My Rite of Welcoming was today

[cascherman]

Well all, I had my Rite of Welcoming today, I’ve ‘graduated’ from inquiry and I’m now a candidate.

I was presented in Mass today by my sponsor. We have a ‘BOW’ or ‘Break open the Word’ after the homily in a separate place, and then we have discussions for about an hour and half after the BOW.

So far I’m loving RCIA, I can’t believe there wasn’t a brainwave to re-establish RCIA earlier. I wouldn’t want to be brought into the Church any other way.

So, I can’t wait to say to all of you that you are truly my brothers and sisters! Pray for me!

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

Well all, I had my Rite of Welcoming today, I’ve ‘graduated’ from inquiry and I’m now a candidate.

I was presented in Mass today by my sponsor. We have a ‘BOW’ or ‘Break open the Word’ after the homily in a separate place, and then we have discussions for about an hour and half after the BOW.

So far I’m loving RCIA, I can’t believe there wasn’t a brainwave to re-establish RCIA earlier. I wouldn’t want to be brought into the Church any other way.

So, I can’t wait to say to all of you that you are truly my brothers and sisters! Pray for me!

I’m glad that you have made the decision to continue on your path to full union with the Church Christ founded.

 

[theweeper]

Well all, I had my Rite of Welcoming today, I’ve ‘graduated’ from inquiry and I’m now a candidate.

I was presented in Mass today by my sponsor. We have a ‘BOW’ or ‘Break open the Word’ after the homily in a separate place, and then we have discussions for about an hour and half after the BOW.

So far I’m loving RCIA, I can’t believe there wasn’t a brainwave to re-establish RCIA earlier. I wouldn’t want to be brought into the Church any other way.

So, I can’t wait to say to all of you that you are truly my brothers and sisters! Pray for me!

i’m feeling much the same way. i dont have a sponsor yet could you tell me more about this process. i have a friend at another parish that will do it but does it need to be someone in the parish i’m attending?

 

[Joannm]

Well all, I had my Rite of Welcoming today, I’ve ‘graduated’ from inquiry and I’m now a candidate.

I was presented in Mass today by my sponsor. We have a ‘BOW’ or ‘Break open the Word’ after the homily in a separate place, and then we have discussions for about an hour and half after the BOW.

So far I’m loving RCIA, I can’t believe there wasn’t a brainwave to re-establish RCIA earlier. I wouldn’t want to be brought into the Church any other way.

So, I can’t wait to say to all of you that you are truly my brothers and sisters! Pray for me!

I have a question…are you a catechumen (never baptized) or a candidate (coming into the Church from another Christian community)? If you are a candidate you should not be dimissed from Mass, but, as a baptized Christion, be allowed to stay for the whole Mass (yet not go to communion). Only the unbaptized are dismissed to break open the Word. Too many misunderstand the difference between catechumens and candidates and treat them the same…there is a difference that must be respected.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

i’m feeling much the same way. i dont have a sponsor yet could you tell me more about this process. i have a friend at another parish that will do it but does it need to be someone in the parish i’m attending?

A sponsor should have been with you beginning with the Inquiry phase. You can ask any practicing Catholic in good standing with the Church to be your Sponsor. Or the parish you are attending RCIA at can help find one for you.

 

[pyropam]

I have a question…are you a catechumen (never baptized) or a candidate (coming into the Church from another Christian community)? If you are a candidate you should not be dimissed from Mass, but, as a baptized Christion, be allowed to stay for the whole Mass (yet not go to communion). Only the unbaptized are dismissed to break open the Word. Too many misunderstand the difference between catechumens and candidates and treat them the same…there is a difference that must be respected.

This seems to be a rude remark, so look over the poster.

How proud I am for you! You have began your path to the most wonderful Church! May God continue to Bless you and may your journey to the true church be a wonderous one. RCIA was wonderful and made me hungry for more teaching. I became Catholic at EASTER.

