RCIA Nuts & Bolts

Recruitment of Candidates

John 3:5-8 Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born anew.' The wind blows where it wills, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know whence it comes or whither it goes; so it is with every one who is born of the Spirit."

The Holy Spirit is the driving force that leads people into the Church. God gives us the privilege and the responsibility of participating in the Church’s work of evangelization. The recruitment of RCIA candidates is a necessary part of this evangelization effort. Every individual who is not fully initiated into the Catholic faith is a potential RCIA candidate. No one should ever be refused entry into the process.

The following three categories cover everyone:

· The unbaptized (Any non-Catholic of any background)

· Those baptized into a different Christian faith.

· Catholics who have not received all their sacraments.

Jesus told the apostles, “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, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age." (Matt 28:19-20) The possible avenues to take for the recruitment of new RCIA members are endless. Strategies could to be adopted at both the Parish and Diocesan levels to increase the harvest of faithful Catholics. The following are only a few ideas:

· Pray for new members

· Advertise in the Parish bulletin and Diocesan newspaper

· Send letters home with the children in religious education programs

· Television and newspaper ads on local stations

· Invite friend and family members to an RCIA session

· Make announcements at Mass encouraging new candidates

· Have a special weekend dedicated to the recruitment of new members

· Ask the people in parish ministries if they know anyone who is interested
Involvement of the Parish

Acts 2:44 “And all who believed were together and had all things in common”

It is important to make the RCIA program a visible part of the Parish community. It is recommended that everyone going through the process along with all the team members gather together at the same Mass. Having said that, please try to be flexible when circumstances demand it. It would be a mistake if a person had to be excluded from the program because of a scheduling problem related to work or family. Every effort needs to be made to accommodate these situations.

Periodically, the Pastor and other priests of the parish should attend the sessions. The Priesthood is one of the central aspects of Church life and it would be beneficial for the candidates to know them as real human beings. It is too easy to view the priest as someone alien to the “real world”. Nothing could be further from the truth. This would prove to be helpful to dispel any false preconceived notions they may have about priests. An occasional teaching from a Priest is also a good means to foster parish involvement.

Invite people from other ministries to occasionally sit in with the group. This would be helpful in steering some of the catechumens into ministry after they finish the program. Perhaps some of the people who have already been through the RCIA process would enjoy sharing their experiences. This is the way to incorporate the group into the parish family on a more personal level.


The following is a partial list of other ideas:

· Introduce them to people you know in the parish

· Invite the catechumens to existing parish events

· Organize a parish picnic, breakfast, or other function dedicated to the RCIA team and the candidates

· Print the names of the candidates in the parish bulletin as they complete various steps of the program

· Present the candidates to the parish by occasionally inviting them up front and offering special blessings and prayers for them

· Ask members of the congregation to spiritually adopt them and keep them in prayer

· If a candidate brings a special need to the attention of the team, make an effort to find a fellow parishioner who can help out

RCIA Team Members

1 Corinthians 13:1-7 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient and kind; love is not jealous or boastful; it is not arrogant or rude. Love does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrong, but rejoices in the right. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

People from all walks of life are called to RCIA ministry. A great place to recruit team members is from the ranks of former RCIA catechumens and existing religious education teachers. When discerning a potential RCIA team member, you should take the following into consideration: their degree of commitment to the Catholic faith and their personality. Hot-tempered and argumentative people are not suited to this kind of ministry. Anyone who is lukewarm about attending Mass or does not accept what the Church teaches should automatically be disqualified. No one is capable of imparting the Catholic faith to others if they don’t accept it themselves. (I’ve seen it happen!) Needless to say, it is impossible for people of other religions to be RCIA team members.

Each member of the team is an important component to the success of any RCIA program. Success can be measured in a variety of ways. The best gauge we can use is the faithfulness and enthusiasm that the candidates acquire along their journey. You do not need to be an expert in Church teaching or a theologian to be a successful catechist. You do need to be a faithful Catholic with the humility to accept that you are handing on the faith that was given to you. You must be patient, kind and a strong witness to the faith you have in the Lord Jesus Christ. We all have gifts that God can use to do great things through us. We need to be open to the Holy Spirit and willing to be molded like clay in the hands of the Almighty Master. Do everything in the Spirit of love!

