RCIA and Baptism

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Hello all. This is my first post here. My name is John, and I had a question. I recently got involved in the RCIA program at my University. I’m very excited to be moving toward becoming part of the Catholic Church! At our first RCIA meeting, though, they explained that because we’re a University and won’t be here during the week of Easter, we would be baptized and confirmed the following Sunday (April 23rd) at the 11 am mass, rather than at Easter Vigil. I just wondered if this was okay? I have never read anything about new adult converts at anytime other than Easter Vigil, so it worried me a bit.

Thanks,
John
 
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Ambuoroko:
Hello all. This is my first post here. My name is John, and I had a question. I recently got involved in the RCIA program at my University. I’m very excited to be moving toward becoming part of the Catholic Church! At our first RCIA meeting, though, they explained that because we’re a University and won’t be here during the week of Easter, we would be baptized and confirmed the following Sunday (April 23rd) at the 11 am mass, rather than at Easter Vigil. I just wondered if this was okay? I have never read anything about new adult converts at anytime other than Easter Vigil, so it worried me a bit.

Thanks,
John
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It’s a bit irregular. But if the university is closed and no students will be there I suppose there isn’t really any other option. It would be a bit unreasonable to expect students who live on campus to have to rent hotel rooms in order to be baptized. There is a good chance that there will not be anyone to administer the sacraments because the priests are likely to be away that weekend ast well.
 
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Ambuoroko:
Hello all. This is my first post here. My name is John, and I had a question. I recently got involved in the RCIA program at my University. I’m very excited to be moving toward becoming part of the Catholic Church! At our first RCIA meeting, though, they explained that because we’re a University and won’t be here during the week of Easter, we would be baptized and confirmed the following Sunday (April 23rd) at the 11 am mass, rather than at Easter Vigil. I just wondered if this was okay? I have never read anything about new adult converts at anytime other than Easter Vigil, so it worried me a bit.

Thanks,
John
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The *Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults *explains under the heading “outside the usual times,” (no. 26):

"The entire rite of Christian Initiation is normally arranged so that the sacraments will be celebrated during the Easter Vigil. Because of unusual circumstances and pastoral needs, however, the sacraments of Initiation may be celebrated at a time other than the Easter Vigil or Easter Sunday. Even when the usual time has otherwise been observed, it is permissible, only for serious pastoral needs (for example if there are a great many people to be baptized), to choose a day other than the Easter Vigil or Easter Sunday, but preferably one during the Easter season, to celebrate the sacraments of initiation; the program of initiation during Lent, however, must be maintained.”

The hiatus of school activities, etc. would seem to present a justifiable reason.
 
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Ambuoroko:
Hello all. This is my first post here. My name is John, and I had a question. I recently got involved in the RCIA program at my University. I’m very excited to be moving toward becoming part of the Catholic Church! At our first RCIA meeting, though, they explained that because we’re a University and won’t be here during the week of Easter, we would be baptized and confirmed the following Sunday (April 23rd) at the 11 am mass, rather than at Easter Vigil. I just wondered if this was okay? I have never read anything about new adult converts at anytime other than Easter Vigil, so it worried me a bit.

Thanks,
John
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Technically I believe that you can attend RCIA sessions as a campus group but must be associated with a parish. The participants should receive Baptism, Eucharist and Confirmation at the parish church during the Easter Vigil. You would also have the option of attending the Cathedral Easter Vigil and being Baptized, and Confirmed by the Bishop himself. Campus ministries do not have pastors and are not parish churches.

Campus ministries also do not keep a Book of the Elect or Baptismal and Confirmation registers. They would all be noted in the registers of the parish church in which the Campus resides. So therefore there is no reason that the students involved should not participate in the vigil of the parish church.
 
Br. Rich SFO:
Campus ministries do not have pastors and are not parish churches.
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A good point to investigate.

In our diocese such campus ministry is provided to the University of Michigan, Eastern Michigan University, and Michigan State through “campus” parishes which are erected as personal parishes and have proper pastors.

This would be according to the provision of canon 813: “The diocesan bishop is to have serious pastoral concern for students by erecting a parish for them or by assigning priests for this purpose on a stable basis; he is also to provide for Catholic university centers at universities, even non-Catholic ones, to give assistance, especially spiritual to young people.” [my italics]

But the erection of a parish may not be the case in the situation at hand, and should not have been presumed by me for the particular case. On the other hand, it may be the case.
 
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cameron_lansing:
But the erection of a parish may not be the case in the situation at hand, and should not have been presumed by me for the particular case. On the other hand, it may be the case.
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But even if there is a parish associated with this university, it might be unrealistic to expect students, especially if many of them live in dormitories, to remain in town for the Easter Vigil. It’s likely that some of them lose their living quarters when the university closes down.

This seems like it was probably a pastoral decision for both practical and economic reasons.
 
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SMHW:
But even if there is a parish associated with this university, it might be unrealistic to expect students, especially if many of them live in dormitories, to remain in town for the Easter Vigil. It’s likely that some of them lose their living quarters when the university closes down.

