The Catechumenate Perhaps no shift in focus has been as important to the church as the restoration of this ancient rite.

A Key Resource for Your Library
The 1988 document from the US Bishops making mandatory the use of the
catechumenate as the normal way to initiate adults. This is a rich and often-cited text. It
is available from the USCCB publishing office, or from a variety of liturgical
publishers. It’s official title is The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults. Most valuable to
you is the introduction.

As Anne Marie Mongoven OP, points out, however, this is a liturgical-catechetical rite
which resembles the libretto for an opera. “The opera,” she wrote, “does not come
alive until it is performed. No liturgical rite comes alive in a book. The rite expresses
life and faith when the community enacts it.” (“Overview of the Rite of Christian
Initiation of Adults” in The Catechetical Documents, Chicago: 1996) p 418.

The History
1 How Did We Get Here?
• The catechumenate may seem new, but it is actually very ancient
• It has it’s roots in Jesus’ mandate and the experience of the early community
What is that mandate?

2 How Did We Get Here?
• “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the
Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matt 28:19)

3 150-250 a.d.
• The catechumenate as we know it begins to take shape.
• Before this time, individuals simply brought new members into the community,
introducing them to the Christian way of life.
• Now, however, a structure begins to form.
– Partly this is due to the increasing number of Gentiles joining the church
– who have little or no background in the Hebrew Scriptures and beliefs.

4 3rd-4th Century
• This was the golden age of the catechumenate
• There was a highly developed structure which included a three-year process.
• In 315 a.d. Emperor Constantine made Christianity legal
– large numbers of people begin to convert.
– the numbers were overwhelming
– the quality of catechesis began to suffer

5 5th Century
• The idea of original sin was accepted as theological truth
• This led to large numbers of infant baptisms
• Previous to this, baptism was mostly for adults
• The catechumenate began to disintegrate because it was impractical and because   
baptism was seen as less a step of faith and more an integration into what was rapidly
becoming a “Christian Society.”

6 12th Century
• Elements of the catechumenate began to appear in training for priesthood and
religious life
– progressive levels of commitment were part of the process
– rituals for various levels of priesthood or religious life were implemented
– spiritual discipline was part of religious life
+And all of this echoed the early catechumenate
• The catechumenate itself, however, was non-existent – in reading the history of this
period, it is rarely mentioned

7 16th Century
• In a reaction against mass baptisms in mission lands, the Dominicans and
Augustinians urged a return to the catechumenate
• They were largely unsuccessful because they lacked the support of the
universal         
church and because habits of faith were set in society

8 20th Century
• The catechumenate was revived in France and parts of Africa
• The motivation in France was to counteract the large numbers of "in-name-only"
Catholics
• The White Fathers in Africa were motivated by a need to build the church from the
grass roots
• And of course, at Vatican II, in the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, a major step
forward was seen:
- article 64: The catechumenate for adults is to be restored and appropriate rites
developed.
- article 65: Elements of initiation already used in “mission lands” are permitted
when they can be suitably adapted for Christian use.
- article 66: The rite of baptism for adults is to be revised taking into account its
place in the catechumenate.
- article 67: Likewise, the rite for the baptism of infants is to be revised,
emphasizing more the role of parents and godparents.
- article 69: A new rite is also to be devised for those already baptized celebrating
their entry into full communion with the Catholic Church.
- article 71: Confirmation rites are to be revised with an emphasis on its connection
to baptism and they should, in fact, include a renewal of baptismal promises.
• This document passed in the Council by a vote of 2147 to 4. These notes are quoted
from Vatican II in Plain English (Notre Dame: Ave Maria Press, 1997)

9 Post-Vatican II
• 1966 Provisional rite
• 1969 Second draft distributed for experimentation
• 1972 Promulgation of the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults in Latin
• 1974 Provisional English translation approved for interim use in the U.S.
• 1986 Final English translation with U.S. additions and National Statutes and a National
Plan of Implementation approved by the U.S. Bishops
• 1988 Mandatory implementation

The Structure and Rites
10 Period of Evangelization and Precatechumentate
• No fixed duration or structure is required for this stage
• This is a period of inquiry and questioning
• One receives his or her first introduction to Gospel values, either through the
witness or lifestyle of Christians, or through the Gospels, or in other ways
• The first stirrings of faith are met with a desire for the next stage

11 First Step
• Turn to paragraph 41 of the 1988 document cited above
• Acceptance into the Order of Catechumens
– Catechumens express their intention to follow Christ
– The church accepts their commitment

12 Period of the Catechumenate
• No fixed duration
– Lasts at least one full calendar year
– The length of the catechumenate depends upon the progress of the catechumen

13 Period of the Catechumenate
• Structure
– Turn to paragraphs 75, 78, 79 of the 1988 document cited above
– Regular faith-sharing
– Catechesis, flowing from the Sunday assembly
– celebrations of the word, blessings, and prayers of exorcism

14 Second Step
• Election or Enrollment of Names
– Turn to paragraph 118 of the 1988 document cited above
– Liturgical rite
– Celebrated on the First Sunday of Lent
– Catechumens announce their readiness to celebrate the sacraments of initiation
– The church formally ratifies the readiness of the elect for initiation (119)
– The "catechumens" are now "elect" (124)

