Children's Catechumenate workshop with Rita Burns Senseman

The Catechumenate Committee of the Diocese of San Jose invited Rita Burns Senseman to discuss with them strategies for helping our parishes integrate the adult and children's catechumenate into a more unifed RCIA process of initiation.

In our 30-minute conversation by phone, we learned so much from this national expert on the catechumenate with children, and we were affirmed in our goal of implementing the vision of the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults.

We recorded our conversation so you can also benefit from Rita's wisdom and guidance.


Rita Burns Senseman - Children's catechumenate workshop from Diana Macalintal on Vimeo.

Have you ever seen dancing books at the Rite of Election?

In our Diocese of San Jose, we have dancing books for the Rite of Election. Now hold on before you start groaning as you imagine young waifs in tights and leotards flitting about the altar.

Our Scriptural tradition has many stories of dancing—but the kind of dancing that comes out of ordinary, everyday people. David danced before the Lord, Miriam danced on the seashore, the women took up garlands and danced at Judith’s victory, and even John the Baptist did a little jig in his mother’s belly at the voice of Mary’s greeting.

And in our ritual, all of us dance—I mean, all of us, trained or not. When we dip our hand into the font, make the sign of the cross, bow low in reverence, raise arms in prayer, extend hands in peace and blessing, we are dancing. We are doing choreographed movement; we are expressing our faith, our joy, through our bodies.

This is what we do at our local Rite of Election, but just turned up a notch. The joy that our Rite of Election elicits—and the dancing that comes out of that joy—is often surprising for both the many long-time Catholics and “newbies” who come to our cathedral expecting a long, sober, restrained lenten ritual. Let me explain.

In our Rite of Election, after the homily, we present our catechumens to the Bishop in chant, in English and in Spanish. Then after he questions the godparents, asks the faithful for their affirmation, and confirms the catechumens’ desire to be initiated, the names of every catechumen are proclaimed by representatives from each parish. As the names are called, the catechumens and their godparents are led by their Book of the Elect to stand as a group before the Bishop. After he has accepted the proclamation of their names, the Bishop bows to the catechumens and godparents who bow to him in return.

Once all the names have been announced, those carrying the parish Book of the Elect stand around the altar (our cathedral is in the round) holding their books open high above their heads. Parish by parish, the catechumens are called to stand as the Books and the catechumens are blessed with incense filling the air.

Then at the climax of the rite, the Bishop standing at his chair proclaims with great solemnity: “I now declare you to be members of the elect, to be initiated into the sacred mysteries at the next Easter Vigil!”

With that declaration, the entire assembly roars into a jubilant sung acclamation—“Thanks be to God!”—repeated over and over, handclapping and all! And the Books dance! The people holding the Books are swept up by the joy of the assembly that they can’t help but move—some can’t even wait for the acclamation to begin! Up and down, side to side, twirling around in circles, the names of God’s chosen ones fill the space. The assembly, amazed at the sight, sings and claps even louder. Thanks, indeed, be to our good and gracious God!

What a way to begin Lent!

Here's a short video of our dancing books.


Rite of Election 2009 video, Diocese of San Jose (hi-res) from Diana Macalintal on Vimeo.

Do we have to use Year A readings for the RCIA scrutinies?

This article originally appeared on TeamRCIA.com, March 3, 2009.

“Why can’t we use Year B readings this year for the Scrutinies?”

“The assembly is missing out on hearing the readings for Year C. How come we always have to do Year A at the Scrutinies?”

“We’ve written new scrutiny rites for the Year B readings. Can we use those?”

I hear those questions every year we aren’t in the Year A cycle of the Lectionary. (Recall that the readings we hear every Sunday are structured on a three-year rotation. In Year A we hear primarily from Matthew’s Gospel; in Year B, from Mark; and in Year C, from Luke. John's Gospel is interspersed throughout each year.)

I can understand why some people have these questions. We’ve come a long way since before Vatican II when the amount of Scripture people heard at Mass over the course of a year was very limited (1% of the Old Testament and 17% of the New Testament) compared to today (14% of the Old Testament and 71% of the New Testament). When the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, 51, of Vatican II said that “[t]he treasures of the bible are to be opened up more lavishly, so that richer fare may be provided for the faithful at the table of God’s word,” the Church took it seriously, and the faithful have come to value more and more a fuller proclamation of the Word in the midst of the assembly.

Yet I think we still have a way to go when it comes to trusting the rites of initiation within the Sunday gathering of the assembly. The best way we can help the assembly to grow in appreciation of these rites of initiation is to do the rites well and fully, consistently year after year.

What does the Rite say?
So, taking a look at the rubrics for the Scrutiny Rites, we read:

The scrutinies should take place within the ritual Masses “Christian Initiation: The Scrutinies,” which are celebrated on the Third, Fourth, and Fifth Sundays of Lent; the readings with their chants are those given for those Sundays in the Lectionary for Mass, Year A….In every case the ritual Masses “Christian Initiation: The Scrutinies” are celebrated and in this sequence: for the first scrutiny the Mass with the gospel of the Samaritan woman; for the second, the Mass with the gospel of the man born blind; for the third, the Mass with the gospel of Lazarus. (146)

Seems clear, yes? Yet perhaps still not compelling enough a reason for those who ask our opening questions. So let’s look at some reasons that may be more convincing.

What does history say?
In the oldest known Book of Gospels, called the Würzberg Evangelary (c. 645), the three passages from John’s Gospel listed in RCIA, 146, are included in the readings for Lent. This Evangelary scheduled John’s Gospel to be read semi-continuously during the last few weeks of Lent. However the stories of the man born blind and the raising of Lazarus were listed out of order, suggesting that they were used for specific rites. By the ninth century and possibly as early as the late seventh century, we have evidence that these three Gospel readings were moved to specific Sundays of Lent in both the Roman rite and the Ambrosian rite, again suggesting that they were used for particular lenten rites. We can trust that for the Church, these Johannine stories have had significant prominence in the preparation for Easter. Let’s examine why this is and why over the years these readings have been associated with the preparation of the elect.

What do the readings say?
Just as the scrutinies themselves are meant to be a series of rites spanning over an extended period of time, so too are these three Gospel readings meant to be “digested” little by little with time in between each set of readings. This is because the readings in their assigned sequence reflect the very purpose of the Scrutiny Rites. That is, little by little, these readings with their prescribed rites uncover what is weak and sinful and strengthen what is good and upright in the elect. Through them, “the elect are instructed gradually about the mystery of sin, from which the whole world and every person longs to be delivered...” (RCIA, 143).

