Rite of Acceptance

[HolleyWilliams]

Good luck and God bless to you too!

 

[joandarc2008]

When I went through the Rite of Acceptance a couple of years ago, the wording was the least of my worries. I actually got hit by a car while crossing the street on the way to the bus stop to go to church (I guess Satan didn’t want me to become a Catholic, I just wish he hadn’t been so direct). Fortunately, I just had a badly skinned knee from the pavement and some bad bruises; somehow I managed to get to church and get through Mass.

The funny thing about all this was that during the class before the Rite of Acceptance, Father mentioned that once we went through the Rite of Acceptance we would be able to have a Catholic funeral. When I told him after Mass what had happened and that his comments weren’t as crass as he thought, he was speechless for one of the few times in his life.

All that aside, I found it a special moment.

It reminds me of my Father who used to teach CCD who used to tell me the worst drivers were out in the early afternoon on Sunday because their souls were clean and they were less worried. He always had a very dry sense of a humor and was a great spiritual teacher - probably the reason I chose his Church over my Mother’s.

We had a Rite of Acceptance/Rite of Welcoming where those that were not baptised were asked different questions than those that were so that they were differentiated.

Also my RCIA teacher was a little nuts. :yukonjoe: She seemed not to respect privacy. She added some very personal questions. She had told our sponsors the day before what they were and my fiance who was my sponsor called her on it. She told him that she felt asking me why I decided on the Catholic church in front of an entire service was appropriate. She also told him he was not to share that information with me. Needless to say I was not happy as my reasons were very personal. She also told him that I could say it was because I wanted to get married in the Church. I had a talk with priest the next day before the service and told him why I thought it was inappropriate. Many of the other students had also felt the same way and expressed this at a breakfast we had after. The question was removed. I came to greatly resent that my RCIA teacher did not see this for what it was a personal journey of spirituality through the sacraments. It was like she was just getting us a head shake and a nod and a piece of paper. I never understood her attitude. From then on because I had spoken up on behalf of my fellow candidates and catuchumens I took personal attacks in class on my role in the war in Iraq. Needless to say we had very deep theological arguments based on scipture. I got to reconcilliation and was told I had done nothing there that I had to confess. Overall the classes were a negative experience but the growing I did by asking questions, learning to argue my Faith, and receiving the sacraments was priceless.

God bless,

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

Ours is in a couple of weeks and I wish I hadn’t opened this thread.

Is a public Rite of Acceptance absolutely necessary? I’m not comfortable in front of people. My parish is 300-400 people.

And don’t give me that “it’s just nerves” nonsense. I tell you: I absolutely do not like being in the spotlight.

For those who are not Baptized, YES. It does not have to take place at the main parish Mass or even during a Mass, but should take place where at least some of the parish is present. In todays world getting 20 or 25 people of the parish to come to the Rite of Acceptance at 7pm Tuesday evening is nearly impossible. SO they generally take place at Sunday or, we have had then at Saturday evening Mass.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

My parish is just lumping the two together and calling it “The Rite of Acceptance and Welcoming” with no distincion being made between Candidates and Catechumens.

There is a Combinded RIte in the book (pg 289), that can be used when necessary.

Extreme care must be taken to keep the distinction between those already Baptized and thoes seeking Baptism very clear.

Within the “combined” Rite the Rite of Acceptance and the Rite of Welcome are both celebrated, but the distinction between the two groups is maintained.

 

[George_C]

For those who are not Baptized, YES. It does not have to take place at the main parish Mass or even during a Mass, but should take place where at least some of the parish is present. In todays world getting 20 or 25 people of the parish to come to the Rite of Acceptance at 7pm Tuesday evening is nearly impossible. SO they generally take place at Sunday or, we have had then at Saturday evening Mass.

Thanks for the response. But the RCIA teacher specifically stated we’ll be paraded in front of the entire parish.

 

[Another_Mary]

Within the “combined” Rite the Rite of Acceptance and the Rite of Welcome are both celebrated, but the distinction between the two groups is maintained.

