The Catechetical Review - Communicating Christ for a New Evangelization

RCIA: Questions, Answers, and Advice

Authored by William Keimig in Issue #29.2 of The Sower
In this issue Bill Keimig answers the following questions: Q. Is it liturgically appropriate to formally allow catechumens to choose a baptismal name earlier than the Holy Saturday Preparation Rites? Q. The Code of Canon Law (CIC 865) says that adults to be baptized should be exhorted to have sorrow for personal sin. My pastor has the unbaptized elect and the baptized candidates both go to Confession prior to the Easter Vigil. His reasoning is that as adults even those not yet baptized would benefit from participating in this sacrament and would better understand how life-giving and freeing it is. Is there any problem with this? Q. What would you recommend in terms of ensuring that a baptized participant has gone to Confession prior to making a profession of faith and receiving Confirmation and Eucharist? Q. Where can the provision be found for Christian initiation of a person in danger of death? Q. A person who is a strong, lifelong Christian meets with you about becoming a Catholic. He is absolutely positive that he wants to be a Catholic; he tells you that he has studied many books and listened to many tapes and is totally convinced that he wants to join the Church. He doesn’t have any close Catholic friends. He is upset by the idea that it might be many months before he is allowed to enter the Church and receive the sacraments. He asks if he really has to go through the entire RCIA process and all the rites.

The rest of this online article is available for current subscribers.

Start your subscription today!


This article is from The Sower and may be copied for catechetical purposes only. It may not be reprinted in another published work without the permission of Maryvale Institute. Contact [email protected]

Articles from the Most Recent Issue

Editor's Reflections: Where There Is Great Love, There Are Miracles
By Dr. James Pauley
Free In Death Comes for the Archbishop , Willa Cather’s sweeping novel describing the evangelistic efforts of the first archbishop of Santa Fe, the author vividly describes the archbishop’s reaction upon hearing of the miraculous vision of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Marveling at the loving tenderness of the Blessed Mother to St. Juan Diego and his people,... Read more
The Miracles of Jesus
By Dr. John Bergsma
Free One of the most characteristic features of Jesus’ earthly ministry was his performance of miracles, particularly healings and exorcisms. A typical description of this can be found in Mark 1:34: “he healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons.” Jesus’ ability to perform supernatural works made him one of the first “... Read more
In the Form of a Sacrificial Meal: The Sacrifice of Calvary and the Sacrifice of the Mass
By Dr. Denis McNamara
For an average Catholic, even one who speaks piously of the Mass as the re-presentation of the sacrifice of Calvary, the link between Christ’s dramatic death on the Cross can seem remote from the sacred liturgy’s formal ritual. The notion of the Mass as a sacred meal comes from its roots in the Last Supper, and the Eucharistic Prayer conspicuously... Read more

Pages

Watch Tutorial Videos

We've put together several quick and easy tutorial videos to show you how to use this website.

Watch Now