In the story of the woman at the well, the Samaritan woman hears Jesus then goes and tells the villagers what she has heard, causing them to seek him out for themselves. The reading ends with the villagers saying to the woman, “We no longer believe because of your word; for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is truly the savior of the world” (John 4:42). Was this not the starting point of every elect? They heard a word, a word that they discovered over time to be Christ. Upon discovering who was speaking to them, they no longer believed because of hearsay, obligation, or pressure, but because they heard Christ’s voice for themselves.

In the story of the man born blind, the man healed of his blindness gradually grows to see as Christ sees. He regains his sight right at the start of the story. But only because of the interrogation he receives from his neighbors and the Pharisees and his struggle to respond to them faithfully, does he little by little begin to see the identity of who it was who healed him. By the end of the story, the one who healed him was no longer to him just “the man called Jesus” (John 9:11) or simply “a prophet” (John 9:17) or “from God” (John 9:33). He was “Lord” (John 9:38) in whom he believed. For the elect this progression may be familiar. At the start of their catechumenate, their eyes are signed “that [they] may see the glory of God” (Rite of Acceptance, RCIA 56). Through their catechesis over the years and their experience with the community of believers they grow in understanding of what they see—who the man Jesus was, the prophetic words he spoke, his unique relationship with the Father, and finally his true identity as Lord.

Lastly, in the story of the raising of Lazarus, we come to the final days before the elect must stand before the font and profess their faith. In this reading, the miracle happens at the end of the story, but faith is already expressed long before the miracle takes place. Martha makes her profession of faith in Jesus the Messiah even as her brother is lying dead in the tomb. She needed no words and no miraculous deeds to believe in him; she only needed to believe. Period.

In this final story, we see what those who have been entrusted to continue Jesus' work have hopefully been doing in order to prepare the elect to make their profession of faith. They have been preparing them, like Jesus prepared Martha and Mary, to understand the paschal mystery they would witness in the resurrection—that out of death comes new life in Christ. Only after Lazarus is revived and Jesus is raised from the dead will Martha truly understand the words of faith she professed. It is her belief in and love for Jesus that allow her to be ready for whatever he will do despite her human logic that death is death, for “Martha believes not in what she understands but in the one who has the words of eternal life” (Sandra Schneiders, Written That You May Believe, Crossroad Publishing Company, p. 158).

When the three scrutiny readings are examined in this way, we begin to understand what the RCIA means when it says that Lent “is intended as well to enlighten the minds and hearts of the elect with a deeper knowledge of Christ the Savior” (139). The Gospels assigned to the scrutinies are there to ask the elect:

• Could he possibly be the Messiah?
• Do you believe in the Son of Man?
• Do you believe this?

The things that keep the elect from saying “yes!” are the things that must be scrutinized and exorcized, for in a few short weeks, they must respond “yes, I believe” as they stand at the edge of death at the font. The place where the elect learn to answer “yes!” is in the parish community. The assignment and order of the scrutiny Gospels from John reflect the community's progressive and communal catechesis for the elect in order that they may hear and believe (Samaritan woman), see and believe (man born blind), and finally believe without proof (Martha and Lazarus).

Why B and C don't work
Though well-intentioned and creative, when we create new scrutiny texts to match the readings from Year B or C, we have severed ourselves and our elect from the rich history and wisdom of the Church who over the centuries have understood the unique power of the three Johannine Gospel readings. Some will argue that the Year B readings are particularly apt for those preparing for baptism because each Sunday reading includes reference to some symbol from the baptismal rite: water in Noah and the flood; white garments in the Transfiguration; resurrection of the destroyed temple; Jesus teaching Nicodemus about the light; and death of the grain of wheat. Although this may be true, these readings cannot compare to the dramatic power of the three assigned Scrutiny readings. Furthermore, as RCIA 143 noted, Lent is a time for the elect to gradually learn about sin; the period after their baptism is the time for them to reflect on the baptismal symbols and their experience of initiation through mystagogical catechesis.

When we worry that the faithful are missing out on the readings of Year B or C on the Sundays of the scrutinies, we are forgetting that the faithful’s role in these rites is to pray fervently for the elect. All their focus should be upon the elect for it is in them that God is working most clearly. It is in the elect that the Word of Christ is evangelizing whole communities; it is in them that the world is beginning to see Christ present on earth; it is in them that we will witness new life spring forth from death. These elect will be elect only once in their lives. This will be the only time they will ever hear these three Gospel readings from John as elect, surrounded by the prayers of the community and overshadowed by the power of the Spirit. We, the baptized, have a responsibility to them at these critical moments of their lenten preparation to use the best our Church tradition has to offer. The best will be the assigned Year A readings.

Perhaps as preparation for taking on our assigned role in these Scrutiny Rites, we, the already-baptized, might read the assigned readings for Year B or Year C during the weeks leading up to the Scrutiny Rites, that these readings might open our ears, eyes, and hearts to hear the Year A readings anew with strengthened faith in Christ already at work in the elect.

Day of Reflection for RCIA Ministers - September 6, 2008

All catechumenate leaders and team members, priests, deacons,

and catechists are invited to a FREE diocesan day of reflection

Second Annual Day of
REFLECTION & INSPIRATION
“WORKERS IN THE VINEYARD OF THE LORD”

Saturday, September 6, 2008, 9:00am – 1:00pm
Santa Teresa Catholic Church

794 Calero Avenue, San Jose, 95123

Inspirational Speaker: Rev. Christopher Bennett

Reflection: Sr. Sharon Skain, SNDdeN

Hospitality and free Lunch provided

9:00am - Check in and Gathering

9:30am - Welcome and Prayer

9:45am - Scripture, Reflection, Questions, Speaker

12:30pm - Closing Prayer and free Lunch

Please RSVP by Tuesday, September 2, 2008, to Sue Marrion

sue@marrion.com or 650-694-7479

Please join the diocesan Catechumenate Committee as we prepare and look forward to another fruitful harvest, laboring in the joys of God’s vineyards. Each of us, as masters and workers, needs to nourish ourselves at this time of year. We expectantly look forward to a full harvest from our catechists and catechumens, knowing that each year, the vines we plant with love and care, require us to guide and nurture them so we are rewarded with an abundant fruitful harvest.

“No wine is better than the fruit used to make it.”

As part of the diocesan Liturgical Commission, the Catechumenate Committee's role is to assist parishes in the formation and implementation of an effective RCIA process through offering assistance, support, and the knowledge of an experienced team, some of whom have experienced this process themselves. Let the diocesan Catechumenate Committee help answer your questions and concerns, for example:

• “How can I help my team grow spiritually and confidently?”
• “What is my Faith calling me to do?”
• “How can we encourage others to join us in the fields?”

