How to Handle RCIA Inquiries at Any Time of the Year
Posted on August 23rd, 2011
R.C.I.A. Inquirer: “Hello, I’d like to learn more about becoming a Catholic.”
Parish Secretary: “Sorry sir, it’s only January. Please come back in September.”
This fictitious dialogue between a parish secretary and an inquirer is something we all want to avoid. We know that our parishes and the process by which individuals join them (i.e., RCIA) are to be keenly ready to welcome newcomers at all times. We also know that the Holy Spirit prompts individuals, and individuals respond to His prompting, at unpredictable times. Finally, many parishes begin a new RCIA cycle once a year in the fall; and that cycle is designed to incrementally and systematically introduce people to Jesus Christ and the Faith of the Catholic Church. Thus, to plug people in after weeks and months have passed may cause confusion, or at least provide them with a deficient grasp and experience of the whole of our Faith.
So, what can be done? Ideally, parishes would gradually work towards implementing what is commonly called a “year-round” RCIA process. Such a model typically consists of concurrently run groups populated by individuals who find themselves in different “stages” in the initiation process. For example, an inquiry group would meet during the same time period as a catechumenate group. This way, inquirers can always be incorporated immediately into an appropriate group.
Meanwhile, due to various limitations, many parishes are not in a position to offer such a sophisticated model in the near future, yet neither want to turn inquirers away nor plug them indiscriminately into sessions which began months ago. So, what can be done? Happily, there are a number of possible solutions. What follows, in no particular order, are some practical suggestions that could help a parish do 2 things simultaneously: (1) retain a “single-track” systematic RCIA process and (2) offer something, however modest, that meets the pastoral and catechetical needs of inquirers at any point of the year:
Option A) One–on-One
Pair up an inquirer with a trusted and available parishioner who could get to know him/her and discuss things about the Catholic Faith periodically until a formal inquiry opportunity comes available. Obviously, this person could be a priest or perhaps a catechist from your RCIA team or another person who might one day become the sponsor. Conversely, a married couple or another group of individuals could invite an inquirer to join them for dinner on a biweekly or monthly basis.
It’s worth mentioning here the importance of the initial intake interview, which is conducted whenever a person first inquires. It is the most effective way to show inquirers that we are happy to receive them even if they cannot simply “start” in the middle of an existing RCIA cycle. It also affords an opportunity to assess their needs and determine the best way to serve them.
Option B) Monthly Inquirer “Drop-in” Nights/Mornings
A priest, deacon, or competent layman could field questions, offer a short presentation on an element of our Faith, give a personal testimony, and/or lead a reflection on a fitting Scripture passage. By “morning,” a parish might consider early Saturday or Sunday morning or a commuter mid-week version from 7-8am. Potential sponsors could be invited and eventually paired up with those who progress in the process. Evangelically-minded parishioners would welcome this as a no-commitment event to which their non-Catholic contacts could be invited on an ongoing basis.
Option C) Good Books
Give a book to those who inquire and ask them to periodically visit a priest or competent layperson for discussion.
Some suggested titles:
- The Gospel of Matthew by St. Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist
- What Catholics Believe: A Pocket Catechism by Mike Aquilina and Fr. Kris Stubna
- Rome Sweet Home by Scott & Kimberly Hahn (good for Evangelicals)
- Surprised by Truth by Patrick Madrid (a compilation of conversion stories)
- A Map of Life by Frank Sheed (compact, good for anyone)
- The Catholic Martyrs of the Twentieth Century by Robert Royal (some 300 pages, yet fascinating)
Option D) Existing Parish Programs
Consider other parish programs which start at different times during the year and invite inquirers to them. Be sure to give a head’s up to the program coordinators so they can expect and pay a little extra attention to any inquirers. This is also a good pool from which to recruit potential sponsors.
Option E) “Catch-up”
Depending on the timing and the person, some creative catch-up could be used, after which time a person could be plugged into the standard RCIA sessions. This could be achieved through reading material, recorded presentations or extra meetings with a catechist.
This approach is not without risk, however, as it’s easy to rush a person through “missed material” without allowing sufficient time for proper reflection and conversion.
In closing, the extra effort involved with the above suggestions will not only allow us to welcome people at any time. It will also, in the long run, allow us more time to evangelize and catechize those who, by the grace of God, will one day join the Catholic Church.
You may also be interested in this related blog entry:
Tags: 9-Month vs. Year-Round
Filed under Inquiry and Precatechumenate, Pastoral Considerations |
One Response to “How to Handle RCIA Inquiries at Any Time of the Year”
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Wanda Baier Says:
December 20th, 2011 at 6:05 amThis is a tough problem from the Inquirer’s point of view – I have had to start the Inquiry process 4 times in the last 2 years due to moves and surgery. It is now frustrating to the point of frequent tears, I bore the first 3 start overs well enough. I have felt like 2 steps forward and 1 back too many times to count once I had worked through the issue that for the last nearly 40 years kept me from wanting to be Catholic. Even after I moved for the last time I ended up having emergency spine surgery. After which left me unable to sit up for long, or drive for 8 weeks and the worst part – not able to go through the Rite of Welcoming in group number 3 who were only 6 weeks later Confirmed since they (we) had been in Inquiry for 9 months prior to the Rite of Welcoming. This all happened before I was recovered enough to participate – It was devastating to be to be so close yet so far because I could not sit up for long or even drive to what ended up being only a few more classes. (I will say that it was a bit dissapointing that nobody offered to drive me to be able to participate.) So I started again with a new group – my 4th in October.
This whole process for me has been a reminder of my military childhood where I had to leave so many things behind with each move – making cheerleader, being elected as a class officer, and other ‘select’ groups that I had to wait to retry out for in the new community. I didn’t think it was fair then and I don’t think it shows any compassion in not giving any assistance to place the transfer where they belong rather than making them start over.
As a cheer and dance coach,because of my childhood experiences, I let new transfer students with experience on my teams when they transferred in. I always thought that their experience elsewhere would only enhance the group and it would give them a feeling of belonging as they adjusted to a new community. More consideration of this nature should be given to the Inquiry/RCIA ‘transfer’.
Over the last 2 years I have looked forward to each RCIA/Inquiry session. Until now. Learning the group I had spent 9 months with were suddenly ‘fast tracked’ and Confirmed in November 2011 with a 6 week adult Confirmation group rather than Easter Vigil 2012 has left me sad for yet another lost opportunity. I know all about closed doors and opened windows, and I can even see some reasons why waiting even longer will do some good in my life for people I am close to. However, I am finally tired of hearing the same material over and over. With my Jesuit education and 8 years coaching/volunteering in Catholic schools, and regularly attending Mass for about 4 years total now (and Church my whole life (56 years)), I could pretty much teach the classes. Last night was the hardest to sit through yet. It was all I could do to not cry. I am pretty sure everybody picked up on my sadness.
What I have observed is there are 2 basic types that come to Inquiry/RCIA for adults – those that are just a few weeks into the whole process of looking for a Church to join and may be completely ‘un-churched’ in that Christianity has not been much a part of their lives at all. Or there are those like myself that have had a long relationship with God and/or a different Church and have finally through study and prayer come to wanting to be a fully initiated Catholic Christian before setting foot in a class. There should be a way to separate the 2 types and better meet the needs of both.
