The Scrutinies

[Steve-o]

This Sunday, my RCIA class will be heading to the cathedral to meet the Bishop, then for the next three sundays, we will be undergoing the Scrutinies. I’ve read a little about them, but was wondering exactly what transpires during this time. The main reason being, I have social anxiety and it takes a lot of strength for me to endure any kind of public spotlight.

 

[Figment713]

Steve-o:

I have social anxiety and it takes a lot of strength for me to endure any kind of public spotlight.

I absolutely share your pain.

I don’t think the thing with the bishop is going to be any great stressor. Everyone involved in RCIA in the dioscese will be there. I do know that those of us who are catachumens will have to go forward to sign our name in the Book of the Elect. Other than that, I don’t think there is any signalling out.

With luck PuzzleAnnie, who has been involved in RCIA and is a font of wisdom will see your post and tell both of us what we should expect.

The only thing I do know is that there are some weeks when this will focus on the Candidates (already baptized but never confirmed) and some on the Catachumen (basically ME )

Good luck to both of us. I shall pray for you.

 

[SleepyGuy]

I wouldnt worry about the trip to the cathedral. You, and everyone else that they can fit behind the alter will go stand there, then they read off your name and you just answer “Here I am lord.” Usually there is a reception afterwards where you can actually meet the bishop then. As for the scrutinies, all we had to do was kneel in front of the alter while the priest and everyone else prayed for us. Nothing to worry about.

 

[Steve-o]

Figment713:

The only thing I do know is that there are some weeks when this will focus on the Candidates (already baptized but never confirmed) and some on the Catachumen (basically ME )

Good luck to both of us. I shall pray for you.

And I, you.

Don’t even get me started on what to do on Easter Vigil when the un-Baptized (NOT me) receive the Sacrament while the rest of us Candidates wonder what to do.

 

[Elzee]

Steve-o:

And I, you.

Don’t even get me started on what to do on Easter Vigil when the un-Baptized (NOT me) receive the Sacrament while the rest of us Candidates wonder what to do.

After our priest baptizes the catechumens, he asks those who are already baptized to stand in the sanctuary and he asks them something to the effect of ‘do you promise to always assent to the teachings of the Catholic Church’. Does every parish do this? (Hopefully everyone answers ‘I do’! )
He then confirms the candidates and catechumens.

 

[John_Lilburne]

Steve-o:

And I, you.

Don’t even get me started on what to do on Easter Vigil when the un-Baptized (NOT me) receive the Sacrament while the rest of us Candidates wonder what to do.

I do not think you should be prayed over in the scrutinies if you are baptised. You are not one of the elect, you are a “candidate for reception into full communion with the Catholic Church”.

From the liturigical book for the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults: “152. After the homily, the elect with their godparents come forward and stand before the celebrant.” My understanding is that you will not have godparents, but rather one or two sponsors.

From n. 142: “Because they are asking for the three sacraments of initiation, the elect must …”. You are not asking for the 3 sacraments, you are not one of the elect.

So I think you should be just one of the crowd for the scrutinies.

The quotes above are from the RCIA liturigcal book, from The Rites Volume One, (Liturgical Press, 1990, ISBN 0-8146-6015-0, pages 109-110.)

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

Steve-o:

This Sunday, my RCIA class will be heading to the cathedral to meet the Bishop, then for the next three sundays, we will be undergoing the Scrutinies. I’ve read a little about them, but was wondering exactly what transpires during this time. The main reason being, I have social anxiety and it takes a lot of strength for me to endure any kind of public spotlight.

Don’t worry about it and remember that it is the whole Catholic Church that is praying for you not just your parish community.

 

[Joe_Kelley]

We will have the Rite of Sending this Sunday, March 5, and the Rites of Election [Catechumens] and Recognition [Candidates] with the Bishop on the 6th. [He also conducts those rites twice on the 4th for other parishes. I prefer to join the last group so that I can have the Rite of Sending in Lent.]

On the 12th we will have a Scrutiny for the Candidates to prepare them for their first Confession. The following three Sundays we will have the traditional Scrutiny Masses for the Catechumens, now the Elect.

At the Vigil, after the Elect are Baptized, we will return from the Baptismal pool, the Candidates will make a Profession of Faith, and then all will be Confirmed.

 

[brotherhrolf]

I sang for 18 years in our cathedral’s choir. I always looked forward to the Scrutines. Don’t worry! Everyone out in the congregation is overjoyed that are joining us! And in any diocese, you will not be alone. Believe me, the people in the pews support you and your sponsor.