This seems like it was probably a pastoral decision for both practical and economic reasons.
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I would agree with that. It would seem to fit the conditions of unusual circumstances and pastoral needs.
 
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SMHW:
But even if there is a parish associated with this university, it might be unrealistic to expect students, especially if many of them live in dormitories, to remain in town for the Easter Vigil. It’s likely that some of them lose their living quarters when the university closes down.

This seems like it was probably a pastoral decision for both practical and economic reasons.
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As an RCIA team member I would have concern if a catechumen prefered “Spring Break” over the Easter Vigil. Maybe they are just not there yet spiritually. I have never heard of students being required to move out and then back in during the usual Spring Break?
 
Hey everyone… Thanks for the insight so far. Just to clarify a bit. I go to a Roman Catholic University, and although I’m not entirely sure of the vocabulary, I would guess that we have a parish on campus? There are two masses given every weekday, some 4 on sunday and I believe one on Saturday, though I’m not entirely sure. I’m in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, attending Duquesne University, if that helps at all. My home is just over a 5 hour drive from here, and I suspect others in the group would have the same problem. I had planned to try to get a hotel room, but because I’d like to allow my family to be present, it’s much easier the way they’ve worked it out for me, and I am very grateful. I was just worried that it wasn’t allowed. Thanks everyone,
John
 
Br. Rich SFO:
As an RCIA team member I would have concern if a catechumen prefered “Spring Break” over the Easter Vigil. Maybe they are just not there yet spiritually. I have never heard of students being required to move out and then back in during the usual Spring Break?
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It is more than just the Catechumen and sponsors that would be asked to stay on campus for the Vigil. Although a cradle Catholic, if I were converting during my college years, I suspect that there would be many friends that I’d like to have at my Confirmation who may have other commitments. Heck, I’d like to have the entire parish there as they have been walking and praying with me during this entire process. One of the great things about the Sacraments of Initiation are they are usually celebrated with the congregation.
 
Br. Rich SFO:
As an RCIA team member I would have concern if a catechumen prefered “Spring Break” over the Easter Vigil. Maybe they are just not there yet spiritually. I have never heard of students being required to move out and then back in during the usual Spring Break?
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In this case the poster attends a Catholic university that closes (appropriately) during Easter week. I just checked the university calendar.

registrar.duq.edu/acaCalenSpring.html

It’s not unusual for dorms to close completely or to require students to pay additional fees to live there during school breaks.
 
John, you and I are actually in the same RCIA class at Duquesne!!! lol what a small world this is! I have the same problem you do, because I live 6 hours away (outside of Philly) and getting out here for Easter would not have been possible. Duquesne’s dorms close during vacation periods, and it’s $30 a night if you want to stay on campus. I’m somewhat familiar with the RCIA process and I too was a little unsure of how they were going to do our Confirmations. How do you like Deanna, by the way. She seems incredibly nice!!! See you on Sunday!!!

~Tara
 
Hey! Deanna seemed really great. I’m SO excited about the whole process. Would you be interested in getting in contact in email or on AIM or something? My email is jnoecker @ gmail.com and you can also IM me on AIM or yahoo as Ambuoroko. (remember to take the space out of my email address if you use it)

John
 
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THutch04:
John, you and I are actually in the same RCIA class at Duquesne!!! lol what a small world this is! I have the same problem you do, because I live 6 hours away (outside of Philly) and getting out here for Easter would not have been possible. Duquesne’s dorms close during vacation periods, and it’s $30 a night if you want to stay on campus. I’m somewhat familiar with the RCIA process and I too was a little unsure of how they were going to do our Confirmations. How do you like Deanna, by the way. She seems incredibly nice!!! See you on Sunday!!!

~Tara
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Learn something new everyday. I spend a bit of time with a campus ministry and it seemed to me that some students simply didn’t return home for Spring break or some even for Christmas. They just stayed in their dorms if they were returning in January.

As someone mentioned some campus ministries are actually parishes with a pastor. Therefore they would conduct their own Rites of Initiation.
 
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Ambuoroko:
Hello all. This is my first post here. My name is John, and I had a question. I recently got involved in the RCIA program at my University. I’m very excited to be moving toward becoming part of the Catholic Church! At our first RCIA meeting, though, they explained that because we’re a University and won’t be here during the week of Easter, we would be baptized and confirmed the following Sunday (April 23rd) at the 11 am mass, rather than at Easter Vigil. I just wondered if this was okay? I have never read anything about new adult converts at anytime other than Easter Vigil, so it worried me a bit.

Thanks,
John
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does the university chapel function as a parish, with sacramental records? if not while the sacraments may be celebrated there with permission, the records will have to be kept at the parish with jurisdiction. Everything I have ever been told implies these rites must be at the Easter Vigil unless there is a grave reason. Personally, if it were me, I would call the diocesan person in charge of RCIA and inquire. If it is the priest making this call it is probably okay, but if a lay person, I would want a fuller explanation.
 
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