April 23, 2010
The Christian Journey
After baptism on Holy Saturday, what do we do now?
BY FATHER JIM SAUER
In my 30 years of experience in working with the RCIA both in parishes and with RCIA coordinators and catechists on a diocesan level, a common frustration was (and seems to continue to be) that new members do not return to the “catechetical sessions” after they have been baptized. Of course, we no longer dismiss our new members following the homily to feed on God’s Word as the “Bread of Life,” as was the case when they were catechumens or candidates. Their status has now changed through baptism and confirmation, yet we want to continue the same old process with them. Their new membership in the Church must also become visible in the structure of their sessions!
This is what the RCIA ritual is precisely trying to tell us! It took me many years — reading and re-reading the ritual — before I realized that during the Easter Season, the setting for their “catechetical” sessions now had a different location. No longer were they to gather for special sessions during or following the Sunday liturgy. The Rite states in the clearest possible language that their catechesis now finds its “main setting in the Sunday Masses of the Easter Season” (Paragraph 247).
(Listen to the wisdom of the Ritual! New rituals naturally challenge us to rethink the way we celebrate a particular sacrament, preparing for it, and do follow up catechesis for that sacrament. Liturgical ministers, RCIA coordinators, and priests must study each sacrament’s ritual and allow them to convert us regarding how we are to celebrate them now in the Church. This is why the RCIA is not just a “program” of initiation. The RCIA provides us with a vision of Church. If we put this vision into practice, it will “re-energize” our parishes — something Bishop Gerald A. Gettelfinger has been writing about in his weekly columns for months now.)
If catechumens are to be baptized and confirmed on Holy Saturday, the readings for the Lenten Season are to be taken from Year A on the Third, Fourth and Fifth Sundays for the Scrutinies. From the Church’s accounts, the gospel of the Samaritan woman, the man born blind, and Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead were connected with these Sundays in preparation for baptism. During the Easter Season, we are again encouraged to use the readings from Year A at Masses when new members present, because they are more suited to them.
The Rite envisions the Sunday “Neophytes” Masses during the Easter Season to look like this in our parishes:
- The new members and their godparents are to participate in these Masses throughout the Easter season.
- My suggestion is to designate a different Mass each Sunday as the “New Member” Mass so more parishioners have an opportunity to get to know them.
- Another suggestion would be to have refreshments after these Masses.
- Special places are to be reserved for godparents and new members (another idea is to seat them in the front pews with their families).
- Another suggestion is to purchase a silk corsage or boutonniere for each new member (make them feel special), as well as a name tag (helps people learn their names).
- Introduce the new members to the community during the Mass, having them face the assembly.
- The priest or deacon is to address a part of his homily to them (paragraph 248).
- There is to be a general intercession remembering them at each Mass.
The RCIA rite says, “The faithful should also derive from interacting with its new members a renewal of inspiration and outlook” (Paragraph 247). Next week, we’ll investigate how this might happen.