| Adult: | An adult of legal age, or a child who has attained the use of reason and is of catechetical age. Catechetical age is defined as “in or around 7 years of age” |
| Advent: | The beginning season of the new Liturgical Year. Four weeks before Christmas that focuses on a twofold theme: preparing for the Second Coming of Christ and preparing for the celebration of the birth of Jesus. |
| Book Of The Elect: | The book the Catechumens for election are to sign at the Rite of Sending in their parish, this book is presented to the bishop at the Rite of Election on the first Sunday of Lent,from there they are sent to the Easter sacraments. |
| Candidate: | 1) Any person in the period pre-catechumenate 2) One who is baptized as a Catholic “but did not receive further catechetical formation, nor the sacraments of confirmation and Eucharist. 3) One who is already baptized in another Christian faith and has not received a suitable catechesis and who now is preparing to be received into the full communion of the Catholic Church. At the time of full reception, he or she will make a profession of faith, be confirmed, and receive Eucharist. |
| Canon Law: | The body of law that governs church practice and protects the rights and privileges of individuals and community. |
| Catechesis: | The instruction and spiritual formation of the catechumens, neophytes and candidates. |
| Catechumen: | An unbaptized adult who has been accepted in to the Order of Catechumens through the Rite of Acceptance |
| Catechumenate: | 1) The entire initiation practice is sometimes called the Catechumenal Process, in reference to “one in instruction” Galatians 6. 2) The second period of the Catechumenal Process in which, after the Rite of Acceptance, catechumens enter into “an extended period of time” and are “given a suitable pastoral formation and guidance, aimed at training them in the Christian life. |
| Celebration Of The Sacraments Of Initiation: | The Third step in the Catechumenal process is the celebration the Sacraments of Initiation (Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist). “Through this final step the elect, receiving pardon for their sins, are admitted into the people of God…lead by the Holy Spirit…and share in the Eucharistic sacrifice and meal”. This most normally coincides, by ancient tradition, to the Easter Vigil. |
| Children: | There is a form of the RCIA which is adapted for children. That is, those “children not baptized as infants, who have attained the use of reason and are of catechetical age”. The age of reason is defined by Canon Law as in or around the age of 7. |
| Chrism: | A combination of oil and sweet balsam or perfume that is mixed and consecrated by the bishop and used to anoint newly baptized people and newly ordained priests and bishops.Chrism is also used in the consecration of churches and altars. |
| Cycle A, B, C: | The three year cycle of liturgical readings: A Cycle – Gospel of Matthew; B Cycle – Gospel of Mark; C Cycle – Gospel of Luke. All three cycles incorporate Gospel of John. |
| Doctrine: | The formal teachings of the church. |
| Easter Season: | A period of seven weeks beginning with Easter Sunday and ending with the feast of Pentecost. “An expected time of Post-Baptismal Catechesis/Mystagogy”. |
| Elect: | The name given to catechumens who after completing an apprenticeship “in the Christian life”, celebrate the Rite of Election on the first Sunday of Lent signifying their being chosen for the initiation that upcoming Easter |
| Election: | The process of selecting those catechumens who are considered ready to take part in the next celebration of the sacraments of initiation. The celebration of the Rite of Election takes place the first Sunday of Lent. The bishop declares in the name of the church that particular catechumens are ready and chosen for the sacraments at Easter. The Book of the Elect is presented to the bishop at this celebration. |
| Enlightenment: | The period of Lent during which the elect are involved in the final stage of preparation for celebrating the rites of initiation. ( may also be called illumination and purification ). |
| Enrollment: | The rite of inscribing into the Book of the Elect the names of those catechumens to be elected to take part in the next celebration of the sacraments of initiation.( usually done at the Rite of Sending in the parish, or can be done at the Rite of Election in some diocese, ours has the Rite of Sending ). |
| Ephphetha: | The rite in which the presider touches the ears and the mouth of the elect and prays that they be open to hear and proclaim the word of God in faith. ( it may be celebrated as part of the preparation rites on Holy Saturday.) |
| Evangelization: | 1) “The carrying forth of the Good News to every sector of the human race” 2) The life long process of conversion to Jesus Christ 3) The first period of Evangelization and Pre Catechumenate, which seeks to introduce candidates to Christ, by: a) “faithfully and constantly” proclaiming the “living God and Jesus Christ whom he has sent for the salvation of all” b) “a suitable explanation of the Gospel” c) an opportunity for the beginnings of faith. |