 

[Texas_Roofer]

Well all, I had my Rite of Welcoming today, I’ve ‘graduated’ from inquiry and I’m now a candidate.

I was presented in Mass today by my sponsor. We have a ‘BOW’ or ‘Break open the Word’ after the homily in a separate place, and then we have discussions for about an hour and half after the BOW.

So far I’m loving RCIA, I can’t believe there wasn’t a brainwave to re-establish RCIA earlier. I wouldn’t want to be brought into the Church any other way.

So, I can’t wait to say to all of you that you are truly my brothers and sisters! Pray for me!

:clapping: :clapping: :clapping: :extrahappy:

 

[dalesmom]

It seems alot more real now, doesn’t it!? This is the most wonderful thing that you will ever choose to do. Enjoy every minute of it!

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

I have a question…are you a catechumen (never baptized) or a candidate (coming into the Church from another Christian community)? If you are a candidate you should not be dimissed from Mass, but, as a baptized Christion, be allowed to stay for the whole Mass (yet not go to communion). Only the unbaptized are dismissed to break open the Word. Too many misunderstand the difference between catechumens and candidates and treat them the same…there is a difference that must be respected.

It seems in many places it is a lost battle trying to keep Catechumens distinct from Candidates as the Rite calls for.

 

[Joannm]

This seems to be a rude remark, so look over the poster.

How proud I am for you! You have began your path to the most wonderful Church! May God continue to Bless you and may your journey to the true church be a wonderous one. RCIA was wonderful and made me hungry for more teaching. I became Catholic at EASTER.

I am not trying to be rude and I am sorry that you saw my remark that way. I am only stating what is part of the rite and it was just a question. It is wonderful that we are welcoming a new Catholic, yet it is all important that we respect the integrity of the rite as written by the Church. Isn’t that what a lot of complaints in this forum are focused on, not following the rites of the Church as they are written.

Too many parish RCIA groups put everyone, catechumens, candidates and Catholics who need communion and confirmation and even those who just need confirmation, into one big RCIA process. But there are differences. Many complain that they do not have enough team members. We have 3 team members and we are able to keep the groups intact. We dismiss catechumens with one catechist and then we all gather following mass for discussion and teaching on a specific topic. That way the catechumens have the BOW, which focusus on their needs to get to know Christ in His Word and then we come together for instruction where people are in different stages and can take away what they need. Sometimes we split the group by going into two rooms if some of the candidates seem too advanced for what is being taught. They will go into another room with one catechist for a more advanced discussion on the topic. Such was the case last year when we had a Muslim catechumen and a candidate who was raised by very Christian parents and who knew her bible better than we did and who had been coming to Mass for years with her husband…even the priests were amazed at how much of Cathoic doctrine she knew (she had gone to Cathoic schools and a Catholic college). One of our present catechumens is also in a similar situation so we may need to tailor our catechetical sessions a bit. It happens sometimes that the catechumens are more advanced than the candidates or even those Catholics just needed communion or confirmation, so we need to be flexible while still respecting their status within the Church.

 

[Joannm]

It seems in many places it is a lost battle trying to keep Catechumens distinct from Candidates as the Rite calls for.

This is true. And most parish RCIA committees do not fully understand the reason for the distinction. It does not mean that instruction needs to be in different groups, but certainly we must respect the Rite. Candidates do not participate in the Rite of Election or the Scrutinies, for example, as well as not being dismissed.

 

[Texas_Roofer]

… That way the catechumens have the BOW, which focusus on their needs to get to know Christ in His Word … a candidate who was raised by very Christian parents and who knew her bible better than we did …

That had to be interesting, I would have loved to have seen it. Did you know her knowledge played no factor in your classifing her? Had she been baptized Mormon you would be to teach her your lower knowledge! A couple of things which might help 1) The Church predated a literate laity 2) Mass printing has existed a while now. 3) Digital printing is in most US homes. 4) did you know there were about 1700 years which passed between when God instituting the Church and first bibles were printed in english? It is not that the Church changed it is the people who changed. Frankly my experience is candidates learn more than catechumens during B.O.W. that just my experience.