Some Tips:

· Make certain the team has occasional meetings

· Have an organized plan for each session

· Do not argue with each other

· Let the Catechism of the Catholic Church resolve disputes over doctrine

· Be confident and convicted when presenting the subject matter

· Be understanding to the needs of individuals

· Be compassionate when people digress into personal topics
Sponsors

Sponsors are often included in the RCIA process. These are often members of the parish who are interested in mentoring one or more of the candidates. Sponsors usually attend the RCIA meetings and any special functions that are celebrated. The candidates should develop a friendly and trusting relationship with their sponsors. Sponsors tend to become incorporated into the RCIA process at a participation level very close to team members. This should be taken into consideration when inquiring about potential sponsors.

Sometimes a candidate may want a friend or relative to be their sponsor. This is usually not a problem. It creates the opportunity for the RCIA team to witness to another individual in the community. It should be made clear that the sponsor does not have to be the person who is chosen as godparent at the time of initiation into the Church. That is a completely different matter and is up to the candidate. Consult with the parish priest to verify the requirements for a godparent or a sponsor.


The following are some suggestions for the recruitment of sponsors:

· People who are friendly and willing to share

· People who are active in the parish

· People who have the time to commit to it

· People who are recommended by trustworthy parishioners

· People who can make someone feel at ease.

I would recommend having an initial meeting with people who are interested in being sponsors. Explain that although it is a big commitment, they will gain spiritually from the experience. An overview of the entire process should also be presented to them.


Some activities that sponsors might perform:

· Participate in the group discussions and prayers

· Take phone calls from a candidate who need help

· Pray for the candidates and the RCIA team members

· Introduce them to other parishioners

· Encourage them and confirm them in their faith

The First Meeting with the Candidate

John 15:15-16 No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you…

Once the potential candidates have made contact with you, a face-to-face meeting should be set up with each person. This can be done on an individual basis, or as a group. As the old saying goes, you never get a second chance to make a first impression. People tend to be nervous when meeting the “Church people”. The atmosphere should be friendly and non-threatening. I would recommend putting out some dessert and coffee.

Help the candidate to understand that conversion is an ongoing and life long process. Keep in mind that the majority of people entering into an RCIA program do not have much knowledge about anything that the Church teaches. The RCIA team will be there to facilitate their growth in the faith. Do not try too hard to get people to “open up” at the initial meeting. It would be bad if our attitude made someone feel uncomfortable and they decided not to come back. Feel free to ask questions that may help to get an idea of where they are in their walk of faith. If they are hesitant, do not push them into giving answers. It is difficult for new believers to articulate matters of religious belief. It also takes time to develop a relationship with people you have just met.

I would not recommend inviting the entire RCIA team to this first meeting. Only one or two people who are designated by the team need to be there. If six people are staring at someone as they try to answer questions about a desire to be received into the Church, it may have the appearance of an inquisition (for lack of a better phrase). People do not like to be placed under a microscope.


These are some possible goals of the interview:

· To develop a rapport with the candidate

· To find out some basic information (see form on the opposite page)

· To understand what brought the person to the faith

· To find out some details about their state in life (marriage, children, employment)

· To find out their interests (hobbies, books, music)

· To give them confidence in the RCIA process

· To convey a sense of joy that they have decided to fully incorporate themselves into the Catholic Church

General Information Sheet


Name ________________________________Phone____________________________

Address_______________________________Place of business___________________

_________________________Zip _________Work phone_______________________

Date of birth_________ Were you ever baptized?_____ Where?__________________

What denomination if other than Roman Catholic?______________________________

Fathers full name_____________________ Religion__________________________

Mothers maiden name_________________ Religion__________________________

Are you currently married?_____________ Have you ever been married?_________

Have you ever been divorced?______ Are you divorced and remarried?_____________


Other relevant information
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________


Do you plan on registering yourself and your family as members of our parish?________

If not, what parish will you be a member of? ___________________________________

Is any particular day of the week or time inconvenient to meet?_____________________

If you have any questions or comments, please let us know
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