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| Auxiliary Bishop Oscar Cantú and Marco Roman, director of the archdiocesan Department of Formation and Christian Initiation, are pictured with award recipients Deacon Earl Colley from Holy Rosary Church, back left, Deacon Norman Kutschenreuter from St. Matthew Church, front right, Carmen Sanchez from Basílica of the National Shrine of the Little Flower, front right, and a representative from San Juan de Los Lagos Shrine, accepting honors for Gloria Johnson.
Jordan McMorrough | Today's Catholic |
SAN ANTONIO • A recent appreciation luncheon and gathering of Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) leaders and core team members afforded attendees the opportunity to hear the successes and challenges in implementing the program as well as an occasion to meet other catechists and share a common fellowship and love for the RCIA.
The event was held April 25 at the Holy Spirit Banquet Room, and more than 100 listeners also heard a special presentation from Auxiliary Bishop Oscar Cantú as well as discussed new ideas and future plans for the archdiocesan Office of Christian Initiation and upcoming formational opportunities in the archdiocese.
Marco Roman, director of the Department of Formation and Christian Initiation, introduced the day by offering those gathered the opportunity to win special prizes for giving correct answers to questions concerning the RCIA process.
Among the queries (and answers) were:
• What is the name of the first period of formation? (evangelization or precatechumenate)
• What is the second period of formation called? (Catechumenate)
• What is the liturgical step that begins the third period of formation? (Rite of Election and Call to Continuing Conversion)
• What are the preparatory rites of Holy Saturday? (Epitah prayer, choosing of a baptismal name and the recitation of the Apostle’s Creed)
He then reviewed a letter sent to pastors at the beginning of March about the RCIA process and sacramental initiation, examining seven important pastoral and liturgical practices that should be carefully observed.
Chief among them, those catechumens and candidates, who are in invalid marriages and in the process of an annulment, are not to celebrate sacramental initiation at the Easter Vigil. “If and when an annulment is granted and present marriages are first convalidated catechumens and candidates may then continue their preparation process as needed and complete their sacramental initiation at the appropriate time,” Roman stated.
Also, catechumens (non-baptized persons), adults or children of catechetical age, are to receive all three sacraments together at the Easter Vigil. He continued, “It is not permissible to have adult catechumens, or those of catechetical age, to receive only baptism and Eucharist in order for them to participate in a later confirmation program and so to receive confirmation at a later date.”
Roman added that adult candidates and those of catechetical age who are validly baptized non-Catholics are to be appropriately prepared to receive confirmation and Eucharist together at a single eucharistic liturgy.
He emphasized that candidates (baptized Catholics) “who without his or her fault never put the faith into practice” meaning uncatechized adult Catholics, require the pastor or parochial vicar to request faculty from the diocesan bishop to complete sacramental initiation.
Candidates (baptized Christians) may be received into full communion or complete their sacramental initiation at the Easter Vigil along with catechumens. “It is also encouraged and recommended that candidates may be received into full communion or complete sacramental initiation at any other time, during the year, after the completion of their formation,” Roman explained.
The Formation Department director quoted from the National Statutes for the Catechumenate. “Candidates are to celebrate the sacrament of reconciliation at a time prior to and distinct from the celebration of confirmation and Eucharist,” the norms state. “This is often done during the later stages of the period of purification and enlightenment.”
Lastly, confirmandi, Catholics who have received baptism and Eucharist, are not to receive the sacrament of confirmation during the Easter Vigil.
Roman stressed, “The Easter Vigil is primarily for catechumens, with the exception granted for candidates by the national statutes.”
ACCOLADES ACCEPTED
Following lunch, Bishop Cantú and the Office of Christian Initiation director presented RCIA honoree of the year awards in four categories.
Receiving accolades for “exceptional dedication and faithful commitment to the implementation of Christian initiation” were Anne Kemper, director of Christian initiation at St. Mark the Evangelist Church; and Sister Frances Briseño, OSB, pastoral associate of St. Francis of Assisi Church.
Honorees retiring from ministry who were recognized “for exemplary parish leadership serving the ministry of Christian initiation” were Carmen Sanchez from Basílica of the National Shrine of the Little Flower (Our Lady of Mount Carmel and St. Thérèse); Katherine “Kitty” Pesek from St. Matthew Church in Jourdanton; and Gloria Johnson from San Juan de Los Lagos Shrine.
Three recipients “for outstanding clergy commitment to the implementation of Christian initiation” were also announced. They are Father James Curiel, OCD, pastor of the Basílica of the National Shrine of the Little Flower; Deacon Norman Kutschenreuter of St. Matthew Church and Deacon Earl M. Colley of Holy Rosary Parish.
SUMMER STUDY SERIES
The archdiocesan Office of Christian Initiation will be offering a series of six RCIA Summer Study Sessions taking place from late May to the end of August. Each gathering will examine the directives and instructions of the RCIA pertaining to each period of formation. The classes are geared for RCIA leaders, team members and clergy. Sessions will be held on Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., and there is a fee of $10 per workshop, which includes lunch. The registration deadline is one week before each event.
The sessions will begin May 30 at the Little Flower School, 905 Kentucky Ave. Roman will speak about the “Period of Evangelization/Precatechumenate.”
The second class will be held June 6 at the St. Matthew Church, McDonald Family Center at 10703 Wurzbach Rd. Gloria Zapiain, archdiocesan director of Adult Faith Formation, will address the topic of “Period of the Catechumenate.”
Msgr. Terence Nolan, chancellor of the archdiocese, will speak about “RCIA Liturgical Norms/Canon Law” on June 27, also at the Little Flower gymnasium.
“Purification and Enlightenment” will be the theme of the presentation by Father Heliodoro Lucatero, director of the Worship/Liturgy Office of the archdiocese, on July 25 at the St. Vincent de Paul Parish Center, 4222 Southwest Loop 410.
Speakers are yet to be announced for the two August sessions, scheduled for Aug. 8 and Aug. 29 at St. Matthew Parish and St. Vincent de Paul Parish, respectively. The subjects to be examined are “RCIA and the Interview Process” on Aug. 8 and the “Period of Mystagogy” on Aug. 29.
For information, contact Ana Mazuca at the Pastoral Center at 2718 West Woodlawn Avenue at (210) 734-1632, or e-mail AMazuca@archsa.org.