Sponsoring Someone in RCIA?

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LilacFlower

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How does one go about this? Do I attend the meetings with them? Today I while I was praying the rosary I somehow got this idea in my head that this is what I should be doing.

So how does one go about this and could anyone give me anymore info?
 
Hi Lilac Flower,

You are blessed by the Holy Spirit to see this need and want to fulfill it for others. There are many Catechumenates who are without a sponsor ( mainly because new Catholics are leaving the nest of Protestantism, and this can leave them without friends, and even family. Additionally it is hard to make new friends in the Catholic church.) Go to your RCIA director and tell them you want to sponsor…each church will have different expectations, and then go forward.

Bless you
 
true1’s advice is good. Or if you don’t know the RCIA director, you could just go to the parish office and talk to them about it.

You do not have to go to the meetings with them, but it is a very good idea. (I sponsored someone I knew and didn’t go to the meetings, because she lived a 7-hour drive away.) The important thing is to be available to the person, encourage them to talk to you about anything they don’t want to talk about in class, and make sure you follow up with them after they have joined the Church. Don’t hound them, but call them sometimes just to see if they have questions or concerns. If you live locally, you can also do things like introduce them to people and ministries within the parish so they feel less alien.

Sometimes you get questions that start with something like, “This may be a stupid question, but…” and it’s your job to help them not feel like it is a stupid question. Answer it if you are sure you know the answer, or if not, “That’s so far from being a stupid question that I don’t even know the answer myself for sure!” 🙂 Then make sure that one of \you asks it at the next RCIA meeting. If they feel too shy to do it, you can ask it yourself.

God bless your efforts!

–Jen
 
You should befriend them and walk the journey with them. Go to the meetings and be someone they are comfortable talking to.
 
May I also add, that believe it or not 🙂 there are some Christians on this board seeking to become Catholic who need a sponsor. You can even sponsor from afar, as it were, and have a proxy stand in for you on the day of Confirmation.

What you received today from the Holy Spirit is a unique calling, and very, very much needed. Do not doubt for one second the sincere veracity of this call.

During the discernment period, your job is to pray for the Catechumen, because they are your spiritual charge through Jesus Christ our Lord. You must be of sound doctrine in the faith to help them with their beliefs and concerns as well as moments of doubts, and to hold them up during periods of discouragement. You will be, in essence, walking the path with them.

Do not be afraid. The gift is this…that your faith increases as theirs does.

Peace.
 
I don’t know what the official policy would be but I would suggest that you go to class too. What most of us learn as children is what we know about religion. It’s enlightening to learn the adult version. I am not implying that you don’t know Catholic beliefs, it’s just that it’s always best to know more. 🙂
 
It’s sometimes hard to find people who are willing to be sponsors, so if you call your RCIA director he or she will undoubtedly be grateful.

The primary job of a sponsor is to be a mentor and guide for the catechumen or candidate. Be there to show him what it means to live a Catholic Christian life. Invite him to meetings and groups you may be attending and introduce him to other parishioners.

We’ve always encouraged but not required that our sponsors come to our weekly sessions and to the Mass where we have dismissals. It’s nice for someone to be surrounded by people they know are praying for them and supporting them.
 
true1 said:
May I also add, that believe it or not 🙂 there are some Christians on this board seeking to become Catholic who need a sponsor. You can even sponsor from afar, as it were, and have a proxy stand in for you on the day of Confirmation.

What you received today from the Holy Spirit is a unique calling, and very, very much needed. Do not doubt for one second the sincere veracity of this call.

During the discernment period, your job is to pray for the Catechumen, because they are your spiritual charge through Jesus Christ our Lord. You must be of sound doctrine in the faith to help them with their beliefs and concerns as well as moments of doubts, and to hold them up during periods of discouragement. You will be, in essence, walking the path with them.

Do not be afraid. The gift is this…that your faith increases as theirs does.

Peace.
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I sort of figured in must be some kind of message for me since I had been asking God what I should do with my life and in which direction he wanted me to go in and that popped up while I was praying the rosary today.

How would one sponsor from afar? That sort of appeals to me because I’m kind of an introvert though i don’t mind talking on the telephone!
 
SuscipeMeDomine said:
It’s sometimes hard to find people who are willing to be sponsors, so if you call your RCIA director he or she will undoubtedly be grateful.

The primary job of a sponsor is to be a mentor and guide for the catechumen or candidate. Be there to show him what it means to live a Catholic Christian life. Invite him to meetings and groups you may be attending and introduce him to other parishioners.

We’ve always encouraged but not required that our sponsors come to our weekly sessions and to the Mass where we have dismissals. It’s nice for someone to be surrounded by people they know are praying for them and supporting them.
Click to expand...
I guess it would make sense to attend the classes so that they are not feeling alone. I’m still thinking about this but I feel it is something that is desired of me since I had been asking God where he wants me to be right now.
 
LilacFlower said:
How would one sponsor from afar? That sort of appeals to me because I’m kind of an introvert though i don’t mind talking on the telephone!
Click to expand...
We always strongly, strongly encourage people to use someone from the parish that they can see regularly. It’s nice to have coffee and donuts together after Mass or visit someone’s home. It’s also nice if the sponsor can say “I’m planning to go to the [meeting/lecture/retreat day/work day/choir performance/etc.] on Saturday, would you like to join me?” As an introvert, you can probably understand all the more how hard it can be for someone new to the parish who doesn’t know anyone, doesn’t know the etiquette involved, maybe doesn’t even know where the right room is, to have to attend something alone.

If someone has a potential sponsor from outside the parish it is usually an old friend or cousin (or other relative) – someone they already know.

I do hope you’ll become a sponsor. RCIA is one of the great joys in my life!
 
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