RCIA Requirements

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Love_Divine

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I was talking to my sister-in-law the other day and we got onto the topic of how my crazy Catholic mom tried to make her to get baptized before she and my brother got married. It wasn’t a requirement because they had a secular destination wedding.

My mom basically told my SIL that it was really no big deal, she just “puts on a cute little bikini and goes into the Baptisimal font” after taking some classes.

My SIL’s mother, who was raised Catholic, said she wasn’t getting baptized (she said she would, if she needed to in order to get married, but didn’t have time to take classes).

In order to get baptized as an adult, do they not have to have an interview with the priest or something explaining why they want to get baptized and become Catholic to make sure it’s a good reason? IMHO getting baptized for the sake of appeasing your crazy Catholic future MIL doesn’t seem like a reason to get baptized. Would a priest step in and refuse to baptize someone for such an absurd reason?
 
Love_Divine said:
I was talking to my sister-in-law the other day and we got onto the topic of how my crazy Catholic mom tried to make her to get baptized before she and my brother got married. It wasn’t a requirement because they had a secular destination wedding.

My mom basically told my SIL that it was really no big deal, she just “puts on a cute little bikini and goes into the Baptisimal font” after taking some classes.

My SIL’s mother, who was raised Catholic, said she wasn’t getting baptized (she said she would, if she needed to in order to get married, but didn’t have time to take classes).

In order to get baptized as an adult, do they not have to have an interview with the priest or something explaining why they want to get baptized and become Catholic to make sure it’s a good reason? IMHO getting baptized for the sake of appeasing your crazy Catholic future MIL doesn’t seem like a reason to get baptized. Would a priest step in and refuse to baptize someone for such an absurd reason?
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Does a secular destination wedding mean they did not get married according the the laws of the Catholic Church? If so, then that is problematic since it would seem that your brother is Catholic and thus required to marry according to Catholic form. IF that is the case the Church does not consider the marriage valid.

But be that as it may… assuming that there were no *other *reasons to prevent a marriage between the couple, your SIL would *not *have been required to be baptized prior to marrying your brother. But your brother would have had to obtain a dispensation from the Church law requiring Catholics to marry baptized persons.

Adults need to go through RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) prior to being baptized. This is supposed to be at least a year long process of classes, liturgical rites, and discernment. You can’t just show up, talk to a priest, and get baptized unless it is a life and death emergency. Marriage preparation for Catholics (whether one or both parties are Catholic) typically takes around six month *IF *there are no major issues. It can take longer if the couple has difficulty finding available classes that fit their personal schedules.
 
Love_Divine said:
I was talking to my sister-in-law the other day and we got onto the topic of how my crazy Catholic mom tried to make her to get baptized before she and my brother got married. It wasn’t a requirement because they had a secular destination wedding.

My mom basically told my SIL that it was really no big deal, she just “puts on a cute little bikini and goes into the Baptisimal font” after taking some classes.

My SIL’s mother, who was raised Catholic, said she wasn’t getting baptized (she said she would, if she needed to in order to get married, but didn’t have time to take classes).

In order to get baptized as an adult, do they not have to have an interview with the priest or something explaining why they want to get baptized and become Catholic to make sure it’s a good reason? IMHO getting baptized for the sake of appeasing your crazy Catholic future MIL doesn’t seem like a reason to get baptized. Would a priest step in and refuse to baptize someone for such an absurd reason?
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In the case of adults, a profession of faith is required before baptism. Getting baptized to appease a future Mother-in-Law is not acceptable.
 
SMHW said:
Does a secular destination wedding mean they did not get married according the the laws of the Catholic Church? If so, then that is problematic since it would seem that your brother is Catholic and thus required to marry according to Catholic form. IF that is the case the Church does not consider the marriage valid.

But be that as it may… assuming that there were no *other *reasons to prevent a marriage between the couple, your SIL would *not *have been required to be baptized prior to marrying your brother. But your brother would have had to obtain a dispensation from the Church law requiring Catholics to marry baptized persons.

