RCIA
Prayer in the
Period of the
Catechumenate
“Rediscover
the journey in faith”
They have experienced:
Evangelisation: pre-catechumenate
• Beginning….to pray
• Sense of Church at
with scripture (RCIA
prayer
38)
– beginning of the
spiritual life
• Drawn into mystery of
God (RCIA 37)
• My story & God’s
story .. Coming to
know Jesus
• Relationship
developing
Rite of Acceptance Rite of Election
Bishop: God’s holy Church wishes to know
whether these are sufficiently prepared to be
enrolled among the elect for the coming celebration
of Easter…
• Have they faithfully listened to
God’s word proclaimed by the
Church?
• Have they responded to that
word and begun to walk in
God’s presence?
• Have they shared the
company of their Christian
brothers and sisters and
joined with them in prayer?
Doors of grace
What are your
HOPES for those
who enter the
period of the
Catechumenate?
HOPES of the Church:
“Suitable pastoral formation and
guidance aimed at training them in the
Christian life…” (RCIA 75)
• PROFOUND sense of the mystery of salvation in which they
desire to participate
• Example and support of entire Christian community… learn to
turn more readily to God in prayer… to follow supernatural
inspiration
• Church ‘like a mother’.. Suitable liturgical rites… led into life of
faith and worship…
• Enlighten… direct the heart towards God… foster
participation… inspire … nurture a life completely in accord
with the spirit of Christ
• Presentations of the Creed and Lord’s Prayer may be
anticipated
Growth in
personal
relationship
with God
• Alone
• And with
others…
Exercise: (1) Prayer for me is…
(2) What do you want to offer
catechumens/candidates? How?
For personal
prayer ….
With others
What opportunities have you come
up with?
• To help growth in
personal prayer
• Growth through
prayer together?
Celebrations of the Word
Liturgy/Rites belonging to the period
of the Catechumenate (RCIA 81 )
1.
2.
3.
Celebrations of the Word of God – according
to liturgical season
Sunday – participation in the Liturgy of the
Word at Mass
Options (often at end of a Celeb.of Word)
Minor Exorcisms – uncover and heal Blessings
Blessings – sign of God’s love and church’s tender care
Anointings – for opening to grace/strength/wisdom
Presentations – ‘this is our faith’ - when they are ready
Why bother? – the purposes of the
Rites (See RCIA 82)
Special Celebrations of the Word of God:
1.To implant in their hearts the teachings they are
receiving
2. to give them instruction and experience in the
different aspects and ways of prayer
3. To explain to them the signs, celebrations and
seasons of the liturgy
4. To prepare them gradually to enter the worship
assembly of the entire community
Your experience
on your own first
– Recall a memorable
experience of prayer in a
‘Celebration of the Word’
– What was it that made it
special? How did it touch
you/nourish/sustain you?
Share in 2’s and 3’s:
• What are the elements of a
Celebration of the Word?
• Why is the experience of
liturgical rites so important
in the journey in faith?
Gospel
catechesis
RCIA 47: The church
nourishes them with the
Word of God and sustains
them by means of liturgical
celebrations… the
catechumens should be
eager to take part in
celebrations of the Word of
God and receive blessings
and other sacramentals
Catechising with the Word
Together: Why bother?
I know in the presence of my
brothers and sisters I have
very often understood many
things in the sacred text that
I could not understand alone
St Gregory (Homily on Ezekiel)
Over the course of a liturgical year the central message of
Christ and the teaching voice of the Church emerges: we
are encouraged to live what we experience in our hearts,
recognising the Presence of Christ amongst us.
Presentation of the Lord’s Prayer
(normally in Lent, but can be
anticipated)
• ‘The church lovingly entrusts to
them the Creed and the Lord’s
Prayer, the ancient texts that
have always been regarded as
expressing the heart of the
Church’s faith and prayer’. (134)
• ‘The Lord’s Prayer fills them with
a deeper realisation of the new
spirit of adoption by which they
will call God their Father,
especially in the midst of the
eucharistic assembly’ (134)
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Our Father,……………………….
who art in heaven, ………….
hallowed be thy name; …..
thy kingdom come; ………..
thy will be done on earth
as it is in heaven. …………..
Give us this day our daily
bread …………………………..
and forgive us our
trespasses as we forgive
those who trespass against
us;…………………………………
and lead us not into
temptation,…………………
but deliver us from evil……
We pray together:
• Almighty and eternal God
• You continually enlarge the family
of your Church.
• You have given us new birth in your
living waters, for we are your
adopted children.
• Deepen our faith and
understanding as we journey
together
• May we be open to all wisdom and
courage as we live and share the
gift of faith.
• Through Christ Jesus your Son.
Amen
As we go in peace, may the Lord
remain with us always. Amen