| Exorcisms: | Prayers for the deliverance from the powers of evil and falsehood and for the reception of the gifts of the Lord, especially the Holy Spirit. Exorcisms are part of the rites of scrutiny. |
| Fasting: | A form of sarifice by which faithful Christians join themselves with the suffering and death of Jesus by foregoing food for a specific period of time. On Ash Wednesday and on Good Friday , Catholics are obliged to fast in a modified way. Many Christians fast from Holy Thursday evening to after the Easter Vigil in anticipation of the Lord’s resurrection. |
| Godparents: | Those who are selected by the Catechumen to “accompany them on the day of election, at the celebration of the sacraments of initiation, and during the period of mystagogy”. They must be fully initiated members of the Catholic faith, and should be able to perform the responsibilities as outlined in the Rite. |
| Illumination: | see enlightenment |
| Immersion: | Baptism in which the person is partially or entirely submerged in the baptismal waters. |
| Infusion: | Baptism by pouring water over the head of the person. |
| Initiation: | The process by which a person enters the faith life of the church. The process extends from the persons first inquiry through the completion of mystagogy. |
| Inquirers: | Those who participate in the pre-catechumenate of a parish. They are “inquiring” into Christianity in the Catholic Tradition. |
| Lectionary: | The book used in liturgical celebrations that contains all the scripture readings of the liturgical year. |
| Lent: | A six week period extending from Ash Wednesday to sundown on Holy Thursday. It is a retreat time in preparation for the Easter Triduum. For the “elect” who are preparing to receive the Sacraments of Initiation at Easter Vigil, and the Candidates who are preparing to receive full initiation during the Easter Season, this season correlates with the period of Purification & Enlightenment. |
| Liturgical Year: | The seasons and cycles of the Christian year that follow the life of Christ. It is the instrument and means for leading God’s people along the way to the Lord. The readings introduce and invite us into the Paschal Mystery. |
| Minor Rites: | Rites during the Period of the Catechumenate which include exorcisms, blessings, and anointings. |
| Mystagogy/Postbaptismal Catechesis: | The final period of the Catechumenal process which, the newly Baptized, “neophytes”, and the newly initiated grow “in deepening their grasp of the paschal mystery and in making it part of their lives” through “meditation on the Gospel, sharing in the Eucharist, and doing works of Charity” The immediate period of mystagogy is from Easter to Pentecost, however the National Statutes for implementation in the USA also recommend and extended mystagogy for one year. |
| National Statutes: | Particular law for the implementation of the order of Christian initiation of adults in the United States presented by the National Conference of Catholic Bishops (NCCB). |
| Neophyte: | One who is initiated at the Easter Vigil. The term comes from the Greek word meaning new plant, as in a new sprout on a limb/branch. |
| Ninety Days: | Occasionally used to mean the combination of the Period of Purification and Enlightenment, and the Period of Mystagogy which corresponds with Lent (40 days) and the Easter Season (50 days). |
| Oil Of Catechumens: | The blessed oil used in anointing catechumens as a sign of their need for and God’s offer of stength in overcomeing all opposition to the faith they will profess throughout their lives. |
| Ordinary Time: | The cycle within the liturgical year that is outside the liturgical seasons (Advent, Lent, Easter). The readings during this time follow the ministry of Jesus; His teachings and miracles. This time provides us with an opportunity to reflect on the meaning of God’s gift to us in Christ, our attitudes, our prayer life, and our service to others. |
| Ordo Initiontis Christianae Adultorum: | Latin term for Order of Christian Initiation of Adults. This is the official collection of rites of the Roman Catholic Church for initiation of adults (including children of catechetical age), and the reception of baptized candidates. Called Rite of Christian of Initiation of Adults in the United State. |
| Paschal Triduum: | The three days from Holy Thursday evening through Easter Sunday during which Christians celebrate the passover of Israel from slavery to freedom, the passover of Jesus Christ from death to life, our own passover from sin to grace and the world’s passover from darkness to light. |
| Periods: | Times of growth in the initiation process: 1) Inquiry or precatechumenate 2) catechumenate 3) purification and enlightenment 4) mystagogy |
