Question for RCIA Directors

[GAHere]

Could you please explain to me what a ‘peer companion’ is within the realm of RCIA?

We recently had some ‘peer companions’ confirmed with the RCIA candidates and have not been able to find any information on how others can select that option for confirmation (enabling active youths in the parish to get confirmed during the easter vigil in lieu of with the rest of their RE peers before Lent).

Have you heard anything about that category?

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

Could you please explain to me what a ‘peer companion’ is within the realm of RCIA?

We recently had some ‘peer companions’ confirmed with the RCIA candidates and have not been able to find any information on how others can select that option for confirmation (enabling active youths in the parish to get confirmed during the easter vigil in lieu of with the rest of their RE peers before Lent).

Have you heard anything about that category?

I been invloved in RCIA for over 17 years and have never heard of the term before.

I think it’s something someone at your parish made up.http://forums.catholic-questions.org/images/icons/icon11.gif

Making things up as you go in RCIA happens all the time.http://forums.catholic-questions.org/images/icons/icon8.gif

 

[Joe_Kelley]

Note that a priest is permitted to confirm only those he baptizes at the Easter Vigil. Most dioceses give blanket permission for the priest to also confirm those who were baptized in another Faith Tradition and make a profession of Faith at the Easter Vigil. In our diocese, and in many I think, the priest must receive explicit permission to confirm anyone who was previously baptized in the Catholic Church. This is usually reserved to those who have never practiced the Catholic Faith and come through the RCIA program. Occasionally, we have obtained permission to confirm the spouse or spouse-to-be of one who is being received into the Church. Recently, our bishop has started giving permission for the pastor to confirm adults at the Pentecost mass. I don’t think this is common.

 

[puzzleannie]

In this diocese the priest has the faculty to confirma at Easter only the newly baptized and those accepted into full communion from another Christian denomination. He can also ask for and receive the faculty to confirm baptized Catholics in exceptional circumstances (life threatening illness or surgery etc). In addition, the bishop delegates senior priests, deans etc. to Confirm Catholic youth and adults in parishes and at diocesan celebrations.

“peer companions” is how some RCIA directors interpret some confusing provisions in the RICA rites as adapted for children. As a practical matter, unbaptized children and youth are usually placed in a class with others of about the same age, not with the adults, and some of the others may be brothers and sisters who are already baptized, older children preparing for first communion after the prescribed age, and so forth.

Since we have a “class mentality” in RE already of children receiving the sacraments in herds, that carries over to the EAster Vigil. What is supposed to happen is that their baptized classmates can make first communion at Easter alongside the newly baptized, but at least in this diocese they are not supposed to be confirmed. It is much harder to explain to parents why they are not being confirmed than to answer OP’s question. So we end up with families, as this year, where a 16 yr old being confirmed this month is the last in his family to be confirmed since a parent and older brother were confirmed as adults last year (1 year prep) and a younger unbaptized brother received all 3 sacraments at Easter last year.

 

[GAHere]

“peer companions” is how some RCIA directors interpret some confusing provisions in the RICA rites as adapted for children. As a practical matter, unbaptized children and youth are usually placed in a class with others of about the same age, not with the adults, and some of the others may be brothers and sisters who are already baptized, older children preparing for first communion after the prescribed age, and so forth.

Thank you all for your help so far, please keep it comin’.

If it is a matter of ‘loose’ interpretation could you point me to the direction of source documentation I could access to help me make a case to our parish priest against allowing this in the future? I’m not having any luck with ‘google’ so far.

Thanks!

 

[puzzleannie]

Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults, US Bishops edition rev. 1988 is the guiding document. beginning in section 252 is the Christian Initiation of Children who have reached catechetical age

sections 254-259 are the sections that speak to the unbaptized children being prepared for the sacraments alongside others in the same age group who are preparing for first communion and/or confirmation. Sec 256 recommends that the candidates, if possible, should be brought to the sacraments at the same time (ie. Easter vigil or other time during Easter season) as the others are baptized.

All through this section in the actual rites, the rubrics for the rites, and the explanatory and introductory sections, the presence of “peer companions” is implicit. (section 308 i.e. says the priest may be granted the faculty to confirm the baptized CAtholics at the same time as he confirms the RCIA candidates–MAY,not MUST).

What is not addressed is “what about all the other baptized children and youth of the parish who are also, coincidentally, preparing for first communion and confirmation?”

This is where the diocesan particular law on sacraments and preparation comes into play. OP asks, if some baptized children can be confirmed at Easter, why not all? The answer is, what are the bishop’s guidelines for confirmation in your diocese? That is the “normal” age and timing, and “normal” preparation process. Who is chosen to participate alongside the RCIA candidates (which is in general far more demanding than even the “regular” youth confirmation program) is up to the pastor or the person he delegates. It is not an option offered to all candidates and students. The choice is made by the pastor, following the guidelings, not made by the parents or the candidate himself.

 

[puzzleannie]

took me a while to find this other section, where an apparent (not real) conflict appears. In rCIA sections 473-486 regarding reception of baptized Christians into full communion, it is implied that this happen at a time other than Easter, and not with the catechumens, however, there is a lot of latitude here. Sec 478 refers to baptized but uncatechized adults preparing for confirmation, and seems to allow for their preparation alongside their non-CAtholic or non-baptized peers as well, yet to celebrate some (not all) the preparatory rites, and be received at yet another time. There is so much wiggle room here and throughout the rites, trying to allow for every foreseeable circumstances, that even if you have studied the rites thoroughly and been active in the RCIA process for many years, there are still surprises.

 

[GAHere]

(section 308 i.e. says the priest may be granted the faculty to confirm the baptized Catholics at the same time as he confirms the RCIA candidates–MAY,not MUST).

That must be it. Thanks for finding it! Looks like there’s not much we can do.

Who is chosen to participate alongside the RCIA candidates (which is in general far more demanding than even the “regular” youth confirmation program) is up to the pastor or the person he delegates. It is not an option offered to all candidates and students. The choice is made by the pastor, following the guidelines, not made by the parents or the candidate himself.

Good to know, thank you.

 

[GAHere]

took me a while to find this other section, where an apparent (not real) conflict appears. In rCIA sections 473-486 regarding reception of baptized Christians into full communion, it is implied that this happen at a time other than Easter, and not with the catechumens, however, there is a lot of latitude here. Sec 478 refers to baptized but uncatechized adults preparing for confirmation, and seems to allow for their preparation alongside their non-CAtholic or non-baptized peers as well, yet to celebrate some (not all) the preparatory rites, and be received at yet another time. There is so much wiggle room here and throughout the rites, trying to allow for every foreseeable circumstances, that even if you have studied the rites thoroughly and been active in the RCIA process for many years, there are still surprises.

Goodness. Oh well.
I really appreciate your help. Thank you.