I am the sponsor for a candidate who had been baptized and confirmed in the Episcopal church. His RCIA class has only one other person in it and she has not been baptized.

They just had a Rite of Acceptance and Welcome and the distinction between the two was made very clear by the pastor during the celebration.

With only two people I can see why the rites were combined.

 

[HolleyWilliams]

No, it’s not OK. The “Rites” of the Church are not just nice things, they have a canonical purpose. A Baptized person cannot go through the Rite of Acceptance. It is like saying we will just re-Baptize you because it adds to the liturgy, and makes the parish feel good! NO! I’m sorry but the people running your RCIA have no idea what they are doing!

Looking at all the posts I suspect I’ve got my wording wrong…perhaps it is a Rite of Welcoming I am having? I wasn’t given a name for the procedure!

I’ll let you know exactly what happens tomorrow afternoon!

 

[SuscipeMeDomine]

Thanks for the response. But the RCIA teacher specifically stated we’ll be paraded in front of the entire parish.

You’re being “paraded” in front of the people who will be praying for you and supporting you through the rest of your journey into the church. They want to know who you are.

 

[BeeSweet]

Ours is in a couple of weeks and I wish I hadn’t opened this thread.

Is a public Rite of Acceptance absolutely necessary? I’m not comfortable in front of people. My parish is 300-400 people.

And don’t give me that “it’s just nerves” nonsense. I tell you: I absolutely do not like being in the spotlight.

You’re being “paraded” in front of the people who will be praying for you and supporting you through the rest of your journey into the church. They want to know who you are.

Exactly as SuscipeMeDomine stated. I completely understand being uncomfortable having the spotlight on you, I’m the same way. I went through the Rite of Acceptance as a sponsor two weeks ago. I get totally choked up going through these sorts of things, I can barely breathe. Please take heart in that you are appearing in front of not just strangers, but your family, your brothers and sisters in Christ. You will be fine, the rite only takes a few minutes, although it will probably feel like the longest part of the mass.

I just wanted you to know that I understand how you feel, I hate hate hate the spotlight myself. But I got through it without a catatonic anxiety attack, so it can be done. Try not to think about it so much before the day of the rite. It really will breeze by.

I pray you find inner peace to get through it! Welcome to the family!

 

[itsjustdave1988]

I have my Rite of Acceptance this Sunday - I am a little nervous! There are 7 of us in my group though, so there is strength in numbers!

We have been told that the priest will ask us ‘What do you ask of the Church?’ and that we should formulate our own replies.

I haven’t a clue what to say and hoped to hear some examples of what others have answered…

many thanks

Say, “I seek to behold the face of God.”

 

[Another_Mary]

You’re being “paraded” in front of the people who will be praying for you and supporting you through the rest of your journey into the church. They want to know who you are.

The RCIA instructor in our parish is having the catechumen and candidate (as I said above, there is only one of each) help make up a little poster to put up in the vestibule with their pictures on it. This is to remind the people to remember them in their prayers on their journey into the church.

The candidate I am sponsoring is very grateful for this.

 

[George_C]

You’re being “paraded” in front of the people who will be praying for you and supporting you through the rest of your journey into the church. They want to know who you are.

I can use the prayers and support.

 

[jmcrae]

Ours is in a couple of weeks and I wish I hadn’t opened this thread.

Is a public Rite of Acceptance absolutely necessary? I’m not comfortable in front of people. My parish is 300-400 people.

And don’t give me that “it’s just nerves” nonsense. I tell you: I absolutely do not like being in the spotlight.

If you are not yet baptized, then yes, this is something that is required by the Church for you to do. The idea of it is not to “spotlight” you, but simply to give you the opportunity that you need to have right now to declare your intentions publicly.

I suppose another way to do it would be to have you take an ad out in the newspaper or do a spot on community TV, but this is the Catholic Church - she tends to prefer to do this sort of thing by means of ritual actions.

