When is the best time to receive Christians validly baptized into the full communion of the Catholic Church? We might often think that the Easter Vigil is the perfect time for the Rite of Reception since that’s the premier time we make new Catholics through the sacraments of baptism, confirmation, and the Eucharist. But our
When should we receive Christians into the Catholic Church?
One thing a lot of people may not know about the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults is that it includes a rite that is not a rite of initiation. There were two important reform movements that let up to the Second Vatican Council in the 1960s. One was the liturgical movement. The restoration of
What the church teaches about making other Christians Catholic
Recently, a candidate for reception into the full communion of the Catholic Church wrote an article for America magazine titled: “How can I think about becoming Catholic after the latest sex abuse reports?” I share the writer’s overwhelming grief, and I am completely dismayed and disheartened about the abuse scandals. I suspect many of you
Why be Catholic in the midst of scandal?
In most of our RCIA processes, the majority of seekers we get are baptized catechized candidates. In this video, learn why these kinds of people are different than your catechumens and your baptized uncatechized candidates and how to help them in their unique formation process. Free gift for you! Here’s your free download mentioned in
VIDEO: How the initiation process is different for baptized catechized candidates
What would you say if I told you that most people who are in the RCIA do not belong there? I’ve had this feeling for a while, and it just keeps getting stronger. For most of us, the majority of the people in our catechumenate processes are either Protestants who want to become Catholic or
Why your candidates might not belong in the RCIA
Click here to check out a description of the process used in a small, rural parish to welcome two baptized candidates into full communion. It looks pretty good to me. I loved this line: We reflected long and hard on the appropriate moment for reception, and decided against using any form of combined rite at
Is there a better way to receive candidates than this?
QHow ought a Russian Orthodox person be received into the Catholic Church? The convert has undergone RCIA and been elected in the cathedral. Our pastor seems to be unfamiliar with the status of Russian Orthodox sacraments. For example, is confirmation is necessary? Presumably the bishop would ultimately decide? AIf you open your RCIA text to
QWe 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? AFrom John Huels’ book, The Catechumenate and the
Let’s suppose you want to honor the baptized by celebrating their reception into the Catholic Church at the first Sunday Eucharist after they are ready. How do you deal with the pastoral issue that they will feel like they are missing something in comparison with the Elect who will be baptized at the Great Easter