 

[Jeanette_L]

Steve-o:

This Sunday, my RCIA class will be heading to the cathedral to meet the Bishop, then for the next three sundays, we will be undergoing the Scrutinies. I’ve read a little about them, but was wondering exactly what transpires during this time. The main reason being, I have social anxiety and it takes a lot of strength for me to endure any kind of public spotlight.

I understand how you feel, I suffer from the same thing and I’ve been trying to get a handle on all of these Rites. Today we had our Rite of Election and Rite of Continued Conversion, but since everyone there was involved, it wasn’t too bad. I too am a little nervous about the scrutinies, but my sponsor told me as a Candidate, I would only be involved in one of them.

They are basically prayer to help strengthen you against anything that may try to deter you from joining the Church at Easter Vigil.

Frankly, I’m looking forward to that, I need all the prayer I can get at this point, it seems like everything that can happen is happening to get me discouraged or confused or give me a case of cold feet. I’m just trying to keep my head low and plough through!

I will be soooo happy after Easter Vigil is done!

Hang in there, I will pray for you also!

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

Jeanette L:

I understand how you feel, I suffer from the same thing and I’ve been trying to get a handle on all of these Rites. Today we had our Rite of Election and Rite of Continued Conversion, but since everyone there was involved, it wasn’t too bad. I too am a little nervous about the scrutinies, but my sponsor told me as a Candidate, I would only be involved in one of them.

They are basically prayer to help strengthen you against anything that may try to deter you from joining the Church at Easter Vigil.

Frankly, I’m looking forward to that, I need all the prayer I can get at this point, it seems like everything that can happen is happening to get me discouraged or confused or give me a case of cold feet. I’m just trying to keep my head low and plough through!

I will be soooo happy after Easter Vigil is done!

Hang in there, I will pray for you also!

As a candidate you won’t be involved in any of the scrutinies. They are only for those preparing for Baptism.

 

[Jeanette_L]

Br. Rich SFO:

As a candidate you won’t be involved in any of the scrutinies. They are only for those preparing for Baptism.

I’ll tell you, this is soooooo confusing. My sponsor, who also teaches our RCIA, (which is a pretty good one considering what I have seen other posters experience, anyway,) she told me that I would be prayed for in one of the scrutinies.

Well, all I can do is show up and see what happens. I was actually looking forward to this one, like I said, I could use it!

Thanks for the info, even if this time it wasn’t what I wanted to hear!

 

[LeahInancsi]

Steve-o:

This Sunday, my RCIA class will be heading to the cathedral to meet the Bishop, then for the next three sundays, we will be undergoing the Scrutinies. I’ve read a little about them, but was wondering exactly what transpires during this time. The main reason being, I have social anxiety and it takes a lot of strength for me to endure any kind of public spotlight.

I hope you had a better experience that I did.

If you did anything wrong, you’re probably the only one who knows it. My meeting was semi-organized chaos.

 

[puzzleannie]

Rites of Lent - the Period of Purification and Enlightenment

we are speaking here of the rites proper for the Elect (as they catechumens are now called). Most of you celebrated either the Rite of Election or the Rite of Sending for Election on Sunday, and if the latter will celebrate the Rite of Election with the bishop sometime this week. This is the time the role of the sponsor ends, and the role of the godparent begins as their first formal act is affirming the catechumen’s readiness to proceed to election and initiation.

the entire period of Lent is your final intensive preparation for the Sacraments of Initiation at Easter. don’t plan anything else for this period–limit travel, parties, unnecessary business or shopping, entertainment, outside commitments as much as possible. This is not the time to start a new college class, take up martial arts or go on a cruise.

You will have a retreat sometime, preferably on Holy Saturday which day should be entirely devoted to preparation for the Easter Vigil – no shopping, parties etc. also, find time for a nap and eat regular meals including at least a light supper. Here sundown is at 8 pm so the Vigil will begin sometime after that. Will do a separate post on the Vigil itself.

Scrutinies are celebratured during Mass, after the homily, on the 3rd, 4th and 5th Sundays of Lent. During these Masses the readings from Cycle A should be proclaimed: the Samaritan woman at the well, the healing of the blind man, and raising Lazarus from the dead. If the regular cycle B readings are used at Mass, the cycle A readings should be used for your Breaking open the Word session.

