Rcic

[Ms.Native]

I am curious about RCIC. I am coordinating the RCIA program at my parish this year and in reading the Rites book it is my understanding that RCIC is only for unbaptized children between the age of 7 and 17. What is the protocol for children that age who ARE baptized and not yet confirmed or had 1st Eucharist? In the past our parish has lumped these kids all together and although their instruction is seperate from the adults, they have celebrated the Rites of Acceptance, Welcoming (which I find none for children), Enrollment, Election, the Scrutinies and the Sacraments at the Easter Vigil with the adult RCIA program. I know it has kept the clergy happy as they aren’t repeating these Rites over and over again for different groups, but I really do want to know what is proper. Although the Rites are similar, there are differences! Thanks for your help!

 

[puzzleannie]

there must be a coordinator for RCIA in your parish, who is either the pastor or someone appointed by him like the deacon or DRE whose job it is to make sure the children are prepared properly for the rites and the sacraments, and that the proper rites are celebrated at the proper time. If you are this person, you must become thoroughly familiar with the Rites themselves. The RCIA ritual book (available from Liturgical Training Publications ltp.org) is your guide for the rites. Anyone working with RCIA must study the rites and be familiar with this book. The Association for Catechumenal Ministry and the North American Forum on the Catechumenate both offer training courses in the rites, their conduct, application and preparation.

There is no such thing as RCIC. RCIA stands for Rites of Christian Initiation for Adults, and canonically an unbaptized person over the age of reason (7 in most dioceses) is considered an adult. Below that age children are baptized as infants, and then prepared for the other sacraments with their age group.

Children (unbaptized) from age 7 through 17, elementary through high school, go through the Children’s Catechumentate. In the ritual book, all the rites are there in a form adapted for children. The preparation materials for unbaptized children should be designed for the Children’s Catechumenate, which has aspects not addressed in traditional first communion or confirmation texts. As a practical matter children of the same age may be placed in classes that include both the baptized and unbaptized, but the rites as celebrated must clearly distinguish between the special status of the baptized, and those who are not yet baptized.

This is an exhaustive topic and I highly recommend anyone entering this ministry take an introductory course in RCIA. The pastor is the liturgist for the parish and the one responsible for deciding when and how the rites are celebrated. The catechists are responsible for preparing the children for the rites and the sacraments, and, with their parents, for giving them basic instruction in Christian doctrine and practice.

As always when discussing RCIA and sacramental preparation we are speaking of the Roman rite, not the Eastern rites, which have their own rules and practices.