Your summer RCIA reading list

Summer is the perfect time to build up your reading library and to update your own formation by reading--and re-reading--some of the essential resources for your ministry.

I am always shocked, but unfortunately not too surprised, to hear that a person preparing a liturgy, or some aspect of it, like the music or sacramental preparation for it, has not read the actual text of the rite they are planning. (Shocked! Shocked, I tell you!)

Reading the rites will actually make your job easier. Yet too many liturgical musicians, catechetical ministers, and even liturgists and clergy have not actually read the RCIA (the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults). If they are working in a typical parish, they will be planning and preparing at least six rites during the year that come directly out of the RCIA. But preparing for these rites without actually reading the Rite out of the actual Rite book is a bit like trying to learn about the Bible without actually opening a Bible.

Now I've been guilty of this too in my younger years. Like many people, I simply pulled out the script that the previous liturgist put together. Or I did what I remembered seeing at a workshop, convention, or institute. Or I did what the pastor said was "the way we have always done it here in this parish." But, at worst, much of what I was doing was actually not what the Rite was calling for. At best, I wasn't understanding the intent of the Rite and therefore couldn't authentically adapt it for that particular assembly.

So your very first book at the top of your RCIA reading list must be the RCIA itself. If you're still not convinced, click here to get six more reasons you must read the RCIA.

And for more essential reading for anyone working with the RCIA and its rites, go here to check out TeamRCIA.com's essential resources for the RCIA. TeamRCIA.com breaks down the list by showing you what's essential for everyone to read, then listing resources for getting started, for teams, sponsors, preachers, ministers working with children, liturgists, and other sacramental preparation coordinators.

Catechumenate Support Group - April 3, 2008

Did you survive it?! I saw seven baptisms last Saturday, and it was glorious!

But as you know, we're not done yet. We still have the period of post-baptismal catechesis and mystagogy to help keep our neophytes well-tended to and strong.

At our next Catechumenate Support Group, let's look back on the year and evaluate our parish catechumenate processes. What do we need to be planning for now to improve for next year? What worked well this year that we want to replicate next year? What would you have changed in your process and rites if you had known what you know now?

Everyone who attends the meeting will receive a FREE article on how to upgrade your RCIA. Get some practical answers to these and your other questions at the next Catechumenate Support Group Meeting.

Catechumenate Support Group Meeting
"What I Would Have Done Differently"
Thursday, April 3, 2008
7:00p – 8:30p

Saint Christopher Parish, Msgr. Allen Center
2278 Booksin Avenue, San José 95125

RSVP with Bernard Nemis at 408-983-0126
or online here

Other Catechumenate Support Group dates for the year:

• Thursday, June 5, 2008, 7:00p – 8:30p, potluck dinner, Saint Albert the Great, Palo Alto canceled

Catechumenate Support Group - March 6, 2008

We're down to the wire now and waiting for Easter! Are your Elect ready to take the plunge?

As you know, all our work doesn't end with initiation at the Easter Vigil. Everything we do is geared toward training disciples for mission! What are we training the catechumens to do? It's no less than making the Reign of God more visible in our world.

At our next Catechumenate Support Group, we'll look at ways to train the catechumens in the works of justice and a lifetime of discipleship. As part of our discussion, we will see up close one group that is making the Reign of God very visible in downtown San José.

Everyone who attends the meeting will receive a FREE photocopiable bulletin insert on Mystagogy to be given to the assembly. Get some practical answers to these and your other questions at the next Catechumenate Support Group Meeting.

Catechumenate Support Group Meeting
"Initiated Into Mission"
Thursday, March 6, 2008
12:30p – 2:00p

Washington United Youth Center
921 South First Street Street, San José 95110

The Center is behind the Biblioteca,

and the parking lot is behind the Wienerschnitzel.

RSVP with Bernard Nemis at 408-983-0126
or online here

Other Catechumenate Support Group dates for the year:

• Thursday, April 3, 2008, 7:00p – 8:30p, location tba
• Thursday, June 5, 2008, 7:00p – 8:30p, potluck dinner, location tba

Help your assembly prepare for the Rite of Election

In a few short weeks, the Catholic Church around the world will celebrate one of its most important rites--and yet most parishioners will never witness it.

The Rite of Election marks the final turning point in a person's journey toward becoming a Catholic. Every Catholic diocese around the world will celebrate this liturgy on the First Sunday of Lent with those it will baptize only 40 days later.

Our Bishop Patrick J. McGrath of the Diocese of San José will name 436 catechumens (226 adults and 210 children) to be the Elect. Along with their godparents, families, and friends, the diocese will celebrate three liturgies of the Rite of Election during the first week of Lent.

Learn more about the Rite of Election, and help your assembly understand better this rite. Here is an article I wrote on the primary symbols of the Rite of Election. At this link, you can also download a free, ready-to-copy handout that you can reprint for your parish. Permission is given to make as many copies as you need.

The Rite of Election is truly is one of the secret gems of the liturgical year in our diocese. It is one of the most joyful celebrations we do. Know that your parishioners are invited to come to any of the liturgies for the Rite of Election in the Diocese of San José. More information on when your parish's catechumens are scheduled to be at the the Cathedral for the Rite of Election is here.

The Liturgy Files: In the Rite of Reception, do you confirm a Lutheran confirmed in the Lutheran Church?

Part of my job is to answer email. Some of these emails are simple Q&A. In these Liturgy Files, I'll share some of the most helpful Q&As.


Q: We have a candidate preparing to celebrate the Reception into the Full Communion of the Catholic Church at the Easter Vigil. This person was baptized and confirmed as a Lutheran. Do we recognize Lutheran Confirmations as valid sacraments? Or do we confirm him at the Easter Vigil?

A: From John Huels’ book, The Catechumenate and the Law: A Pastoral and Canonical Commentary for the Church in the United States, Liturgy Training Publications, 1994, p 24:

Confirmation is valid only in those churches that have the valid sacrament of holy orders. Besides the separated Eastern churches, this would include the Old Catholic, Old Roman Catholic, and Polish National Churches. The Protestant denominations are not recognized as having valid orders, so persons baptized in those ecclesial communities should be confirmed during the rite of reception into full communion.

However, the other question you could also ask is: Should you celebrate the rite of reception at the Easter Vigil? Some points to ponder:

Anything that would equate candidates for reception with those who are catechumens is to be absolutely avoided. (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, 477)

The commentary on The Code of Canon Law, commenting on canon 206 regarding catechumens, makes these distinctions between candidates and catechumens:

• "[B]aptized non-Catholics who seek full communion with the Catholic Church are not catechumens or 'converts,' although they are moved by the Spirit and have an explicit will to join the Church."
• "They are not, however, to be exorcised or to receive other elements of the liturgical rites involved in baptism, since they are already baptized."
• "No greater burdens are to be imposed on them than are necessary for them to come into full communion."

