Wait...i'm confused! help me out

[Celia]

I’m looking to be confirmed by next Easter. (I’ve been baptized, had communion, and penance.) I was told that I had to go through RCIA. But, I read on another thread that RCIA is only for people that are just entering the church for the first time…then in that case, what do I have to do to be confirmed? Here I thought I had it all sorted out. :whacky:

 

[SMHW]

Celia:

I’m looking to be confirmed by next Easter. (I’ve been baptized, had communion, and penance.) I was told that I had to go through RCIA. But, I read on another thread that RCIA is only for people that are just entering the church for the first time…then in that case, what do I have to do to be confirmed? Here I thought I had it all sorted out. :whacky:

My guess is that you you are expected to attend the same instructional sessions offered for those in RCIA. Most parishes just refer to all adult instruction for sacraments of initiation as “RCIA” whether or not the candidate for confirmation is actually being received into the Church.

 

[stbruno]

In most dioceses, Confirmation for adults is taught during the RCIA classes. After all Confirmation is considered a sacrament of Initiation. But recently in the archdiocese of Chicago, they have instituted another program in addition to the tranditional RCIA program. This is taken from our office of Catechesis website.

New Preparation Program
for Active Catechized Adult Catholics

This article first appeared in a
November, 2004 issue of The Catholic New World

Last winter the Bishops of the Archdiocese of Chicago met with Maruja Sedano, the Director of the Office for Catechesis (OFC), and Todd Williamson, the Director of the Office for Divine Worship (ODW) to express their concern about the many ways adults asking for Confirmation where being prepared for the sacrament. They wondered if there wasn’t some way to develop consistency throughout the Archdiocese. It was determined that the responsibility for catechesis for Adult Confirmation would become part of the mission and effort of the OFC, working closely with ODW. The first classes of confirmandi have recently been completed and Confirmation is being done with several parishes joining their membership together and having a community wide celebration of the sacrament periodically throughout the diocese. It has been received well.

 

[Deacon_Tony560]

Celia:

I’m looking to be confirmed by next Easter. (I’ve been baptized, had communion, and penance.) I was told that I had to go through RCIA. But, I read on another thread that RCIA is only for people that are just entering the church for the first time…then in that case, what do I have to do to be confirmed? Here I thought I had it all sorted out. :whacky:

You don’t mention which part of the country that you are from. The local bishop sets the requirements for his diocese. In our small parish, a person like yourself could receive instruction with a group or privately if necessary. Our non-RCIA adults are confirmed at the once a year visit by our bishop, along with the regular class.

May God bless you.

 

[Celia]

Deacon Tony560:

You don’t mention which part of the country that you are from. The local bishop sets the requirements for his diocese. In our small parish, a person like yourself could receive instruction with a group or privately if necessary. Our non-RCIA adults are confirmed at the once a year visit by our bishop, along with the regular class.

May God bless you.

I’m from the Syracuse, NY diocese. Hmm. I guess I’ll check out the website and then call the RCIA director again and see if I can get this figured out.