Out of curiosity - why is it that children receive First Holy Communion at a young age 7/8 and are not confirmed until 8/9 years later and Adult RCIA has the adult wait for all the Rites at one time?
it is not an “error that has crept in” it is universal canon law in the Latin rite that confirmation for baptized Catholics is conferred anytime after the age of reason, generally age 7, and the actual age is determined by the local bishop who discerns what is best for his diocese. The RCIA rites, which are the normative way in which unbaptized adults (ages 7 and up for the purposes of sacraments of initiation) are brought into the Church, specifies that the priest who baptizes must also confirm at the same time, and the normative time is the Easter Vigil, unless there is some grave pastoral reason to choose another time (danger of death, deployment for military service etc.) There is no “error” in canon law.
What I would like to ask OP specifically is about his experience in dropping RCIA because of lack of communication on the part of the parish, and how we can improve such situations. It distresses me to lose people and never know why, to get no response to repeated phone calls, emails and letters inviting them to return, to ask questions, to air grievances. How can I best communicate with those who are not attending any regular RCIA sessions, not just classes but other activities?
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