This is a very special period that usually begins late September early October where individuals come together with the Director of the RCIA and his team to “inquire” into a deeper understanding of the Catholic faith. That is why this stage of the process is traditionally referred to as the “Inquiry Stage”. This stage isn’t of any fixed duration, but a time to get a general idea of the basic teachings of the Roman Catholic Church, though more importantly it is a time where the individuals freely come forward to “inquire” and moved to ask the fundamental questions about the faith that penetrates their hearts at this moment in their lives. This stage as with all the stages within the RCIA process are very flexible and require much openness and understanding of where each person is in their own faith journey.

 

The Rite of Acceptance – This Rite is usually celebrated on the Feast of Christ the King in our parish to symbolize those individuals who, at this time unbaptized have come forward in willingness to make Christ the King of their hearts, and so consequently we as a community of faith at St. Paul’s renew our own commitment to that truth.

The Rite of Welcoming – This Rite has traditionally been celebrated some time before the Advent Season. This Rite is reserved for those baptized Christians but previously uncatechized adults. There is of course no fixed duration of this period of catechesis for certain, much depends upon the growth and willingness of the individuals in the process.

 

            It is during this period of the process that we as group get down to the “nitty gritty” of our faith as Catholics. Much time will be spent on the Sacramental, Creed, and Prayer life of the Church. Each week on Wednesday the catechumens and candidates join the Director of the RCIA process and his team to discuss a topic regarding areas of the faith. These sessions usually last an hour and a half. Also during this stage of the process the RCIA team and the catechumens and candidates meet to worship together at the 10am Mass on Sundays. All involved in the RCIA gather to site together in the front row of the Church and then those who are either not baptized and/or baptized but uncatechized adults are dismissed after the Homily for the Breaking Open of the Word. It is at this time that those catechumens and candidates meet with a facilitator from the RCIA team to discuss the Word of God and how it is applied to our life today.

 

When the candidates and the catechumens co-discern with the RCIA team that they are ready to be received into the Church through the Sacraments of Initiation then the Rite of Election is celebrated. This liturgical rite is usually celebrated on the First Sunday of the Lenten Season at St. Amelia’s Church in Tonawanda. This Rite will include all the candidates and catechumens joined together with the Bishop of Buffalo to be enrolled as full members of the Roman Catholic Church through the Sacraments of Initiation at the Easter Vigil Mass.

 

            This period of preparation takes place immediately prior to becoming fully initiated into the Church. The beginning of the Lenten Season signals a “forty-day” Retreat from the elect, candidates, and the entire parish community. This is a time devoted to personal and communal faith reflection prior to entering into the great mysteries of the Easter Vigil. On the third, fourth, and fifth Sundays of Lent the Rites of the Scrutinies are celebrated during the parish Liturgy. These rites are prayers of healing in which the elect, as well as the entire parish faithful, are reminded that everyone of us is in need of continued healing conversion, and reconciliation. The Wednesday group session held in the Conference Room of the School emphasize prayer and interior reflection. It is also during this stage of the process that the elect, candidates, and some members of the RCIA team enter into a day long Retreat with other parishes in the Diocese to reflect on the meaning of our Christian life and the mystery about to be celebrated at the Easter Vigil.

           

            The Sacraments of Baptism, Eucharist, Confirmation are celebrated within the Easter Vigil Liturgy. This is the time when the elect and the candidates come forward out of the the already formed community of faith and ask to be fully initiated in the Roman Catholic Church through St. Paul’s R.C. Church. It is within this celebration that the already baptized faithful are reminded and renew their own baptismal promises to the Lord.

 

            The rites celebrated at the Easter Vigil do not mark the end of the RCIA process but the beginning of a committed life in service to neighbor in the name of the Lord Jesus through the Roman Catholic tradition. The fifty days from Easter to Pentecost are called the period of mystagogy, meaning entering into the mysteries. This is a time set apart to reflect and allow the mysteries of the Easter celebration to penetrate and animate the hearts of the newly initiated, neophytes. This post-Easter period serves as a time to come to a deeper experiential understanding of God’s word and the sacraments and to form a closer relationship with the entire parish community.