I missed the Rite of Election for Catechumens

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JeffinBuffallo

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I missed the the Rite of Election for Catechumens and the Call to Continuing Conversion for Candidates today. I had never been to the cathedral and got lost on my way there šŸ˜¦ I feel like an idiot for not making a practice drive to find out exactly where it was šŸ˜¦ Now I am wondering if I will still be able to be confirmed this year or if I now have to wait another year. At my parish all the candidates signed a book but today we were supposed to sign another and meet the Bishop. I am so very upset that I missed this :(šŸ˜¦
 
CAll your RCIA director, they will have you sign the book. People miss the Rite sometimes, they get sick or have to work - it is nothing to fret over (and ask your RCIA leader to provide a map, a carpool or the Church van next year).
 
The bishop can delegate these rites so more than likely, your own pastor can take care of it during your next Mass or in a private service. I second the advice to get in touch with your RCIA director, sponsor, etc. right away. They will take care of you. Mistakes happen and this is nothing which should prevent you from coming into the Church.

Peace, and welcome home!
 
I already signed one book. How will I sign the Bishopā€™s book?
 
Thank you both for your answers. I was made to feel that this rite was mandatory but now I am feeling better. Thanks.
 
When I went through private instruction from a priest I didnā€™t sign any book I had a private baptism confirmation and first communion in December of 1993 and a week afterwards the priest who baptised me conditionally gave me my baptismal certificate a week later at the Christmas mass. The onlhy reason that I had to be baptised conditionally was because my former pentecostal church did not keep very good records and there was aquestion on whether it was a valid baptism as it often is when coming from a pentecostal background.
 
JeffinBuffallo said:
Thank you both for your answers. I was made to feel that this rite was mandatory but now I am feeling better. Thanks.
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No, not manditory, youā€™ll be ok šŸ™‚

It was a real shame you missed that service though. Iā€™m sure you felt absolutley gutted! It is truely a moving and profound cerimony. It difficult for me to put in words but it is a lovely service.

Maybe next year you can sponser a candidate or catecumen and see the service.
 
What happened for us is we completed paperwork with our Priest and I think he sent them to the Bishop. I didnā€™t sign anything at the Cathedral.

Talk to the person taking RCIA. Try not to stress out! Iā€™m sure it can be sorted out.
 
Welcome ! Happy Are those who are called to the supper of the Lamb. šŸ˜ƒ
 
What I was told in my RCIA class was that the rite of initiation/welcoming as well as the rite of sending/election (depending on what your parish calls it) are not mandatory. They are strongly encouraged but are not requirements to getting baptized/confirmed at the Easter Vigil. I had a few reasons for skipping mine, through truthfully all the reasons were pretty weak and I feel I missed out on an awesome opportunity. Though I havenā€™t lost heart. There will always be opportunity to give in the Church so just keep rolling with the punches, donā€™t get yourself down about missing this. Itā€™s isnā€™t a requirement, though like I said itā€™s strongly encouraged. You havenā€™t sinned or anything for missing it lol (especially since you at least tried to make it and simply got lost. You canā€™t be held responsible for that). As for the signing of the book we never heard anything like that? Is that widespread in the Church or is that something the Bishop does at his discretion? Iā€™m not aware of our parish doing anything like that??
 
JeffinBuffallo said:
Thank you both for your answers. I was made to feel that this rite was mandatory but now I am feeling better. Thanks.
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Itā€™s very strongly encouraged. Itā€™s a beautiful Rite, and it really helps people in their journey of faith.
 
SaintPatrick333 said:
As for the signing of the book we never heard anything like that? Is that widespread in the Church or is that something the Bishop does at his discretion? Iā€™m not aware of our parish doing anything like that??
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This is only for the Catechumens. Itā€™s ā€œThe Book of the Electā€. šŸ™‚
 
I have decieded to wait until next year to be confirmed so that I can do it properly. I will rejoin RCIA this coming Fall. Thanks everyone for your answers.
 
Should I wait until next year to be baptized/confirmed since I missed the rite of election? I never got to sign the book. I know itā€™s not ā€œmandatoryā€ however strongly encouraged and I donā€™t want to join on the premise that I was only giving half the effort you know? Is there a way to still meet with the Bishop and sign the book of the elect? I certainly donā€™t need it to be in the setting of Mass where everyone praises and congratulates me, but if its really important is their an avenue to rectify that without waiting another year to be baptized and confirmed?
 
Jeff

I am currently a member of my parish RCIA team as I have been for a number of years including a couple as the interim director. I would like to echo the advice that was well-stated in several posts above, namely

ā€œIt is truly a moving and profound ceremonyā€ ā€¦BUTā€¦

ā€œthe rite of initiation/welcoming as well as the rite of sending/election (depending on what your parish calls it) are not mandatory. They are strongly encouraged but are not requirements to getting baptized/confirmed at the Easter Vigilā€

May I suggest that you discuss this with your RCIA director before making a final decision to postpone your receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation this Easter. The two of you may indeed conclude that it best that you wait until next year but simply having missed the Rite generally would not make it improper to proceed this year.
 
Do not delay. Sacraments are real, they are vital, if they really do what we claim to believe they do, no amount of ā€œembarrassmentā€ for missing an optional rite would keep you from them.
 
Thank you for the direction. I personally did not want to wait another year as I feel in my heart that I want to continue. And knowing that it wasnā€™t mandatory helped but I still felt like I was being lazy by letting my anxiety get in the way of attending the service (the diocese cathedral is about an hour away and I get insanely anxious when it comes to travelling). Itā€™s really kind of a bummer for anxiety since Iā€™m a very social person, but now I feel confident in continuing moving forward and working on my ever growing relationship with Christ. Thanks for all the support and prayers everyone! God Bless!
 
I see a number of people stating that the Rite of Election is optional. I canā€™t find it in the ritual text. Can anyone refer me to a paragraph number saying it is optional?

The Call to Continuing Conversion for already baptized candidates is optional (at least as I understand paragraph 446: This rte may be celebrated with baptized but previously uncatechized adultsā€¦)

Thanks for your help.
 
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