Back to the initiation documents...

Those who have already been baptized in another Church or ecclesial community should not be treated as catechumens or so designated. Their doctrinal and spiritual preparation for reception into full Catholic communion should be determined according to the individual case, that is, it should depend on the extent to which the baptized person has led a Christian life within a community of faith and been appropriately catechized to deepen his or her inner adherence to the Church ("National Statutes for the Catechumenate," 30)

This means that a baptized Christian who wants to become Catholic and has been faithfully participating in a Christian community (not necessarily a Catholic community), who lives a Christian (not necessarily Catholic) lifestyle, and who has been catechized in order to deepen his or her resolve to live as a Christian disciple in the Catholic Church is ready to celebrate the Rite of Reception into the Full Communion of the Catholic Church.

When could reception take place then?

The reception of candidates into the communion of the Catholic Church should ordinarily take place at the Sunday Eucharist of the parish community, in such a way that it is understood that they are indeed Christian believers who have already shared in the sacramental life of the Church and are now welcomed into the Catholic eucharistic community upon their profession of faith and confirmation, if they have not been confirmed, before receiving the eucharist. ("National Statutes for the Catechumenate," 32)

Further...

It is preferable that reception into full communion not take place at the Easter Vigil lest there be any confusion of such baptized Christians with the candidates for baptism, possible misunderstanding of or even reflection upon the sacrament of baptism celebrated in another Church or ecclesial community, or any perceived triumphalism in the liturgical welcome into the Catholic eucharistic community. ("National Statutes for the Catechumenate," 33)

In other words, if a baptized Christian is faithfully participating in the Sunday assembly of the Catholic Church, is living a Christian lifestyle, and is adhering to the Catholic teaching, they may be received into full communion as soon as possible—even at the next possible Sunday celebration. They need not wait until the Easter Vigil to be received.

For more information on the RCIA and the catechumenate, check out TeamRCIA.com.

Neophyte Mass - April 21, 2007

The Diocese of San José invites all who were baptized during this Easter season, all who were received into full Communion with the Catholic Church, and all who celebrated any of the sacraments of initiation during the Easter season, along with their friends, godparents, family, and fellow-parishioners to celebrate Eucharist together in Easter joy.

Neophyte Mass

A Mass Celebrating New Life

Saturday, April 21, 2007, 4:30p

Cathedral Basilica of Saint Joseph

80 South Market Street, San José

An informal reception follows after the Mass where the newly baptized and initiated can meet Bishop McGrath in an informal setting.

Cathedral Tours
This would also be a great opportunity to take your neophytes on a “magical mystagogical tour” of the Cathedral. Come to the Cathedral early, and use this free script (Word doc) to help your newly initiated "decode" the many symbols and images in the Cathedral and to reflect on their experience from their initiation.

For more information, contact Diana Macalintal at Macalintal@dsj.org or 408-983-0136.

Should we confirm children whom we baptize at the Easter Vigil?

The chancery offices here have received a few phone calls from parishes asking if they need to confirm children (who have reached the age of reason, that is, about seven years old) whom they are baptizing this Easter, or should they wait to confirm them with their already-baptized peers at a later age.

In this case, neither the bishop of a diocese nor the parish priest can make any choice other than what is mandated by Canon Law:

Unless a grave reason prevents it, an adult who is baptized is to be confirmed immediately after baptism and participate in the celebration of the Eucharist, also receiving Communion. (#866)

and

What is prescribed in the canons on the baptism of an adult is applicable to all who are no longer infants but have attained the use of reason. (#852.1)

These canons are further emphasized in the National Statutes for the Catechumenate (USA):

Since children who have reached the use of reason are considered, for purposes of Christian initiation, to be adults (canon 852.1), their formation should follow the general pattern of the ordinary catechumenate as far as possible, with the appropriate adaptations permitted by the ritual. They should receive the sacraments of baptism, confirmation, and eucharist at the Easter Vigil, together with the older catechumens. (#18)

The reason the Church mandates this is to preserve its teaching on the Trinity:

The conjunction of the two celebrations [baptism and confirmation] signifies the unity of the paschal mystery, the close link between the mission of the Son and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, and the connection between the two sacraments through which the Son and the Holy Spirit come with the Father to those who are baptized. (RCIA, #215).

Delaying confirmation for those baptized at Easter distorts our understanding of the Trinity and implies that the persons of the Trinity work apart from each other. Confirming immediately after baptism and then welcoming the person to the Communion table at the same celebration teaches that the Spirit and the Son are one with the Father and that God’s chosen ones are called to participate in the full life of the Trinity.

Catechizing the Assembly: Mystagogy

From September 21 to 23, 2006, catechumenate directors, team members, liturgists, and catechists gathered to discuss the issues and challenges of implementing the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults in our diocese and to study the Rite of Acceptance and the Scrutiny Rite. (Read about some of the strategies we discerned in this Word document.)

One primary concern that was raised from that gathering was the need for simple resources to help catechize and prepare the assembly for the rites of initiation.

So, catechumenate ministers of the diocese: we hear you!

Below is part of the unformatted text from a bulletin insert that you can download, print, and copy for FREE for use in your parishes to help you catechize about the Rite of Acceptance. I ask that you simply include the author and copyright information on any copies you make.

Get the fully-formatted ready-to-copy bulletin insert (pdf) here.


Christian Initiation of Adults
Mystagogy
Savoring the Mystery of God

by Diana Macalintal
© 2007, Diana Macalintal.
All rights reserved.

Whodunit? Secret? Science?

God is a mystery, but not like an Agatha Christie novel, or a secret reserved only for special people, or a math problem to be solved.

God is a mystery in the way that grandma’s love is a mystery; in the way you look at your child and can’t imagine anything more beautiful; in the way you marvel at how deeply you still love your spouse even after so many years of being together.

The mystery of God is something that makes us feel so immensely close to God and at the same time so in awe of the tremendous, incomprehensible wonder of God. There is no way to completely, fully express this feeling or describe it to another person. We can only say the same thing we tell children who ask us how they will know when they’re in love—“you’ll know it when it happens to you.”

The word “sacrament” comes from the same Greek root for the word “mystery.” Often, at the beginning of Mass, the priest will say, “to prepare ourselves to celebrate these sacred mysteries….” Every time we gather to celebrate the sacraments, we enter deeply into the mysterious love of God.

We experience this divine mystery most fully in the Eucharist—that intimate act of eating and drinking together with those named after the one we love the most: Christ.

