There is no explicit “scrutiny” in the scrutinies
In the early church, the bishop would publicly inquire of the godparents if their elect had been living a Christian life. That doesn’t happen in the current rite. Instead, the elect are “scrutinized” by hearing the proclamation of God’s word.
There is an exorcism, but it’s not what most people think
In the gospels, we read stories of Jesus addressing demons and casting them out of possessed people. We have also read novels and seen movies in which the main character is an “exorcist” who confronts fantastical demons who possess the bodies of innocent people (usually young girls). None of this happens in the ritual scrutinies. The prayer of exorcism never mentions the word “exorcism.” It is not a prayer that is intended to cast out demons.
Instead of addressing demons, the presider addresses God. The exorcism prayers ask God to strengthen the elect and protect them from all temptation and deceit.
The presentations cannot be combined with the scrutinies
Adding the Presentation of the Creed or the Presentation of the Lord’s Prayer into or after the scrutiny rites detracts from the centrality of the exorcism and makes the liturgy seem cluttered.
Baptized people do not get scrutinized
The scrutinies are a preparation for initiation. Anyone who is already baptized and wants to pray for strengthening and protection from temptation would celebrate either the Eucharist or the Rite of Penance.
Only the bishop can dispense the requirement for celebrating all three scrutinies
“It pertains to the bishop for his own diocese to dispense, on the basis of some serious obstacle, from one scrutiny or, in extraordinary circumstances, even from two” (RCIA 34.3). If one of your elect has to be absent from the scrutiny on Sunday, you can celebrate it with him later in the week — either at weekday Mass or an evening Liturgy of the Word. If the latter, a deacon may preside.
Child catechumens are required to celebrate the scrutinies
The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults offers the option of celebrating an adapted form of the scrutinies for children (see RCIA 291). However, these adaptations do not seem to be well done or consistent with the purpose of the scrutinies as described previously for adults. The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults also suggests that guidelines given for adults (RCIA 141-146) may be followed with child catechumens (see RCIA 291). Most parishes find that including the children in the scrutinies with the adults is a powerful spiritual moment for both the child catechumens and their families.
If you have no elect in Years B and C, you may still proclaim the Year A readings
Because the gospels about the Samaritan woman, the man born blind, and the raising of Lazarus are of such major importance in regard to Christian initiation, they may also be read on the 3rd, 4th, and 5th Sundays of Lent in Year B and Year C, even if you do not have elect in your parish (see Lectionary for Mass, Introduction, 97).
Your Turn
What questions do you have about the scrutinies? Share them in the comments below.
Our pastor will not do the year A readings for the scrutinies. He stated to me that he doesn’t have the time to do multiple homilies for the multiple Masses that he says on the weekend, so he will be using the year B reading for the scrutinies and the RCIA team will be beaking open the word with the year A readings with the catechumens after their dismissal. Didn’t know how to counter his argument.
Hi Juliann. As I wrote in the article above, the lectionary allows for the use of the Year A readings on the Third, Fourth, and Fifth Sundays of Lent even if the scrutinies are not being celebrated. So your parish could proclaim the Year A readings at all the multiple Masses on the weekend, and only one homily text would be required.
On the other hand, if the parish discerns it is necessary to proclaim the Year B or C readings at the non-scrutiny Masses, the preacher would not be required to write “multiple” homilies. He only needs to write two. And although I am not a homilist, I do a fair amount of public speaking. I often use the same basic “script” in multiple venues with slight adaptations for each particular case. I would be a simple matter to adapt the homiletic text from the last time Year A was preached to this year’s celebration of the scrutinies. That would not be my ideal solution, but it is a better option than depriving the elect of encountering Christ in the traditional readings for the scrutinies.
This article may be helpful to you: https://teaminitiation.com/2024/01/why-the-year-a-readings-for-the-scrutinies-matter-for-making-disciples/
Thank you for all the great work you are doing.