May 7, 2010
The Christian Journey
New Catholics’ stories of coming to know the Lord will benefit community
BY FATHER JIM SAUER
Parishioners, deacons and priests working closely with catechumens and candidates as they journey through the Inquiry, Catechumenate and the Lenten Season of Enlightenment and Purification know how blessed they are to be involved in this ministry. By interacting with the new members during the RCIA, celebrating the rites with them, and inviting them to share how God touched them through these rites, they experience a renewal of inspiration and outlook in faith before the Easter Season.
The question remains: “How do we help the rest of the faithful during the Easter Season to experience a similar renewal of inspiration and outlook in their faith and commitment to Christ and the Church (as paragraph 247 of the RCIA ritual envisions)?” This is crucial to our parishes’ vitality and re-energizing.
Here are a few practical suggestions parishes may want to try:
- At the Mass attended by new members, invite several of them on each of the seven weekends during the Easter Season to give a short reflection after Communion about what their RCIA journey meant to them, how God touched them in one or any of the various rites, through the celebration of the Easter Sacraments (if they do not feel comfortable standing in front of the assembly, then invite their sponsor, RCIA coordinator or catechist, or the presider to present their reflection).
- The presider or deacon who is preaching can interweave their reflections throughout the homily.
- Publish their stories (with their permission) in the Spring newsletter.
- Invite new members to write a General Intercession to be used during Mass. We may be surprised what they will pray for — for Church unity if they have come from another Christian tradition, for family unity especially if their families are having a difficult time accepting their decision to join the Catholic Church — the more often they hear their prayers read aloud during Mass, the more they will feel they are at home.
- Invite them to share what it meant to them to be able finally to remain at Mass for the entire Eucharist and to share in the Lord’s supper.
- Ask their sponsors to share their reflections as well — what it was like to walk with them on their journey of faith: their initial fears, their joys, what they learned.
- Display their photographs with their sponsors and families in a visible area of Church, or around the baptismal bath or font.
I have only scratched the surface of what could be done during the Easter Season. With imagination and creativity, the possibilities may be unlimited.
The point is to have our new members, their sponsors, and spouses to witness what their experience was like in coming to know the Lord Jesus and his people as they entered the Catholic Church. By doing this, they 1) might be the Lord’s instrument to move someone else in the assembly who has been thinking about joining the Church but needed a final nudge; or, 2) might change the people’s attitudes towards the RCIA and celebrating the rites when they hear about the experience from the “other side.” The RCIA and the rites, like every sacrament, are never for the new members alone. They can affect the entire church if the parishioners are open to what is being celebrated.
Without a doubt, if our new members publicly share their experiences of entering the life of the Church through the RCIA, our parishioners will seek them out during the refreshments after Mass for further discussion. This can only help to deepen the bonds of community life in our parishes.