Reflecting on the Mysteries

Those who have been preparing to be initiated into the Church and are then baptized, confirmed, and welcomed to the Eucharistic table at the Easter Vigil are the newest members to be “christened,” that is, named “Christ.” They are those who have most recently and fully been hit by God’s mysterious love. Now, they know what it means to be a member of the Body of Christ because they have experienced it for themselves.

Anyone who is new to love and the overwhelming nature of it needs time to reflect on what happened to them. This “looking backward” to a specific moment when they experienced God’s mysterious presence gives them direction and renewed commitment for moving forward. Just like looking back at wedding pictures can give us more hope and joy for the future, reflecting on the experience of the “mysteries”—the sacraments—can renew our commitment to live according to Christ’s name which was given to us at baptism.

The neophytes are those who were recently initiated into the Church through the sacraments of baptism, confirmation, and Eucharist. During the Easter season, and often throughout the year after, they spend time reflecting on the mysteries. This process is called “mystagogy.” But their practice of mystagogy is simply a participation in what all baptized Christians are called to do. All of us who are baptized, whether last year or many years ago, are called to constantly reflect on our experience of God, discern its meaning, renew our commitment to our baptismal promises, and commit ourselves to living those promises in the ordinary events of our daily life.

Click here to read a step-by-step way to do mystagogy.

Five principles for mystagogical preaching and catechesis

In the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, only two pages of texts are given to describe the period of mystagogy and post-baptismal catechesis. Below are the five main things you need to know about mystagogy during this period of the initiation process (from RCIA 244-247):

• Mystagogy and mystagogical preaching leads the neophytes and the community to a deepened grasp of the paschal mystery and helps them make it part of their lives through


• meditation on the Gospel
• sharing in eucharist, and
• doing works of charity.


• Mystagogy and mystagogical preaching introduces the neophytes into a fuller and more effective understanding of the mysteries through the Gospel and the sacraments.


• The main setting for mystagogy is the Sunday Mass.


• At Masses during the Easter season where neophytes are present, it is recommended to use the readings for Year A.


• Mystagogy and mystagogical preaching renews the inspiration and outlook of the faithful and brings them closer to the neophytes.

Beginnings and Beyond Institute: August 19 - 24, 2007

“Being initiated has changed my life drastically; my faith is so much stronger. This parish has been a great guide and the catechumenate team has been fabulous. I could not have done it without them.”

“The initiation ministry at this parish is truly inspired by the Holy Spirit. All of the leaders create a caring and secure environment. This experience has never seemed like a chore but is instead a celebration of faith. It has changed my life!”

These are actual quotes from people in our diocese who have been initiated this year into the Catholic Church through the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults. Whether we hear it or not, the work that God does through our catechumenate ministries indeed changes people’s lives.

Because of this, the Catechumenate Committee of the Diocese of San José invites you to renew, revitalize, and refresh your experience and understanding of the RCIA by immersing yourself deep into the rites and process of initiation at our Beginnings and Beyond Institute.

Beginnings and Beyond
in Spanish and English

August 19 – 24, 2007
Saint Francis Retreat Center
549 Mission Vineyard Road
San Juan Bautista, California
(45 miles south of downtown San José)

Registration form (PDF) in English
Registration form (PDF) in Spanish

Register by June 19, 2007, to receive a discount.

Scholarship Update!
Click here for Scholarship Application - English (Word doc)
Click here for Scholarship Application - Spanish (Word doc)
Ministers from the Diocese of San José receive priority.
For ministers outside of the Diocese of San José, scholarship are available directly from Forum.

Beginnings and Beyond is a five-day workshop-retreat in which participants experience the initiation process, rediscover the power of conversion, look carefully at catechesis, and study and celebrate fully the rites of initiation.

Like the catechumenate, the Beginnings and Beyond Institute is life-changing:

I was asked to coordinate the RCIA in our parish. It is only because of the training I received during the Beginnings and Beyond Institute that I felt confident in this new undertaking. The institute put me in the catechumen’s position of seeking, questioning, discovering, and growing so that I could answer “Yes” to God. I was given a deeper awareness of how to meet people where they are and how to guide them into discovering who they are in Jesus’ eyes. The initiation process was no longer just a document or a book. It came alive for me. –Blessie LaScola, Holy Family Parish, Coordinator of Christian Initiation

I encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity to be more confident and inspiring co-workers with the Holy Spirit in changing the lives of those who seek to be in a deeper relationship with Christ and the Church.

To register:

• Registration form (PDF) in English
• Registration form (PDF) in Spanish

Still not convinced? Read on.

Many years ago, I attended Beginnings and Beyond. I was working at Saint Elizabeth Parish in Milpitas and multi-tasking in several roles: teacher training, sacramental prep, and the youth program. The catechumenal model informed every aspect of my work with the parents, teachers, and youth. As my ministry changed over the years from parish-based ministry to high school campus ministry, the catechumenal modal continued to be essential in forming my ministry. Just like the challenges facing today’s faith formation teams in parish-wide catechesis, the catechumens and candidates come with various stages of understanding of the Catholic faith. The beauty of the RCIA process is the flexibility. Beginnings and Beyond helped me gain practical insights on how to adapt the rites to meet the diverse needs of our catechumens and candidates. –Mary-Anne Madruga

My first experience of this immersion process was extremely spiritual on a personal level. Beginnings and Beyond allowed me to go deeper into my own conversion process, beyond the textbook and into the experience of becoming a Catholic. Professionally, I was given tools to adapt and incorporate at the parish level. I met other parish ministers, and we had the uninterrupted time to develop a relationship, listen to the stories, and share wisdom. The experience of sharing in the rituals and rites of the entire process taught me the richness, the importance, and the necessity of each rite and ritual. –Sheila Baldi

Register now (in English) (in Spanish).

For more information, contact Diana Macalintal - 408-983-0136.

Catechizing the Assembly: Discernment

From September 21 to 23, 2006, catechumenate directors, team members, liturgists, and catechists gathered to discuss the issues and challenges of implementing the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults in our diocese and to study the Rite of Acceptance and the Scrutiny Rite. (Read about some of the strategies we discerned in this Word document.)

One primary concern that was raised from that gathering was the need for simple resources to help catechize and prepare the assembly for the rites of initiation.

So, catechumenate ministers of the diocese: we hear you!

Below is part of the unformatted text from a bulletin insert that you can download, print, and copy for FREE for use in your parishes to help you catechize about the Rite of Acceptance. I ask that you simply include the author and copyright information on any copies you make.

Get the fully-formatted ready-to-copy bulletin insert (pdf) here.


