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TEN THINGS TO REMEMBER ABOUT THE CATECHUMENATE
In a keynote address, launching the second of two
conferences given this year for catechumenate teams in the Orange
Diocese, Fr. Paul Levesque of St. Nicholas parish outlined the following
ten items which he says represent the most important things to remember
about the catechumenate:
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It is really old. The process for entry
in the Church began to take form as early as the year 180.
At that time, there were three basic requirements for the admission
of catechumen to Baptism:
- Sorrow for sin
- Faith in the Church as the teacher of truth,
and
- Transformation of life
The period of the catechumenate lasted about
three years, and is the real reason for the Church's celebration
of Lent. Lent developed for only one purpose: to prepare
the catechumens. Tod ay we would see it as having a two-fold
purpose: preparation for Baptism and the formation of a penitential
spirit.
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It is a process, not a program. Within
the process are various stages with their own proper tasks and
purpose: Inquiry is a time of welcome, characterized
by hospitality. The Catechumenate involves several
modes of formation-catechetical, spiritual, liturgical, and
apostolic. The period of Purification and Enlightenment
is a time for assessing the catechumens' readiness for the Sacraments
of Initiation. Mystagogia is an opportunity for post-baptismal
catechesis.
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It takes time. Paragraph 76 of
the Rite of Christian Initiation (RCIA) specifies that
the catechumenate may take several years if necessary.
The aptly nicknamed "Easter bypass" is the occasion
for newcomers who seek entrance tot he community to experience
at least one full year of the Lectionary cycle before their
initiation.
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The term "convert" is not to be used
to describe baptized candidates for full communion in the Catholic
Church. Conversion is coming to faith in Christ,
not simply joining after having been part of another Christian
community. While acknowledging the differences between
the carious Christian traditions, it is important that we honor
the primary reality of a shared faith in Christ, one Baptism,
and a common Scripture.
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The catechumenal processes about the whole
person. It is not simply education for the mind. It
involves a change of heart, a whole new way of life.
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In accord with #472, paragraph 2 of the RCIA,
any appearance of triumphalism is to be avoided, particular
in the case of the reception of baptized Christians into the
Catholic Church. This admonition is fully in harmony with
the Vatican II document, Lumen Gentium, #14, which assures
that salvation is, in fact, accessible to all people of good
will.
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The Sacraments of Initiation are Baptism, Confirmation,
and Eucharist. It is not an option for the local church
to defer Confirmation and/or Eucharist in the case of an adult
or child or catechetical age. The priest who baptizes
or receives that person into the Church must also confirm and
admit him or her to Eucharist at the very same liturgy.
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We should not be "mixing our fish."
The catechetical and formational needs of catechumens and baptized
candidates are very different. Even more different are
the needs of baptized Catholics who are seeking to complete
their Christian initiation. Rites should be celebrated
only with those people for whom they were intended and written.
Above all, we should not be including Catholics who "just
need Confirmation" with the other people in our RCIA process.
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The rites should be celebrated in such a way
that there is a clear connection to our lived experience.
This requirement touches on the ministries of preaching and
liturgical presiding, as well as the preparation of the candidates
themselves for the rites.
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The catechumenate must exist with in the context
of a community of faith. The whole community has a role
in the nurturing of catechumens: hospitality, teaching, preaching,
praying, spiritual direction, and sharing all the many works
and activities of a vital Christian assembly.
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