Adults need to go through RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) prior to being baptized. This is supposed to be at least a year long process of classes, liturgical rites, and discernment. You can’t just show up, talk to a priest, and get baptized unless it is a life and death emergency. Marriage preparation for Catholics (whether one or both parties are Catholic) typically takes around six month *IF *there are no major issues. It can take longer if the couple has difficulty finding available classes that fit their personal schedules.
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As far as appeasing the Catholic church and whether or not they think his marriage is valid he doesn’t…let’s just say care and leave it at that. He’s not practicing, and has nothing but bad things to say about it.

They are legally married and that’s all that matters. This isn’t a question about whether or not their marriage is valid in the eyes of the church because they don’t care. People who are turned catholic by their parents before the age of majority can’t be expected to remain catholic and believe it when it wasn’t their choice, just like shot gun weddings aren’t permitted in the catholic church.

I was simply asking if in order to become Catholic as an adult isn’t there also something more than reciting a profession of faith that anyone can recite without actually believing. I mean like an interview that requires you to think and use your own words to make sure it’s a sincere reason. I don’t think someone who refers to communion as the “the cracker of Jesus” is in line for becoming a devout and believing Catholic.
 
Love_Divine said:
I was simply asking if in order to become Catholic as an adult isn’t there also something more than reciting a profession of faith that anyone can recite without actually believing. I mean like an interview that requires you to think and use your own words to make sure it’s a sincere reason. I don’t think someone who refers to communion as the “the cracker of Jesus” is in line for becoming a devout and believing Catholic.
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Since the RCIA process takes time – a year or more according to the Rite, six months or more in most parishes – it’s unlikely that someone would see it through if they weren’t committed to becoming Catholic.

Along the way the individual will be talking with the RCIA director and/or pastor about their spiritual journey. I think it would be clear that the person was being pushed into baptism rather than it being something they sincerely wanted.
 
Love_Divine said:
I was simply asking if in order to become Catholic as an adult isn’t there also something more than reciting a profession of faith that anyone can recite without actually believing. I mean like an interview that requires you to think and use your own words to make sure it’s a sincere reason. I don’t think someone who refers to communion as the “the cracker of Jesus” is in line for becoming a devout and believing Catholic.
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…which is why RCIA is supposed to be year (or more) long process. The prospective Catholic provides (or is assigned) a Catholic sponsor who will accompany the person on the Faith journey. The catechumen seeking baptism, the sponsor, the RCIA leaders, and ultimately the pastor will have plenty of opportunities to assess the sincerity of the reasons for wanting to become Catholic.
 
Love_Divine said:
As far as appeasing the Catholic church and whether or not they think his marriage is valid he doesn’t…let’s just say care and leave it at that. He’s not practicing, and has nothing but bad things to say about it.

They are legally married and that’s all that matters. This isn’t a question about whether or not their marriage is valid in the eyes of the church because they don’t care. People who are turned catholic by their parents before the age of majority can’t be expected to remain catholic and believe it when it wasn’t their choice, just like shot gun weddings aren’t permitted in the catholic church.

I was simply asking if in order to become Catholic as an adult isn’t there also something more than reciting a profession of faith that anyone can recite without actually believing. I mean like an interview that requires you to think and use your own words to make sure it’s a sincere reason. I don’t think someone who refers to communion as the “the cracker of Jesus” is in line for becoming a devout and believing Catholic.
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However, there may come a time in the future when it will matter to your brother. It may not hit him tomorrow or the next day or the next year, but, something will happen during his life that could prompt him to return to the Faith.

Marriage is not just simply a legal contract between a man and a woman. It is a lifetime commitment. The couple needs to also be open to the new life that will come by way of children. God needs to also factor into all of this, and, if one party is Catholic, certainly, the Church has to play a vital role.

Granted, your mother may not have necessarily used the proper words to descibe baptism, but, she is correct in that baptism is necessary. Now, a dispensation from the bishop was needed for the Catholic party to contract into marriage with a non-baptized person. While the couple could have been validly married in the eyes of the Church,it is my understanding that the marriage becomes sacramental when the other party is baptized.

In any event, I hope that eventually, the couple will realize that three persons are necessary in a marriage in order to make it work: the man, the woman and God.
 
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