catholic faith.

What i mean is not that the catechumenate should be classes for 2 full years, we also dont do that way, they usually start in september and continues until easter vigil, just like in the us.

But, the precatechumenate, the inquiry period should maybe sometimes be a little longer, thats why we have approx 1 year or more of inquiry.

The inquiry period is when people should learn about the faith before the RCIA begins and those who drop off RCIA should have had longer inquiry, if they drop off they wasnt sure about the faith, that should be cleared out before RCIA.

But as i said, each case speak for itself and also sometimes people has more faith and then comes a period with a little less faith, but that doesnt mean they will leave the faith totally.

 

[mystagogia]

I’m not comfortable with these calls for a longer RCIA at all. The assumption seems to be that if if RCIA isn’t working then we can correct it by making it longer.

Please straighten me out if I’ve got a wrong impression.

I think RCIA is too long as it is, and that the length of it might work against us. Here’s my thinking: RCIA lasts one year, usually one of weekly meetings, and it gets folks excited and directed towards joining the Church.

Then, boom, it ends. I can easily see why folks feel adrift after one year of that regimen only to be then let loose. Does more regimen on the RCIA side correct this, or does more regimen in the post-RCIA side correct this?

I vote with the later. I vote with the mystagogia programs of keeping those who’ve recieved communion growing in our faith. And that covers not just new converts. Bible study groups, retreats, pushes for more involvement in parish activities, etc.

After one year of RCIA we’ve got people to join our churches. Our challenge is keeping them there, keeping that level of engagement up after the fact. Prolonging RCIA seems like kicking the can down the road - work closely with them for two years only to do the same thing once they join?

No, I think working on the post-RCIA side of the equation is best.

Of course I reserve the right to be wrong!

 

[anjoh66]

I’m not comfortable with these calls for a longer RCIA at all. The assumption seems to be that if if RCIA isn’t working then we can correct it by making it longer.

Please straighten me out if I’ve got a wrong impression.

I think RCIA is too long as it is, and that the length of it might work against us. Here’s my thinking: RCIA lasts one year, usually one of weekly meetings, and it gets folks excited and directed towards joining the Church.

Then, boom, it ends. I can easily see why folks feel adrift after one year of that regimen only to be then let loose. Does more regimen on the RCIA side correct this, or does more regimen in the post-RCIA side correct this?

I vote with the later. I vote with the mystagogia programs of keeping those who’ve recieved communion growing in our faith. And that covers not just new converts. Bible study groups, retreats, pushes for more involvement in parish activities, etc.

After one year of RCIA we’ve got people to join our churches. Our challenge is keeping them there, keeping that level of engagement up after the fact. Prolonging RCIA seems like kicking the can down the road - work closely with them for two years only to do the same thing once they join?

No, I think working on the post-RCIA side of the equation is best.

Of course I reserve the right to be wrong!

No i think i didnt express myself right, the answer is not longer RCIA, but longer inquiry, or at least not to recieve someone as catechumen who is still not convinced that the catholic church is the true way.

Our RCIA also last from about september till easter the whole process, but before someone is recieved as catechumen he must have shown an eagerness to become catholic.

Like participating in masses, reading, discussions and so on.

 

[tinalewis]

No i think i didnt express myself right, the answer is not longer RCIA, but longer inquiry, or at least not to recieve someone as catechumen who is still not convinced that the catholic church is the true way.

I agree. But I also believe that not necessarily a lengthier inquiry, but perhaps a more individualized inquiry period. Longer does not always mean better. My initial interview with the RCIA instructor at my church would have sufficed as my inquiry period, but as already pointed out, each person is different.

 

[Light_Seeker]

I agree. But I also believe that not necessarily a lengthier inquiry, but perhaps a more individualized inquiry period. Longer does not always mean better. My initial interview with the RCIA instructor at my church would have sufficed as my inquiry period, but as already pointed out, each person is different.

And not just the inquiry period either, it should all be individualized. I studied Catholicism for 18 years, on & off, before converting. I could have taught specific RCIA classes better than our instructors, unfortunately. And the last several years, as a sponsor & RCIA team member, I’m seeing this with other catechumans.