The prayers of the scrutinies are first just that, intense inward searching spiritually into the process of conversion and turning away from sin and your former life, and blessings and prayers of intercession from the priest and the community for your progress. Godparents should accompany the Elect for these rites. They are ideally done during Mass or in another setting when members of the community are present (such as CCD class for children) because the entire community is welcoming you, affirming your readiness, and praying for you.

they may be accompanied by the minor exorcisms, prayers for deliverance from evil (just like the prayer in the Our Father).

In the week following the scrutinies are the Presentations. The Elect are given the Creed and the Our Father, with a teaching on their meaning. They should memorize them, because they will recite them publicly for the first time during the Easter Vigil when they make their profession of faith, and during the Mass.
those who have expressed nervousness about the public character of these rites, please be at ease. The reason is that you are about to enter a community, and enter into the public worship of the Church, the liturgy and the sacraments. This is by nature a public event. It is the community who welcomes you and invites you to become involved. you should have been gradually incorporated into parish life during your journey, through the invitation of your sponsor and others, so that many of those you see are already friends and known to you.

RCIA is for the entire parish, not just for the Elect, and it is a catechetical moment for them as they witness and participate in the rites.

Note for candidates: during these rites, as a member of the baptized, you are among those in the community recognizing and interceeding for the Elect. Also, there are parallel rites in the RCIA for you, but not the same rites, which may be at the same time or another opportune time. The distinction between the baptized and the Elect must always be preserved.

 

[Jeanette_L]

puzzleannie:

RCIA is for the entire parish, not just for the Elect, and it is a catechetical moment for them as they witness and participate in the rites.

Note for candidates: during these rites, as a member of the baptized, you are among those in the community recognizing and interceeding for the Elect. Also, there are parallel rites in the RCIA for you, but not the same rites, which may be at the same time or another opportune time. The distinction between the baptized and the Elect must always be preserved.

THANK YOU PUZZLEANNIE!

I have a much better perspective now, especially in my role as a Candidate, and even in that I should be thinking about and praying more for those in my class who are unbaptized, as I am sure this is even more overwhelming for them than for me.

Our RCIA does an excellent job overall, and part of my problem is that I have had a lot of sickness this year, which has interfered in some of my instruction on these things.

I appreciate you taking the time to teach us these rites, it is most helpful.

God Bless,
Jeanette

 

[LeahInancsi]

Thank you, Annie.

Your message was very specific and to the point. Thus far in my RCIA education, this information has not been stated as clearly and strongly as you did. I think I’ll send it to my RCIA director and see what he has to say to the group Thursday night.

I’ve already had a discouraging experience in this time of purification and enlightenment and worst of all, it came from a priest. Jeanette and a few others have reminded me of my focus for the next 40 (+ or -) days. I’m still hurting, but I’m seeing the big picture again.

God bless all RCIA people and those who are praying for us.

Leah

 

[Steve-o]

LeahInancsi:

I hope you had a better experience that I did.

If you did anything wrong, you’re probably the only one who knows it. My meeting was semi-organized chaos.

Actually, everything went perfectly! The ceremony at my parish was great, even though my legs were shaking, and the Rite at the Cathedral was as organized as one could imagine! Instead of the Bishop, we met the ArchBishop. A great experience all around! Next week is my Convalidation…

 

[LeahInancsi]

Steve-o:

Actually, everything went perfectly! The ceremony at my parish was great, even though my legs were shaking, and the Rite at the Cathedral was as organized as one could imagine! Instead of the Bishop, we met the ArchBishop. A great experience all around! Next week is my Convalidation…

I so glad to hear that.

I only wish my meeting of the Bishop had been at my parish. It was held at a Catholic (?) church (?) in my diocese. The assoc. pastor of my parish admitted that he spent much of the ceremony trying to figure out how he could redesign this so-called church.

What is a Convalidation? Is it the oiling of the palms? I still don’t understand that.

My RCIA instructor has fallen flat on his face in the last week because none of us have a clue what is going on, what’s going to happen and what it means. This is for another thread. Sorry.

 

[puzzleannie]

LeahInancsi:

I What is a Convalidation? Is it the oiling of the palms? I still don’t understand that.

Sorry.

some of the candidates for Confirmation who may be in the class with you may be baptized Catholic but married civilly by the JP or judge. they need to have their marriage blessed by the Catholic Church – convalidated. don’t know the derivation of the word, but think it means con=with, valid=according to Church law, a blessing to bring the marriage in line with Church law. This must happen before they can receive 1st communion and Confirmation.