On Participants in RCIA and Confirmation
November
2007
For the
proper response to the different sacramental and catechetical
backgrounds of those who seek full communion with the Catholic
Church, these notes are intended to supply direction by addressing
two specific issues: (1) which categories of people must or may be
in RCIA and (2) which categories of people are able to receive the
sacrament of Confirmation from a priest.
A. Notes
-
Pastorally,
it is extremely important to determine the marital status of anyone
seeking either baptism or full communion into the Church. Every
year, at the time of the Vigil, pastoral issues arise, that become
painful moments because the marital status of individuals or their
spouses was not attended to at an earlier time. The most
appropriate moment to begin the process of addressing any particular
marital issues in the person’s life, for example, if the
person or spouse has been divorced and remarried, is when he or she
made the determination to enter into the Church. As you well know,
these marital issues can prevent someone, unless they are properly
handled, from achieving his or her desire of becoming a member of
the Church. Therefore, the Archdiocesan Tribunal must be consulted
before anyone involved in what is or appears to be a canonically
irregular marriage is enrolled in RCIA or any sacramental
preparation program.
-
The
Office of Canonical Affairs may be consulted before anyone belonging
to a separated Eastern Christian Church is enrolled in RCIA or any
other program leading to full communion with the Catholic Church.
As a reminder, it is important to note that the sacraments of anyone
belonging to an Eastern Rite Non-Catholic Church are valid.
Therefore, none of the initiation rites are to be duplicated.
-
The
Office of Canonical Affairs must be consulted before a baptized
Catholic who has been brought up in or formally adhered to another
religion, church, or ecclesial community, or who has repudiated the
Christian faith and seeks readmission to full communion is enrolled
in RCIA or any other program leading to full communion with the
Catholic Church.
B. Participants
in RCIA and Confirmation
-
a. RCIA is for individuals over the age of
seven years who have never been baptized. In the RCIA, these
persons are classified as "catechumens."
b. Catechumens
who complete the RCIA program will ordinarily be baptized and
confirmed by the priest and receive Eucharist at the Easter Vigil
Mass.
-
a. Adults who have been baptized in separated churches or
ecclesial communities and seek full communion with the Catholic
Church may take part in some aspects of RCIA. In the RCIA, these
people will be "candidates" for full communion with the
Catholic Church. They do not always need the same catechesis as
catechumens and are not to take part in some aspects of the RCIA,
e.g. the Lenten Scrutinies.
b. Since the policy of the
Archdiocese urges that when Catechumens and Candidates have been in
the RCIA preparation together only the Catechumens are received at
the Easter Vigil Mass, it is fitting that Candidates for full
communion make their profession of faith and be confirmed by the
priest and receive Eucharist at an Easter Sunday Mass or at a
Sunday Mass during the Easter Season. Penance should be received
prior to their reception into the Church. However if it is deemed
pastorally necessary that both Catechumens and Candidates be
received at the Easter Vigil, the "combined rites" should
be used. (RCIA
562-594)
-
a.
Roman Catholics who were baptized but never "catechized"
may take part in some aspects of RCIA. In the Archdiocese of
Boston, persons in this group are those who have been baptized but
have not received First Communion. They do not always need the
same catechesis as catechumens or candidates for full communion
with the Church and are not to take part in some aspects of the
RCIA. As an alternative to RCIA these persons may be enrolled in a
program leading to First Communion and Confirmation.
b. Pastors and Administrators of the
Archdiocese of Boston have received the faculty to confirm in
their parishes uncatechized Catholics who have participated in
appropriate aspects of the RCIA as outlined in paragraphs 400-410
of the Rite and paragraphs 25-29 of the "National
Statutes for the Catechumenate". The use of this faculty is
restricted to the Easter Vigil and to parish Masses in the Easter
Season. A pastor or an administrator may subdelegate this faculty
to confirm in his parish to another priest.
C.
Candidates for Confirmation
-
a.
Roman Catholics who were baptized and have received First Communion
should be dealt with in accord with their catechetical and
sacramental needs.
b. In the Archdiocese of Boston, permission
will not be granted for a priest to confirm people in this
category. Therefore, in lieu of participation in an RCIA program, it
is recommended that such persons be enrolled in an "adult
confirmation" program and presented for Confirmation either
at a regularly scheduled parish Confirmation or at an Adult
Regional Confirmation scheduled by a Regional Bishop.
|