Christian Initiation of Adults
Discernment
Listening to God's Voice

by Diana Macalintal
© 2007, Diana Macalintal.
All rights reserved.


Hearing and Responding
A big part of becoming and being Catholic is learning to hear God’s voice and responding. Our Scriptures tell us many stories of people hearing God and responding.

Abraham heard God’s voice from an angel, a “messenger” of God, asking him to sacrifice his only son, Isaac. Confused and probably afraid, Abraham responds by trusting God’s voice (Gn 22). Moses heard God’s voice coming from a surprising and unusual source—a burning bush. He responded to this unexpected encounter with the Divine by taking off his shoes and accepting God’s call to set his people free (Ex 3). The Samaritan woman at the well heard God’s voice in the midst of her everyday chores, in an ordinary conversation with a stranger. She responded to Jesus by becoming the first evangelist proclaiming the Good News to her village (Jn 4). And Mary heard God’s voice in an angel with unbelievable and perhaps terrifying news for one so young—she would bear God’s child. She responded in faith with amen, “let it be done” (Lk 1).

Perhaps Adam and Eve’s sin was not just disobeying God but not responding when he called, for when they heard his voice after eating the apple, they hid themselves (Gn 3).

For discussion: Do you remember a time when you heard God’s voice and knew it was God speaking? Where or who did it come from? What did you feel when you heard God’s message for you? How did you respond?

Voices in My Head?
Unlike some of the Scripture stories, however, we will probably hear God’s voice in much more ordinary ways. Most of us will never have an angel appear to us with a divine message from God. Nor will many of us encounter a burning bush or other supernatural revelation of God. More than likely, we’ll hear God the way the woman at the well did—in a simple conversation with another person while doing the simple things we do everyday—or the way Mary did—in an unexpected turn of events.

As Catholics, we believe that God is constantly trying to reveal God’s self to each person, using the ordinary things we experience in our lives to be the “messengers” for God’s word. In our family, friends, and the familiar events of our life, through the stranger and the new experience, and most especially in the poor, the outcast, and those events that shake us to the core, God is trying to say, “Here I am. Listen.”

At critical moments in our lives, God’s voice may be very strong: at the birth of a new family member or at the death of a loved one; when we fall in love, or when we break up; when tragedy happens or when we are overwhelmed by goodness; when we are deciding on a career, a vocation, a life-long partner; when we are hurt, or when we cannot forgive; when we need to choose a new way of life.

When we hear God’s voice, we might feel unsettled or out of sorts. We might feel that we need to do something, to make a change or be more resolved. Discovering who God intends us to be (our truest self), what God is asking of us at this moment in our life, and making a decision to act is called discernment.

For discussion: When was the last time something critical or significant happened in your life? What was God communicating to you at that moment?

Discerning God’s Call
For Catholics, there are four honored places we listen for God’s voice: in Scripture, in our Catholic tradition and teaching, in the Church community, and in our own conscience. Those who are preparing to become Catholics—the catechumens—participate in an on-going process of discernment throughout their preparation, learning to listen for God’s voice in these four principle ways. They do this to continue growing in their new faith in Christ and to know when they are ready to take the next step toward initiation into the Church. We who are already baptized serve as models for the catechumens, teaching them by our example how to listen for God’s voice each day, especially when we need to make an important decision.

Scripture
The Scriptures reveal who God is and how God relates with his people. The Scriptures project God’s voice most clearly when it is proclaimed in the assembly within the liturgy and connected to the real-life stories of that assembly in the homily. In the Gospel, especially, we believe that Christ is speaking directly to us, calling us again to listen and respond.

In a special way, the catechumens listen and respond to God in the Scriptures by “breaking open” the Word. They are dismissed from the Mass with a catechist to “feast” on the Scriptures and homily they just heard—to chew on them, in a sense—and to discover together what God is calling them to do at that moment in their faith journey.

Church Tradition and Teaching
You can’t find answers in the Scriptures to every one of life’s problems. But you can find Jesus’ promise that the Holy Spirit will remain with us always, guiding us, instructing us in everything (Jn 14:26). That Spirit has led our Church through the ages, inspiring saints and holy women and men to hear and respond to God’s voice in their own time and situation. Church tradition is the collective wisdom and presence of that Spirit, showing us how our ancestors interpreted not only Scripture but also the signs of the times through which God was acting.

Church Community
The apostles didn’t receive the Spirit as individuals but as a community. We believe that in the faithful, there is a “sense” of what God is calling us to be. When two or three are gathered, God is there. And so learning to hear God’s voice is a group exercise. Together we listen for God with those we trust and who know us best—our companions, literally, those we share bread with. Our companions help us to hear and see the things we may be missing. They do this not just by what they say but also by how they live. Catechumens are given special companions called sponsors to help them discern God’s voice throughout their journey to initiation.

For discussion: Who are your companions? Who is looking to you be their companion in faith? How can your own actions model for the catechumens a life of listening and responding to God?

Our Conscience
For those with faith, God’s word is not far from them—“it is something very near to you, already in your mouths and in your hearts” (Dt 30:14). God’s Spirit is in us, guiding our conscience into knowing the path God wants us to take. If after consulting all the other areas of discernment, we still feel uneasy, it may be because our conscience, God’s Spirit in us, knows it is not satisfied. But if after true discernment, we feel at peace, even with a hard decision, we can trust that we have listened and responded well to God’s voice.

A Process for Discernment
When faced with a difficult decision or turning-point in your life, or you just need to know better where God is leading you at this time, try this process.

Pray daily: Praying is less about saying things to God and more about being still to listen to God. Find a quiet place, and just be still and open to what God is trying to reveal to you. Making the sign of the cross, reading the Bible, or praying the Lord’s Prayer may help you focus on being attentive to God.

Participate at Mass: Keep your eyes, ears, mouth, and hands open to encountering God when your participate at Sunday Mass. Read the Sunday readings before you come to Mass. Be present to those around you, especially the stranger. Bring your concerns to prayer in the community. Reflect with others after Mass.

Look to the saints and other holy people: Read about the saints and their writings. Read Scripture stories about our ancestors in faith. Pay attention to people in your church or in your life whom you admire because of their life of faith. Share your faith with them, and let them be your companion and sounding board.

Return to prayer: Be still again in prayer, and listen to the small voice within you. Imagine making your decision, and notice your feelings. Journal about them if it helps. Which decision gives you a sense of peace? Which choice feels right with who God intends you to be? When this peace comes, give thanks to God.

