Recently someone asked me if we had a program for RCIA. I told them the parish is the program. That might sound evasive or nonresponsive, but I really believe that. Let’s look at how this might work.
In the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, we are told that before an inquirer can celebrate the Rite of Acceptance, they must show “that the beginnings of a spiritual life and the fundamentals of Christian teaching have taken root.”
So what are these “beginnings” and “fundamentals”? And shouldn’t we have a program that teaches these things, whatever they are?

The “curriculum” for conversion

The rite goes on to tell us what these “beginnings” and “fundamentals” are:

• evidence of first faith
• initial conversion and intention to change their lives
• intention to enter into a relationship with God in Christ
• evidence of the first stirrings of repentance
• a start of the practice of calling on God in prayer
• a sense of Church
• some experience of the company and spirit of Christians (RCIA 42)

If we think of faith formation as program delivery, we have a problem with these criteria. How do we create a program that delivers “first faith” or “initial conversion”? How many sessions will be required to form an “intention to enter into a relationship with God in Christ” or to show “evidence of the first stirrings of repentance”?

The program for conversion is life in Christ

In order to bring the seekers up to the standards required of them in RCIA, we need to think of developing their relationship with Christ instead of creating a program for them. And the place we find Christ is in the parish—the Christian community.

Click for your FREE WORKSHEET: “Who should enter the period of the catechumenate?”
Now, I can almost hear the objection that Christ is not limited to the parish community. That’s right of course. But the parish is the “school” of Christian formation. It is not a school with classrooms and textbooks. It is a school in the sense that we share a common belief, and join together as followers of Christ.

Weaving a life of faith

In order to be “schooled” or formed in the disciplines of Christ-followers, we have to immerse the seekers in the experience of what it is like to be a parishioner. After we have enmeshed the seekers in the “fabric of parish life” (“Our Hearts Were Burning Within Us,” 118), we can then begin to look for signs that the disciplines of the faith are beginning to take hold or take root.

It is similar to the difference between an American learning to read Spanish versus deciding to become a Mexican citizen. A seeker can learn the facts about the faith—the “language.” But he or she cannot become a Christian without living among and learning from other Christians.
To extend the citizenship metaphor a bit, what we are looking for before the Rite of Acceptance is the willingness of the seeker to move to another country for a period of immersion learning. The list of “beginnings” and “fundamentals” above are the signs that they are ready to make that initial move. This is the very beginning of their conversion process. Once they have entered the catechumenate, we will continue the immersion process to make them full citizens of the reign of God.

What do you think?

Is your parish catechumenate more like a program or more like an immersion process?
Check out this webinar recording: “Six signs of conversion that must happen in the RCIA “ Click here for more information.
 
 

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