Rite of Election

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frugalgirl23

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I have been baptized catholic, had my communion and confession. My last step is confirmation and I have since joined the RCIA classes to get confirmed. My teachers mentioned that my sponsor and i have to go to the Rite of Elections on March 9th. What I have read about the Rite of Election is that it’s for those that are not baptized Catholic.

Do I still have to go if I am doing my confirmation?
 
While catechumens could be loosely defined as anyone receiving instruction, or catechesis, in anticipation of any of the sacraments of initiation, strictly speaking they are those receiving instruction in anticipation of Baptism. The Rite of Election is for the unbaptized. Now, if they are also having the Call to Continuing Conversion for candidates you would be participating in that.

Please speak to your teachers about what, exactly, is expected of you if this Rite of Election does not include the Call to Continuing Conversion.
 
Often the Rite of Election is combined with the Call to Continuing Conversion. As Mary Ellen said, the Rite of Election is for those seeking baptism. But if both rites are done, then it would be appropriate for you to participate.
 
First, its awesome you are willing to follow God’s calling! 🙂

You would go if they combined the Rite of Election with Call to Continuing Conversion. That is what is done in my diocese. Although they always simply referred to it as Rite of Election, it was both. Some diocese have them on different days or different times on the same day for the 2 Rites.

You are not actually a Catechuman and should not be considered that even loosely. You are a Candidate as you are already a baptized Christian seeking the last of the Sacraments of Initiation.
 
I was a baptized Catholic who went to RCIA for first communion and confirmation. There were a few others in our group who were also already baptized Catholic, and none of us were required to participate in any of the Rites leading up to Easter Vigil. Since we were already Catholic it was not appropriate. My two older sons who were baptized in the Methodist church did participate in all of the Rites when they came into the church at ages 9 and 11.
 
powerlinemom said:
I was a baptized Catholic who went to RCIA for first communion and confirmation. There were a few others in our group who were also already baptized Catholic, and none of us were required to participate in any of the Rites leading up to Easter Vigil. Since we were already Catholic it was not appropriate. My two older sons who were baptized in the Methodist church did participate in all of the Rites when they came into the church at ages 9 and 11.
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Those running your RCIA took the appropriate course of action. While it would be nice to go before a Bishop and reaffirm our “continuing conversion,” this is not an explicit rite within the church.

Moreover, the church envisions the Rite of Election as a judgment from the vantage point of the Church; i.e., she now elects for you to join.

#119 “Thus the Church makes its “election,” that is, the choice and admission of those catechumens who have the dispositions that make them fit to take part, at the next major celebration, in the sacraments of initiation.”

It being understood that the primary purpose of RCIA is not for those seeking to catch up on the sacraments. The inclusion of those seeking adult confirmation a practical and necessary reality in some parishes. It is not, however, the norm or what is the Church’s vision.

Confirmation is less about your decision to confirm your status as a Catholic and more about the Holy Spirit’s action within you.

Peace,
Fr. Ryan
www.fatherryanhigdon.com
www.twitter.com/FrHigdon
 
FrHigdon said:
Those running your RCIA took the appropriate course of action. While it would be nice to go before a Bishop and reaffirm our “continuing conversion,” this is not an explicit rite within the church.

Moreover, the church envisions the Rite of Election as a judgment from the vantage point of the Church; i.e., she now elects for you to join.

#119 “Thus the Church makes its “election,” that is, the choice and admission of those catechumens who have the dispositions that make them fit to take part, at the next major celebration, in the sacraments of initiation.”

It being understood that the primary purpose of RCIA is not for those seeking to catch up on the sacraments. The inclusion of those seeking adult confirmation a practical and necessary reality in some parishes. It is not, however, the norm or what is the Church’s vision.

Confirmation is less about your decision to confirm your status as a Catholic and more about the Holy Spirit’s action within you.

Peace,
Fr. Ryan
www.fatherryanhigdon.com
www.twitter.com/FrHigdon
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Are you sure?

In the version of the RCIA book that I have, there’s a “Rite of Calling the Candidates to Continuing Conversion”

It starts with paragraph 446

This rite may be celebrated with baptized but previously uncatechized adults who wish to complete their Christian initiation through the sacraments of Confirmation and eucharist or who wish to be received into the full communion of the Catholic Church.