 

[Jennifer_G]

That had to be interesting, I would have loved to have seen it. Did you know her knowledge played no factor in your classifing her? Had she been baptized Mormon you would be to teach her your lower knowledge! A couple of things which might help 1) The Church predated a literate laity 2) Mass printing has existed a while now. 3) Digital printing is in most US homes. 4) did you know there were about 1700 years which passed between when God instituting the Church and first bibles were printed in english? It is not that the Church changed it is the people who changed. Frankly my experience is candidates learn more than catechumens during B.O.W. that just my experience.

Weren’t there some English translations as early as 300 AD? (Of course, that would be pre Chaucerian-English)

Anyway, our Rite of Acceptence/Welcoming is December 2nd. We have a nice long study of the cathechism, saints of the week, a Catholic topic of the week (i.e., the Pope, bowing/genflecting, the Rosary, etc.). Topics on the sacraments are coming up next month.

 

[Texas_Roofer]

Weren’t there some English translations as early as 300 AD? (Of course, that would be pre Chaucerian-English)

I am not aware of such. My understanding is the the Church of England created the earlier english versions. I have also read the Church condemn french(?) translations earlier when the people wanted copies which they could read. The Church desired Latin only, which always seemed odd to me because the original texted were not Latin. Anyway it is only in the last 100 years people could read the bible in mass numbers

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

That had to be interesting, I would have loved to have seen it. Did you know her knowledge played no factor in your classifing her? Had she been baptized Mormon you would be to teach her your lower knowledge! A couple of things which might help 1) The Church predated a literate laity 2) Mass printing has existed a while now. 3) Digital printing is in most US homes. 4) did you know there were about 1700 years which passed between when God instituting the Church and first bibles were printed in english? It is not that the Church changed it is the people who changed. Frankly my experience is candidates learn more than catechumens during B.O.W. that just my experience.

I will agree that many Candidates do receive a lot from the BOW process and there should be one set up for them after, or between the Masses or on a weekday evening. Because of their Baptism they have a right to attend the complete Mass and some might argue they have an obligation to attend the whole Mass.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

Weren’t there some English translations as early as 300 AD? (Of course, that would be pre Chaucerian-English)

Anyway, our Rite of Acceptence/Welcoming is December 2nd. We have a nice long study of the cathechism, saints of the week, a Catholic topic of the week (i.e., the Pope, bowing/genflecting, the Rosary, etc.). Topics on the sacraments are coming up next month.

I thouhgt that the earilest English translation was in the 1300’s.

 

[cascherman]

I am indeed a candidate, I was baptized episcopalian when I was a baby. I grew up in the Lutheran church and now look at me!

As for leaving at Mass, I’m just doing what I thought I’m supposed to do. I don’t mind leaving, I very much enjoyed what we did.

 

[Jennifer_G]

I thouhgt that the earilest English translation was in the 1300’s.

Maybe that’s what it was and I misheard it.

 

[Joannm]

I am indeed a candidate, I was baptized episcopalian when I was a baby. I grew up in the Lutheran church and now look at me!

As for leaving at Mass, I’m just doing what I thought I’m supposed to do. I don’t mind leaving, I very much enjoyed what we did.

You personally are not doing anything wrong by leaving, but the RCIA team in your parish are not following the Rites. It is a common misconception that candidtates are dismissed along with catechumens. Funny but people complain about priests not following the rites and rubrics of Mass but think nothing about not following the Rite of Christian Inistiation of Adults, which take place for the most part during the Mass.

 

[kettle]

I think the RCIA groups in many parishes lump everyone together because it’s just easier that way. That’s not to say it’s the right way to do things, of course.

Anyway, CONGRATULATIONS!!!