15 Period of Purification and Enlightenment
• The 40 day Lenten period
– Turn to paragraph 138 of the 1988 document cited above
– This is the immediate preparation for initiation
• Structure
– Celebration of the scrutinies on the third, fourth, and fifth Sundays of Lent (141)
– Also, the presentations and preparation rites of Holy Saturday (147)

16 Third Step
• Celebration of the Sacraments of Initiation
– Turn to paragraph 206 of the 1988 document cited above
– Liturgical rite
• baptism
• confirmation
• Eucharist
– takes place at the Easter Vigil

17 Period of Post baptismal Catechesis or Mystagogy
• The 50-day Easter season
• Also the first year after initiation (N.S. 24)
• “Elect” become “neophytes”
• They now participate fully in the Eucharist
• Catechesis flows from this experience (245)
– Turn to paragraph 247 of the 1988 document cited above

18 What Our Words Mean – A Glossary
• Inquirer
• A person seeking basic information about Catholicism or Christianity
• This person may or may not eventually join the church
• Also called a “pre-catechumen”
• Catechumen
• An unbaptized person who is preparing for full initiation at the Easter Vigil
• Convert
• Another term for a catechumen.
• “Convert” should never be used to refer to a baptized person who is preparing
to become a Catholic.
• Candidate
• A baptized Christian who is preparing to become a Catholic
• In the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, the term "candidate" is also
sometimes used to refer to catechumens and inquirers
• Catechumenate
• The period of time and the structure within which the catechumens prepare for
initiation
• “Catechumenate” is also used as a synonym for the entire Rite of Christian
Initiation of Adults
• Elect
• Catechumens who have gone through the Election or Enrollment Rite on the first
Sunday of Lent
• The Elect are those who are involved in immediate preparation for initiation at
the coming Easter Vigil.
• Triduum
– Holy Thursday evening to Good Friday evening
– Good Friday evening to Holy Saturday evening
– Easter Vigil to Easter Evening Prayer
• RCIC and RCIY
• Fictional beasts
• There is only one Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults
• Adaptations of this rite are made for children, youth, and previously baptized
people
• The only appropriate acronym is “RCIA”
• In the parish, more user-friendly terms are encouraged

19 Ongoing Catechumenate
Resources
• Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, 1988, cited above
• The RCIA: Transforming the Church by Thomas H. Morris
• Whole Community Catechesis by Bill Huebsch

20 Ongoing Catechumenate
• Ongoing catechumenate
– A catechetical initiation process that takes place 365 days a year
– There is no beginning and no ending
• School-year catechumenate
– A catechetical initiation process that begins in September and ends in the Easter
season
• In an ongoing catechumenate, there are as many as 4 distinct groups:
– Inquirers
– Catechumens
– Candidates
– Elect / Neophytes

21 Benefits of an Ongoing Process
• More effective evangelization to those who are seeking Jesus
• Full exposure to the catechetical power of the liturgical year
• More opportunities for discernment
• Greater involvement of the community

22 Benefits of a School-year Process
• More efficient
• Requires fewer volunteers
• Provides a vacation for the leadership
• Helps the catechumens plan their calendars more concretely

23 Key purpose: Conversion
• Conversion can happen in either model
• The ongoing catechumenate provides more opportunity and possibility for
conversion
• The school-year model can more easily become focused on the transmission of
knowledge

24 Strategies
• Rely on the four pillars of catechesis outlined just below
• Develop a catechumenate team and help everyone “stay in training”
• Pay attention to the four arts of the liturgy
• Use a storytelling methodology

25 Four pillars of ongoing catechesis
• The apostles’ instruction — the Word of God and church teaching
• Breaking of the bread — the prayer life of the community
• The communal life
• Life in the world — service
- See Acts of the Apostles 2:42 and the 1988 RCIA document cited above,
paragraph #75.

26 The Team
• Inquiry “team”
• Catechumenate team
• Lent and mystagogy “team”
• Other team members
– Pastor and pastoral team
– Sponsors
– Hospitality
– Prayer support

27 The Arts of the Liturgy
• Liturgy catechizes the “whole person”
• Liturgy is an artistic experience
–Word
– Music
– Movement
– Environment

28 Storytelling methodology
• The activity in an ongoing catechumenate is mutual storytelling and mutual
conversion
• The central activity in a school-year model is the handing on of information from the
initiated to the uninitiated

• Inquiry
– Focuses on the story of the inquirer
• Catechumenate
– Focuses on connecting the story of the catechumen to the story of the liturgical
year and the church
• Word
• Worship
• Community
• Service
• Baptized candidates
– Focused on connecting their experience of Christianity with the Catholic
imagination
• Mystagogy
– Focused on drawing out the story of Jesus’ death and resurrection from within
the experience of the neophytes
– Making a “profession of faith”

© 2003 Nick Wagner www.nickwagner.net
Permission is granted to reproduce this as a resource for use in your own parish.

A Summary Outline The Restoration of the Catechumenate Use this outline to explain to others the history and background, the stages and rites of the catechumenate. By Nick Wagner and Bill Huebsch

The Church, like a mother, helps the catechumens on their journey by means of suitable liturgical rites... The RICA, 1988 #75

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