Rite for the Christian Initiation of Adults: Mystagogy

In the weeks after Easter, newly initiated adults begin to walk in newness of life with the community of the faithful and receive their thoughtful and friendly help. They deepen their grasp of the paschal mystery and make it part of their lives. They share in the Eucharist and works of charity. This is the period of mystagogy! (See RCIA 234.)

Frequently the process of the catechumenate is directed only towards the celebration of the Sacraments at Easter, rather than its ultimate goal, the insertion of the newly baptised into the on-going life of the Christian community. After the Easter Vigil, the RCIA leaders are tired and may already be preparing to work with new people. Many parishes struggle to integrate people into the community after the celebration of Christian initiation.

It is very sad that a person would go through a long RCIA process, celebrate the sacraments at the Easter Vigil, but then fall away and sometimes rarely be seen at Mass again.

Important Questions

Understanding mystagogy demands that we go back to the beginning and think about our aims in the catechumenate. Nick Wagner, one of the leaders of the RCIA in the United States, has devised five questions which he uses to help the enquirer or seeker decide if the Catholic faith is really what they are searching for. Before the enquirer is accepted into the catechumenal process, these questions are put to each person individually by the team leader:

1. Where have you been?
2. Where are you now?
3. Where would you like to get to?
4. How are you going to get to where you want to be?
5. How will you know you have arrived?
   

As an RCIA leader, I have used questions like this for some time. I also provide the enquirer with a journal so that they can keep a spiritual record of their journey, as well as reflections on the meetings and notes on the questions that arise. This approach places the responsibility for catechumenal growth on the seeker  rather than the catechist. No longer are we pushing them through a course of study; we accompany them on a journey of discovery. What is the spiritual life, where is God in their life, how do they see themselves as part of the faith community of the parish? Mystagogy is the goal, not just the celebration of the sacraments.

A Year-Round Process

The RCIA is not a one size fits all process. The rite of initiation is suited to a spiritual journey of adults that varies according to the many forms of God’s grace, the free cooperation of the individuals, the action of the Church, and the circumstances of time and place (RCIA 5).

Too often parishes operate the RCIA from a ‘group’ perspective assuming that everyone in the group is at the same place, and moving at the same rate towards the same goals. These assumptions are not correct. By discounting the enquirer’s previous life and faith experiences, we risk leading the candidates on an inappropriate path of initiation. If someone is not ready to progress to the next stage, this person should continue the process whilst another might move onto the next phase more quickly.

This flexibility can be facilitated by a year-round process; it enables the individual to move in and out of the stream according to personal need. New enquirers may join at any time and remain until they receive the sacraments and are inserted into the life of the Christian community. The catechumenate is not just a weekly learning session; it involves pastoral formation and guidance through engaging with the word, community life, worship and mission of the Church (RCIA 75).

Using the Rite Effectively

Organisationally this approach to the catechumenate may prove difficult for a single team or leader, so other leaders might be required lest candidates be disadvantaged or subjected to a standardised process. It demands a broader collaboration of the many who have roles and responsibilities set out in the RCIA.

• All the baptised. The whole community must always give help to those who are searching for Christ. They support the catechumens in taking part in the Mass, welcome them into their homes, into personal conversation and into community gatherings (RCIA 9).
• The sponsor. The sponsor is a companion who knows and assists the candidate and who can witness to the person’s character, faith conversion and intentions (RCIA 10). The sponsor will participate in the various rites and catechetical sessions and offer support, encouragement and clarification as required. They provide a link with the parish community.
• The godparent. The role of the godparent begins with the Rite of Election. The godparent’s support is not dissimilar to that offered during the catechumenate by the sponsor, but this involvement is life-long (RCIA 11).
• The catechist. Finally the catechist is the one who imparts a knowledge and love for the teachings of Gospel (RCIA 16). The catechist needs to understand what the Church believes and have the practical skills necessary to work effectively with adults. Since the catechumenate draws from the liturgy and the Scriptures proclaimed in the Sunday Mass, the catechist needs a solid grounding in Catholic worship and spirituality.

Early Integration into the Community

Therefore many people in the parish ought to be involved with the catechumens in order to integrate them into the life of the faith community.

Vatican Council II, in its Decree on Missionary Activity of the Church, speaks of where it hopes the enquirer will end up.

Those who have received from God the gift of faith in Christ, through the Church, should be admitted with liturgical rites to the catechumenate which is not a mere exposition of dogmatic truths and the norms of morality, but a period of formation in the whole Christian life, an apprenticeship of sufficient duration, during which the disciples will be joined to Christ their teacher (AG 14).

An apprenticeship. We cannot imagine a young person entering into an apprenticeship and then spending all their time in a classroom learning a trade from books. That is not how it works: an apprenticeship is hands on. Someone is employed by a qualified tradesperson who provides the tools of trade and work. Apprentices become a qualified by honing their skills on different job sites and in different projects.

A person wishing to become a Catholic will learn from attending weekly meetings, presentations and readings. But will they learn to live in the Christian way? Like an apprentice, they will need hands-on experience, doing what Christians do over and over until they are recognised themselves as Christian.

The time spent in the catechumenate should be long enough – several years if necessary – for the conversion and faith of the catechumens to become strong. By their formation in the entire Christian life and a sufficiently prolonged probation, the catechumens are properly initiated into the mysteries of salvation and the practice of an evangelical way of life (RCIA 76).

If we wish to retain and integrate those new to the Catholic way of life, we need to get out of the meeting rooms and let them share the experience of what Catholics do. They should be given the opportunity to meet members of the parish community and to take part in parish activities. Participation in the mission of the Church should not be delayed until after sacramental initiation. With a sponsor to accompany the candidate on the journey, it can begin anytime during the period of formation.

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This article was originally published in Liturgy News ​Vol 48(3) September 2018.  Reprinted with permission.