It goes on to say that it can be either separate from, or combined with the Rite of Election; and that the celebrant is the pastor or in the latter case, the bishop.

Now, I’m not a fan (that’s an understatement) of combining the two forms of RCIA, one for the unbaptized, and one for the previously-baptized into a single group, but I realize that it can sometimes be a practical necessity.
 
frugalgirl23 said:
I have been baptized catholic, had my communion and confession. My last step is confirmation and I have since joined the RCIA classes to get confirmed. My teachers mentioned that my sponsor and i have to go to the Rite of Elections on March 9th. What I have read about the Rite of Election is that it’s for those that are not baptized Catholic.

Do I still have to go if I am doing my confirmation?
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Mary_Ellen said:
Now, if they are also having the Call to Continuing Conversion for candidates **you would be participating **in that.
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SuscipeMeDomine said:
But if both rites are done, then it would be appropriate for you to participate.
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FrDavid96 said:
It starts with paragraph 446

This rite may be celebrated with **baptized but previously uncatechized adults **who wish to complete their Christian initiation through the sacraments of Confirmation and eucharist or who wish to be received into the full communion of the Catholic Church.
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If I may point out, in the table of contents, at least in my edition of the RCIA, this Rite of the Call to Continuing Conversion is one of several listed under the heading “Optional Rites.” However, I think most would agree here that what the OP “has to do” will be decided by her pastor or by whoever the pastor has delegated to make that decision.

But to continue the technical discussion, which will unlikely be of much use for the OP, I submit that we are lacking one piece of information that would determine what the “appropriate” decision should be, namely to what degree was she previously catechized. As the paragraph cited by Fr. David indicates, the Rite of Continuing Conversion “may be celebrated with baptized but previously uncatechized adults who wish to complete their Christian initiation through the sacraments of Confirmation and eucharist.” Paragraph 400 in the introduction to this section say it concerns “adults who were baptized as infants …but did not receive further catechetical information nor consequently confirmation and eucharist.”

I would submit then that if the OP had been baptized, even as a Roman Catholic, and nothing more, then it would be most appropriate that she participate in this optional rite. On the other hand, IMO this rite is not intended for a catechized adult who simply “missed” being confirmed for whatever reason and is attending RCIA “classes” as preparation for confirmation.

But what of a baptized individual who subsequently was prepared for and received the sacraments of penance and eucharist but little or nothing more, which may exactly describe our OP? My read, for whatever that’s worth, says that one could make either case, this rite was or was not meant for such persons.

Finally, in the margin of my copy right next to this paragraph is my note from a workshop given by Father Paul Turner; " this section was designed for the uncatechized but (this rite) is being used widely."
 
powerlinemom said:
I was a baptized Catholic who went to RCIA for first communion and confirmation. There were a few others in our group who were also already baptized Catholic, and none of us were required to participate in any of the Rites leading up to Easter Vigil. Since we were already Catholic it was not appropriate. My two older sons who were baptized in the Methodist church did participate in all of the Rites when they came into the church at ages 9 and 11.
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That’s in line with what I’ve seen in my area. Even those that had only been baptized in the Catholic Church did not go through any of the rites because they were already Catholic. They often attended the rites, but they were not participants.
 
I believe it’s the Rite of Continuing Conversion if you are baptized. I don’t know why it’s called that since we’re not converting from one belief (non Christian) to another, but that’s what it says on my papera. Ours is also March 9, Maybe that date is significant?
 
Graceejou said:
I believe it’s the Rite of Continuing Conversion if you are baptized. I don’t know why it’s called that since we’re not converting from one belief (non Christian) to another, but that’s what it says on my papera. Ours is also March 9, Maybe that date is significant?
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We are ALL called to continuing conversion…every minute of every day.
 
Graceejou said:
I believe it’s the Rite of Continuing Conversion if you are baptized. I don’t know why it’s called that since we’re not converting from one belief (non Christian) to another, but that’s what it says on my papera. Ours is also March 9, Maybe that date is significant?
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Everyone is called to continuing conversion. It’s just that in this context, those who are either entering the Church, or completing their Sacraments of Initiation are called to continuing conversion in a special way in this particular rite. In this context, “conversion” doesn’t mean “convert” in the sense of changing which God one worships.
 
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