What if I can't find a Sponsor for the RCIA Program?

[rosary4time]

Does that mean I can’t join the Catholic Church and become Baptised? I can make it to all RCIA classes and I’ve attended Mass regularly for 2 years. I only have casual relationships with the people inside my church. I haven’t found anyone who can work my classes around their schedule or want to make the commitment.

 

[curtishouse29]

That’s a very good question…I’m going through RCIA myself as well…Lucky for me that my mother-in-law is a cradle Catholic. Hopefully some of the users on here that know a lot more about RCIA than I do can answer that question for ya. I dont think it would stop you from being a confirmed Catholic though…Just somebody there for moral support as you start the long RCIA process.

-Curtis

 

[adstrinity]

When I went through RCIA, there were Catholics at every meeting. Since I had nobody I could ask, I asked one of them; that was why they were there. Is this not common practice?

 

[Stella76]

We talked a little about this in our last RCIA class, and one of our team leaders told us not to worry, that there were loads of people in the parish who enjoyed being sponsors every year and would be delighted to sponsor anyone who couldn’t find a suitable sponsor on their own.

I’ll bet there are people like this–all geared up to be sponsors–in your own new parish! Ask at your next RCIA meeting.

*Stella

 

[Rawb]

Your RCIA class probably has people who attend just for this reason. They can find you a sponsor. Ask at your next meeting.

We can probably find you one here on Catholic Answers if all else fails!

 

[SuscipeMeDomine]

Does that mean I can’t join the Catholic Church and become Baptised? I can make it to all RCIA classes and I’ve attended Mass regularly for 2 years. I only have casual relationships with the people inside my church. I haven’t found anyone who can work my classes around their schedule or want to make the commitment.

It’s not necessary for you to find a sponsor. Talk to your RCIA director since usually she/he would be the one recruiting sponsors.

Usually it would be hard for the catechumens or candidates to find sponsors themselves since they’re new to the parish and don’t know a lot of people. So – in my parish, at least – the RCIA team takes on this responsibility. In part we want sponsors who are part of the parish so they can introduce the catechumens/candidates to parish life.

And an aside for everyone here – why don’t you call up your RCIA director and volunteer to be a sponsor. It’s a wonderful opportunity to form a relationship with someone new to the Church and show them how to live a Catholic life. Mostly when I ask someone if they would consider being a sponsor the answer goes along the lines of “I’m flattered you would ask, BUT…” and then they turn me down.

By the way, you’d probably get far more answers in the Evangelization forum since that’s where RCIA is discussed.

 

[rwoehmke]

We have never had a problem in over 16 years. There are always more volunteer sponsors than we need. It’s up to the team/parish to provide people willing to be sponsors. We usually have them in excess for the first couple of meetings and then after looking the crowd over the person taking RCIA can “cut one out from the herd.”

 

[SuscipeMeDomine]

We have never had a problem in over 16 years. There are always more volunteer sponsors than we need. It’s up to the team/parish to provide people willing to be sponsors. We usually have them in excess for the first couple of meetings and then after looking the crowd over the person taking RCIA can “cut one out from the herd.”

I don’t want to derail this conversation so I’ll start another thread in the Evangelization forum. I’d like to hear more about what you do.

The new thread is here: forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?p=4212419

 

[juliasmith]

I simply told my instructor that I did not have a sponsor and needed one. They asigned me someone from the group of sponsor volunteers. It was not the best way to do things, but it worked. I’ve not seen the man since. That was a decade and a half ago. But, I am a Catholic now and that’s the important thing.

 

[palmas85]

Does that mean I can’t join the Catholic Church and become Baptised? I can make it to all RCIA classes and I’ve attended Mass regularly for 2 years. I only have casual relationships with the people inside my church. I haven’t found anyone who can work my classes around their schedule or want to make the commitment.

If you cannit find one tell the team members and they will find one for you. Many if not most parishes actually anticipate this and often invite willing parishners to sit in on the groups and volunteer to be sponsers. Good luck

 

[Glorfindel]

My RCIA Director has different people who have gone gone through RCIA sit in on classes, the Sister said we would get to know a number of these people and any would be quite happy to sponsor. That was a question I had going in.

 

[beckycmarie]

It’s likely the parish will find one for you.

Several weeks back, I took a coworker to Mass and she wanted to go to one of the initial RCIA classes. I went with her not knowing anything about the process (I am a cradle Catholic) and figured I would be her sponsor. I guessed it was like Confirmation back when I was a teenager, when you picked your sponsor.

I learned that at my parish, generally the RCIA director chooses the sponsors. My coworker decided not to continue (not ready to commit to RCIA right now), but I’ve been asked back to sponsor someone else.

 

[Jennifer_G]

Does that mean I can’t join the Catholic Church and become Baptised? I can make it to all RCIA classes and I’ve attended Mass regularly for 2 years. I only have casual relationships with the people inside my church. I haven’t found anyone who can work my classes around their schedule or want to make the commitment.

You can ask one of the RCIA teachers if they can be your sponser. I’m sure they’d be willing to do that.