Rite of Election 2007 - Instructions, Rehearsals, and Registration

Bishop Patrick J. McGrath welcomes to the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Joseph (80 South Market Street, San Jose) the catechumens from all parishes, institutions, and missions of the diocese who are ready for the Rite of Election where they will be chosen to celebrate the sacraments of baptism, confirmation, and Eucharist at the next Easter Vigil. All the liturgies will be multilingual.

Please note: Because Bishop McGrath will be on pilgrimage in Vietnam this February and will be unable to celebrate the Rite of Election in person, he has appointed Msgr. Fran Cilia, Vicar General of the diocese, to act as his delegate for the Rite of Election.

Rite of Election - 2007
Sunday, February 25, 2007, 3:30p
Monday, February 26, 2007, 7:30p
Tuesday, February 27, 2007, 7:30p
Cathedral Basilica of Saint Joseph
80 South Market Street, San Jose

Rehearsals for Rite of Election
There will be two rehearsals for the Rite of Election. Catechumens and godparents DO NOT attend these rehearsals. At least two people from your parish must attend one of the rehearsals (the catechumenate director may be one of the following persons):

• one person to carry your Book of the Elect,
• one (or two) people to read your names of the Elect.

Rehearsals for Rite of Election
Monday, February 19, 2007, 7:00p – 8:00p
or Tuesday, February 20, 2007, 7:00p – 8:00p
Cathedral Basilica of Saint Joseph
80 South Market Street, San Jose

After 6:00p, there is free parking on the street or in the parking lots on San Fernando Street between First and Third Streets. Click here for a map (PDF) showing all the free parking lots near the Cathedral.


Instructions
You can download these Word documents and distribute them to the godparents and those carrying the Book of the Elect or reading the names.

• Click here for instructions for Catechumenate Directors - Word doc.
• Click here for instructions for Godparents (English and Spanish) - Word doc.
• Click here for instructions for person carrying Book of the Elect (English and Spanish) - Word doc.
• Click here for instructions for person(s) calling out the names of catechumens (English and Spanish) - Word doc.

Registration
So that enough seats can be reserved for your catechumens and their godparents, please submit the names of your eligible catechumens no later than January 25, 2007.

There are two ways to submit your names for the Rite of Election:

• using the online form below, or
• downloading this form and returning it by postal mail, fax, or email.

The final schedule for the three celebrations will be announced January 26, 2007 on the Rite of Election web site.

If you have any questions, please contact Diana Macalintal at 408-983-0136.

Rite of Election 2007
Registration deadline: January 25, 2007

Contact Information

Parish, Mission, or School Name


Catechumenate Director's Name


Catechumenate Director's Phone Number


Catechumenate Director's E-mail Address



Rite of Election Schedule

Please check your parish's first choice (check only one):

Sunday, February 25, 2007, 3:30p.
Monday, February 26, 2007, 7:30p.
Tuesday, February 27, 2007, 7:30p.
We have no preference.

Please check your parish's second choice(s):

Sunday, February 25, 2007, 3:30p.
Monday, February 26, 2007, 7:30p.
Tuesday, February 27, 2007, 7:30p.

We are unable to attend the following date(s) (check all that apply):

Sunday, February 25, 2007, 3:30p.
Monday, February 26, 2007, 7:30p.
Tuesday, February 27, 2007, 7:30p.

Catechumen Information

TOTAL number of catechumens*
*Only catechumens (the unbaptized) will be called forward during the Rite. However, candidates are welcomed to participate as members of the assembly.

How many of your catechumens are children?

We have catechumens who speak the following languages other than English:


Names of Catechumens

Please list each catechumen's name on a separate line in alphabetical order by last name, using this format:
First Last

Bernard Nemis from the Office of Pastoral Ministry will contact you to confirm your registration. Please make sure all your information is correct before submitting this form.

Exploring the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults - September 22-23, 2006

• Are you stumped about how to do the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults in your parish?
• Do you need a boost and some new ideas for your rites and catechumenal gatherings?
• Does the word “mystagogy” scare you?
• Do you want to learn how to unpack the initiation rites for your catechumens, sponsors, and parish?

Then make a plan to attend a fall gathering for Catechumenate directors, teams, and ministers. This event is for:

• Initiation and catechumenate directors, teams, coordinators
• Faith formation coordinators and leaders
• Liturgy coordinators
• Music ministers
• Priests
• Deacons

We will focus on the Rite of Acceptance and the Scrutiny Rite and use these rites as the foundation for catechizing on the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults.

• We will show how to unpack these rites and catechize from the liturgy.
• We will model how to do an extended catechesis.
• You will have a chance to share your successes, your struggles, and get some support, insight, and answers.
• However way you are involved with the RCIA, you’ll get some food for thought and food for your belly as well!

Exploring the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults
September 21-23, 2006
Santa Teresa Church
794 Calero Avenue, San José

To register:
Contact Bernard Nemis, 408-983-0136, or
register online or
download this flyer and registration form (PDF)

Thursday evening for catechumenate directors: Free
Pre-registration for Friday: $25
Pre-registration for Saturday: $25
Registration at the door for Friday: $29
Registration at the door for Saturday: $29

Sponsored by the Diocesean Catechumenate Committee.

We encourage you to attend all three days, if possible, since the discussion from the previous day will be expanded during the next day. But you are welcome to attend as many days that you can. Please do pre-register so we can plan for enough food.

Schedule for the days

Thursday, September 21, 2006, dinner for Catechumenate directors
Avila Hall, Santa Teresa Parish
Free
6:00p – 6:45p: Gathering and appetizers
6:45p – 8:00p: Dinner and conversation
8:00p – 9:00p: Group discussion on the large issues of the RCIA in our diocese
9:00p: Wrap up and closing prayer

Friday, September 22, 2006, for all ministers
Santa Teresa Church
Pre-registration: $25
At the door: $29
8:30a – 9:15a: On-site registration, check-in, and hospitality (Church)
9:15a – 9:30a: Welcome and preparation of assembly for rite
9:30a – 10:30a: Rite of Acceptance
10:30a – 10:45a: Break
10:45a – 11:30a: Mystagogy / Walk-through of Rite
11:30a – 12:00p: Small group discussion
12:00p – 1:00p: Lunch (Avila Hall)
1:00p – 2:00p: Table discussions (Church)
2:00p – 3:00p: Sharing our wisdom to address our challenges
3:00p – 3:15p: Wrap up, preparation for Scrutiny on Saturday, and closing prayer

Saturday, September 23, 2006,, for all ministers
Santa Teresa Church
Pre-registration: $25
At the door: $29
8:30a – 9:15a: On-site registration, check-in, hospitality (Church)
9:15a – 9:30a: Welcome and preparation of assembly for rite
9:30a – 10:30a: Scrutiny Rite
10:30a – 10:45a: Break
10:45a – 11:30a: Mystagogy / Walk-through of Rite
11:30a – 12:30p: Model of extended catechesis on the Scrutiny
12:30p: Wrap up and closing prayer

Bishop McGrath's Rite of Election Homily - 2006

Diocese of San Jose

Rite of Election
March 5, 6, & 7, 2006
Cathedral Basilica of Saint Joseph
Bishop Patrick J. McGrath

Today, dear catechumens, you begin your final test. It is not a test of knowledge of Scripture, or the catechism, or even the disciplines of the Catholic faith. You have already shown that the seeds of God’s word, the teaching of the Church, and the practices of prayer, study, community, and service are deeply planted within you; otherwise, you would not have been sent by your parishes to the Cathedral today.

