Must all non-Christians go through RCIA?

[MooCowSteph]

Hi all,

While I was baptized and received my Fist Holy Communion, my brother, born 10 years after me, did not because my parents had fallen away from the church by that time. I was not confirmed until a few years ago at the age of 22. My mom has since returned to the Church, and my brother, now 14, has expressed interest in being baptized. Our concern is my brother’s EXTREME shyness, bordering on social anxiety disorder. He could never be baptized on Easter Saturday in front of the congregation. He wants to do everything in private. Is this an option? Does the Church allow older individuals to be baptized privately and then receive their First Holy Communion privately, maybe at a different time? I just know if he has to do anything in public, he’ll quit the whole process. Any thoughts?

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

MooCowSteph:

Hi all,

While I was baptized and received my Fist Holy Communion, my brother, born 10 years after me, did not because my parents had fallen away from the church by that time. I was not confirmed until a few years ago at the age of 22. My mom has since returned to the Church, and my brother, now 14, has expressed interest in being baptized. Our concern is my brother’s EXTREME shyness, bordering on social anxiety disorder. He could never be baptized on Easter Saturday in front of the congregation. He wants to do everything in private. Is this an option? Does the Church allow older individuals to be baptized privately and then receive their First Holy Communion privately, maybe at a different time? I just know if he has to do anything in public, he’ll quit the whole process. Any thoughts?

I would never say that an exception can never be made. However the norm in the Latin Rite Catholic Church is that adults are only Baptized at the Easter Vigil with certain exceptions like serious illness and danger of death. For an adult to be Baptized outside of the RCIA the Bishop would need to be contacted and his specific permission received. The Sacraments are in fact public events of the Faith Community and therefore usually take place at public Mass. Marriage as well as Anointing of the Sick is now even beginning to be celebrated in this manner, Baptism, Confirmation, Holy Orders and Holy Communion (Mass) have always been. Community Reconciliation services WITH individual Confession and absolution is now also common.