And no, if you are not willing to state in public that you intend to become a Catholic, then you can’t continue in the conversion process - you would remain in the Inquiry section until you were ready to make your public declaration of intention to become a Catholic. That’s just how it is; nobody has the ability to make it not be like that. Even Jesus’ first disciples were required to go out and tell their friends that they had become followers of Jesus.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

Thanks for the response. But the RCIA teacher specifically stated we’ll be paraded in front of the entire parish.

Then they have a seriously defective understanding of the purpose of the Rite and most likely of RCIA in general.

 

[George_C]

Then they have a seriously defective understanding of the purpose of the Rite and most likely of RCIA in general.

Would it be better if I said brought before the parish?

I only use the word “parading” because that’s what it seems like.

Here’s my declaration: "I wish to become Catholic because all the research I’ve done has proved to me beyond doubt that:

1. There was a man named Jesus.
2. His claim to be the Son of God is historically accurate, and it’s primarily because
3. He was resurrected, a fact which has ample extra-biblical sourcing. This conclusively proves God’s existence as well as the existence of the Holy Spirit. Moreover,
4. The church Jesus said He would build on St. Peter was, in fact, the Roman Catholic Church.

Would that be adequate? I’m going to make notes. There’s no way I’ll ever be able to remember all that in a pressure situation.

 

[Texas_Roofer]

Don’t sweat the details god is omniscient.

 

[jmcrae]

Would it be better if I said brought before the parish?

I only use the word “parading” because that’s what it seems like.

Is “parading” your word, or hers?

What, exactly, did she say was going to happen?

The Rite of Acceptance occurs in public, but there are no parades, and there is no spotlighting. The purpose of the Rite is to provide you with the opportunity to give witness in public of your intention to become a Catholic.

Here’s my declaration: "I wish to become Catholic because all the research I’ve done has proved to me beyond doubt that:

1. There was a man named Jesus.

1. His claim to be the Son of God is historically accurate, and it’s primarily because

1. He was resurrected, a fact which has ample extra-biblical sourcing. This conclusively proves God’s existence as well as the existence of the Holy Spirit. Moreover,

1. The church Jesus said He would build on St. Peter was, in fact, the Roman Catholic Church.

Would that be adequate? I’m going to make notes. There’s no way I’ll ever be able to remember all that in a pressure situation.

The question will be “What do you ask of God’s Church?” The standard response, which seems to summarize the above, is “Faith.”

Since (as I pointed out above) it’s not actually supposed to be an opportunity for grandstanding, they will be expecting the answers to be relatively short.

(Of course, if it turns out that they are, after all, having a parade, then you could probably get up to the podium and say all of what you have here, too.)

 

[valient_Lucy]

We were asked to formulate our own responses, so I said, “I wish to receive the Eucharist.” Which was true. And still is.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

Would it be better if I said brought before the parish?

I only use the word “parading” because that’s what it seems like.

Here’s my declaration: "I wish to become Catholic because all the research I’ve done has proved to me beyond doubt that:

• 1. There was a man named Jesus.
• 1. His claim to be the Son of God is historically accurate, and it’s primarily because
• 1. He was resurrected, a fact which has ample extra-biblical sourcing. This conclusively proves God’s existence as well as the existence of the Holy Spirit. Moreover,
• 1. The church Jesus said He would build on St. Peter was, in fact, the Roman Catholic Church.

Would that be adequate? I’m going to make notes. There’s no way I’ll ever be able to remember all that in a pressure situation.

Yes!

 

[valient_Lucy]

Ours is in a couple of weeks and I wish I hadn’t opened this thread.

Is a public Rite of Acceptance absolutely necessary? I’m not comfortable in front of people. My parish is 300-400 people.

And don’t give me that “it’s just nerves” nonsense. I tell you: I absolutely do not like being in the spotlight.

If it’s any comfort to you, Jesus was also placed in the spotlight during His passion. In addition to pain, He experienced humiliation. The One through whom all things were made allowed Himself to be humiliated at the hands of His creatures. He understands how you feel.

And the good news is, you WON’T be humiliated by the parish!