| Pre-Catechumenate & Evangelization: | The first period of the Catechumenal process is evangelization, which seeks to introduce candidates to Christ, by: a) “faithfully and constantly” proclaiming the “living God and Jesus Christ whom he has sent for the salvation of all” b) “a suitable explanation of the Gospel” c) an opportunity for the beginnings of faith. |
| Precatechumenate ( Pre-Cat) : | The period of inquiry prior to acceptance into the order of catechumens; the time of initial evangelization. |
| Presentation Of Creed / Our Father: | During the period of purification and enlightenment, the elect are presented with the Creed and the Lord’s Prayer through special rites that usually coincide with the Scrutinies. |
| Presentations : | The rites during the period of purification and enlightenment through which the church passes on to the elect the Creed and the Lord’s prayer, the cherished documents of the church, and the traditions they represent: the way Christians believe and the way Christians pray. |
| Purification And Enlightenment: | The third period of the Catechumenal process, normally coinciding with Lent, followed by the Rite of Election, which seeks to introduce the Elect, and Candidates to “a period of intense spiritual preparation, consisting more in interior reflection than in catechetical instruction”. It is the final period of preparation before reception of the Sacraments of Initiation.: |
| Rcia: | Acronym for Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults. |
| Rite Of Acceptance: | The First Step in the Catechumenal process, in which the unbaptized are officially accepted into the Order of Catechumens. It is of “the utmost importance. Assembling publicly for the first time, the candidates who have completed the period of the precatechumenate declare their intention to the Church and the Church in turn” accepts them. |
| Rite Of Call To Continuing Conversion: | An optional rite for Candidates who have completed an extended period of preparation and now seek to be received into, or fully initiated into the Church at Easter. Can be combined with the Rite of Recognition by the Bishop if celebrated by local diocese. |
| Rite Of Christian Initiation Of Adults: | English title of Ordo intiationis christianae adultorum (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) The latest English translation edition was published in 1985. Mandated for use in the United States in 1988. |
| Rite Of Election: | The Second Step in the Catechumenal process. Presided over by the Bishop, the rite inaugurates the completion of the Period of the Catechumenate and the final period of preparation before initiation at the next Easter Vigil. |
| Rite Of Recognition: | The rite by which the local Bishop receives candidates for Recognition & Call to Continuing conversion. Celebrated in Diocese who do not celebrate a combined Rite of Election & Recognition and Call the Continuing Conversion. Rite of |
| Rite Of Sending: | An optional rite by which the parish community sends the Catechumens to the Rite of Election, or candidates for Recognition by the Bishop, and Call to Continuing Conversion. A combined rite of Sending for Diocese who celebrate a Combined Rite of Election is also provided for. |
| Rite Of Welcome: | Optional rite welcoming those Candidates who were previously baptized but uncatechized to begin their preparation. The church “acknowledges that such candidates are already part of the community” by baptism, and now “surrounds them with special care and support.” A combined Rite of Acceptance into the Order of Catechumens and the Rite of Welcoming Baptized put Previously Uncatechized Adults is provided for in the RCIA, however “care must be taken to maintain distinction between the catechumens and the baptized candidates”. |
| Rite, Penitential: | Celebration for candidates, similar to the scrutinies |
| Scrutiny: | Three special rites for the Elect during the 3rd, 4th, and 5th Sunday’s of Lent. “Solemnly celebrated on Sundays and are reinforced by an exorcism, are rites for self-searching and repentance and above all have a spiritual purpose”. Presentations of the Creed and Lords prayer normally coincide with the scrutinizes. |
| Sponsor: | 1) The term used to refer to the person who “accompanies any candidate seeking admission as a catechumen”. They assist the candidates, stand as witness to their moral character and present them to the Rite of Acceptance. They may also be chosen as a Godparent by the Catechumen 2) The term for a fully initiated catholic who will journey with a Candidate (baptized but previously uncatechized adult) through their preparation and be present at their full initiation, or full communion into the church. |
| Sunday: | The first day in the Christian liturgical week, the day of Christ’ resurrection, the original feast day, the heart of the calendar, the basis and nucleus of the liturgical year. |
| The Triduum: | The three days of the celebration of Easter which begins with sundown on Holy Thursday evening and ends with evening prayer on Easter Sunday evening. It includes the liturgies of Holy Thursday, Good Friday, the Easter Vigil, and Easter Sunday. |
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