No, today, your test goes deeper than knowledge or discipline. It will be a test of surrender and mission, a test of faith in the face of death, a test of hope when all seems lost, a test of love when all you receive is rejection.

Today, your godparents will attest to the power of God already working within you. They will testify that you have listened to God’s word. That word has already fed you on your journey and will continue to be a source of nourishment when your hunger is greatest. But it will also be a word that will pierce your heart; it will be a word to divide and cut through words of falsehood, hatred, and bigotry. This word will feed you, and it will also challenge you.

Your godparents will testify that you have responded to God’s word by walking the path of Christ. That path has been filled with joy, and I believe that you have already experienced the peace of walking with God. But that path has also been filled with times of doubt and uncertainty, perhaps within yourself, or from family or friends who don’t understand why you have chosen this path. If you continue this path, you will also find yourself in different places where you will have to choose between power and vulnerability, between apathy and mission, between a faith that gives easy, black and white answers and a faith that remains even when the answers are not so clear or easy.

Your godparents will testify that you have shared the company of the Church, joining in its prayer and communal life. That community has already shown you great love and has given you a place where you are accepted. But that community has already and will continue to mark you as different from what the world requires and expects. The world will tell you to hate your enemies; this community will tell you to love them. The world will tell you to store up your riches, live the “good life,” grab more power, vote for the one who will make your life easier, be an individual; but this community will tell you to give not only your cloak but your shirt as well, take care of the orphan, the widow, and the outcast, put on Christ, lose yourself, take up the cross, give away all you have, give away even your life.

This is what baptism is about. This is what the season of lent is about. This is what being Catholic is about. This is what you must be about if you will give your name to God today.

• If you give your name to God today, you will be signed up by God to do the work of Christ on the earth.
• If you give your name to God today, you will be given a new name at your baptism—you will be given the name of Christ so that you can do the work of Christ in this world.
• If you give your name to God today, you will be enlisted to make the kingdom more visible, not in the future, not once you get to heaven, but now, today, here.
• If you give your name to God today, you must proclaim as Christ did that now is the acceptable time, now is the day of salvation, today the poor are blessed, today heaven is theirs.

If you give your name to God, you will find yourself standing in a pool of water—water that will purify, heal, and refresh, yet also water that will bring death. Once you give your name, profess this faith, and enter into those waters, your old self will die and you will rise as Christ was raised from the dead. Then, death, fear, hunger, greed, doubt, despair, will no longer have power over you. Having been raised from the death of your old self, you will be able to face the devil and any test that the devil presents. You will be able to feed on God’s word when the false gods of life starve you. You will be able to turn the other cheek when others curse you. You will be able to confess the kingdom of God, not for your own sake but for the sake of those for whom the kingdom is given—the poor of this world.

The word that you have known, your godparents, and this community who have walked with you, and the strength of the Eucharist that you will soon share at this table: all these will accompany you from the day of your baptism as you do the work of Christ with us. All you have to do is surrender yourself, surrender your name, surrender your life to the life-giving cross of Christ.

This test of surrender and mission will be difficult. But you will not be alone. When you put your name on the line, when you put your life on the line, you will not be alone. You are already members of this community, and you will soon be members of the Body of Christ, never to face trial and temptation alone again.

Give all you have to God—your name, your life, your love—and receive in return the love that has no end, receive the eternal life of God, receive the name that is above every other name. Receive Christ and be known by his name so that today and everyday may be a day of salvation.

Requesting Faculties to Confirm

The Bishop is the ordinary minister of Confirmation. Therefore, priests are required, in certain situations, to request faculties to be the minister of Confirmation in place of the Bishop.

If the people who are to be confirmed are already baptized Catholics and , then the priest will need to request faculties from the Bishop in order to confirm them. To do this, he simply sends the Bishop a letter making the request, indicating the names of the persons to be confirmed, the date and place the Confirmation will occur, and citing the pastoral reason for which permission is requested. You may send the request directly to the Bishop’s office: 900 Lafayette Street, Suite 301, Santa Clara, CA 95050.

Note: By law, faculties are already provided to priests to confirm catechumens (those unbaptized) at the time of their baptism or candidates for full communion (those baptized into another Christian tradition) at the time of their reception into the Catholic Church, or those in danger of death. Priests are required to request the faculty to administer the sacrament of Confirmation only when confirming an already-baptized Catholic (cf. Canon 883).

Here is a sample letter requesting faculties to confirm:

Dear Bishop McGrath:

I am requesting permission to confirm the following persons at the ____ Mass on Pentecost Sunday, June 4, 2006, here at St. _______ Parish. They were all baptized as infants but were never catechized nor previously admitted to Confirmation.

[list names]

All have participated fully in our parish's preparation process, and we believe they are ready to celebrate Confirmation.

Thank you for your consideration of this request.

RCIA Team Formation Day - January 14, 2006

SNJM FIRE for Ministry is offering a workshop for those who work in initiation ministry, especially catechumenate teams and coordinators.

RCIA Team Formation Day

Lent and Mystagogy:

What? Why? How?

January 14, 2006
9:30a -­ 3:00p

Casa Maria Conference Center
200 Prospect Avenue, Los Gatos

$30.00 per person (includes lunch)

Preparing for an effective and appropriate celebration of the Lenten and Easter seasons with the elect who are to be initiated this Easter will be the focus of this formation day. The day will include assistance with preparing for the Scrutinies, the preparation Rites for Holy Saturday, and the celebration of the Easter Vigil. There will also be a session on Mystagogy and how to encourage full participation after the sacraments of initiation are received.

Registration closes on January 7, 2006

For more information: contact Sr. Miriam Malone at miriam@snjmfire.com or 408-395-1818.

To register: contact Sr. Dorothy Clare at jmvillalg@yahoo.com or 408-354-2312.

FILED UNDER: WORKSHOPS AND EVENTS | CHRISTIAN INITIATION