The Blog That's All About R.C.I.A. » Sponsors

How to Develop Parish Sponsors

Carson Weber — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 01:47:34 +0000

People don’t always know a practicing Catholic when they come to faith. Finding and matching sponsors can be the slowest skill to develop in being an R.C.I.A. coordinator. Knowing “all the parishioners” is a tall order. Sometimes a new coordinator only knows a handful of parishioners. The 1st step is to have a meeting with other team members and brainstorm a list of “potential sponsors to approach” from your parishioners. The attributes to look for include:

Someone who has an obvious prayer life (e.g., attends daily Mass or Adoration)
Someone who is available for weekly sessions
Someone who displays the virtue of friendship (a good listener, open to a new friendship)
Someone who would see sharing their faith and the faith journey of another as a great thing
Someone who can be open to the R.C.I.A. process (meaning they don’t have their own agenda and can work within what you are doing)
A good practice is do same gender assignments (men are assigned to men, women are assigned to women). In our day and age, it is good to have someone with similar struggles to talk to.

The next step would be to start a database of current sponsors (name, contact information and a few helpful notations). As participants receive their sacraments, ask sponsors if they would like to become a “parish sponsor”. While the parish bulletin might seem an obvious place to “put out your nets”, some caution may be called for. Not all are called to this delicate ministry and turning someone away after you have asked for volunteers can lead to hurt feelings. When I am approached by a parishioner interested in becoming a sponsor (non-solicited), I meet with them and go over the “potential sponsor form,” which is included in the appendix of the R.C.I.A. Leader’s Manual. If you conduct sponsor trainings every 2-3 months, you can be adding to your list year-round. New sponsors can attend and then be assigned as needed. Part of the agreement should be that the parish sponsor may need to be re-assigned if it isn’t a good fit. Knowing this as part of the training helps when these situations arise.

Once the sponsor sees their role as important and fulfilling, they may ask to be assigned again and again. When making assignments, try to work with certain preferences (some may ask for a participant that is unbaptized, or others will only want to sponsor a participant that will have a shorter time in R.C.I.A.). Since everybody likes to be thanked, try to include a small token of appreciation at Christmas (e.g., a Nativity ornament) and Easter (e.g., a small thank you certificate at Pentecost). It need not be expensive, but gratitude is a virtue we all can practice.

Lastly, but most importantly, pray for guidance from the Holy Spirit when making assignments. Sometimes, finding yourself awake during those quiet hours in the middle of the night can be put to good and holy use… pray that God will provide a good “match” for your R.C.I.A. participants. He is always faithful if we listen carefully, and with God’s grace, you will have an abundant group of parish sponsors.

What Should Sponsors Avoid?

Bill Keimig — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 22:47:51 +0000

Q. What are some things the RCIA leader should encourage sponsors and godparents to avoid doing?

A. Here are a few suggestions, based on the common experiences of those in parish ministry:

Referring to the person you are serving as a “non-Catholic”

Overwhelming him/her with chatter, advice, and knowledge of Catholic doctrine and practice

Prying or insisting on knowing information or sinful behavior that he/she wishes to keep private

Sharing your interior life and struggles in a form of spiritual “one-upmanship”

Assuming he/she will necessarily become a Catholic or become a Catholic this Easter

Making guesses as to the Correct answer to a question, or beginning or discuss a Church teaching with “I’ve never understood why…”

Allowing discouragement or difficulties to shake your trust in God’s providence and loving care of the person you are serving

Speaking of or treating Catholic beliefs or practices with disrespect

Trying to make the person you are serving a Catholic in your image

Using the RCIA sessions to get your own questions answered or to express your frustrations with the Church

Commenting on who does (or does not) attend parish-sponsored devotions

Expressing overly opinionated preferences in hymns, liturgical traditions, or why you think one cultural or ethnic expression of spirituality is better than another.

Giving extravagant gifts or gifts beyond your means

Assuming that the nature of your relationship during the RCIA process will always be the basis of your relationship with your new Catholic and that it will not change and evolve

Why Should a Spouse Not Serve as a Sponsor?

Bill Keimig — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 19:08:45 +0000

Q. I would like to know why it is not recommended to use fiancées or spouses as sponsors.

A. Inquirers sometimes suggest a Catholic spouse, fiancé(e), or “significant other” to serve as godparent or sponsor. It is not prohibited by the code of Canon Law or the ritual book, but it also is not advisable, even if they meet the canonical requirements.

The close emotional tie makes it difficult for the inquirer to freely choose to become a Catholic. It also is difficult for the godparent or sponsor to remain objective if problems arise that threaten the conversion, such as doubts about a certain doctrine on the part of the person who is trying to decide whether to become Catholic. There can be a temptation for the godparent or sponsor to not allow such a crisis to run its proper course, since he or she has so much stake in the person’s “successful” completion of the process. The participant then is deprived of the disinterested advice and loving, but non-pressuring support that a godparent or sponsor should be providing.

A pastoral solution for inquirers is appointing a parish sponsor and inviting the spouse, fiancé(e), or “significant other” to accompany the inquirer to the catechetical sessions and liturgies. Should a participant, however, then choose the spouse/fiancé(e)/”significant other” as a godparent before the Rite of Election (which cannot be prohibited), the leader might suggest that the participant choose the parish sponsor as another godparent, canonically permissible so long as both godparents are not of the same sex.

RCIA Godparent and Sponsor Handbook

Bill Keimig — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 16:00:58 +0000

RCIA Godparent and Sponsor Handbook
Association for Catechumenal Ministry
Barbara A. Morgan and William J. Keimig, Editors
ISBN: 978-1-933374-04-8
Distributed by Liturgy Training Publications
To Order by Phone: (800) 933-1800
Orders outside U.S. & Canada: (773) 486-5630
Price: $7 ea. – Purchase Online

This inexpensive and succinct booklet provides a straightforward and practical aide to those serving as sponsors or godparents in the Christian Initiation processes in their parish. It is pragmatic, spiritual, down-to-earth, and easy to read. It enables parish RCIA leaders to provide a high-quality means of effectively communicating the Church’s intentions for this crucial ministry of companionship and conversion in the catechumenate.

Each section in this beautiful small booklet is preceded by a full-color photograph and a quotation from one of the saints. For example, “What is RCIA?” is preceded by the quotation: “How sweet is the way of love. True, one can fall or commit infidelities, but, knowing how to draw profit from everything, love quickly consumes everything that can be displeasing to Jesus; it leaves nothing but a humble and profound peace in the depths of the heart” (St. Therese of Lisieux, Story of a Soul, Ch. VIII).

Unique terms to the RCIA process are given definitions, pithy suggestions worth their weight in gold are solicited, and a Home Retreat coupled with Lectio Divina provide food for the soul. It is recommended to give one of these handbooks to every Godparent/Sponsor within your parish RCIA process.