From R.C.I.A. to O.C.I.A.: Changes are on the horizon for forming new Catholics in the faith

Since 1988, the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults – R.C.I.A. – has been well known in parishes across the country as the ministry that welcomes and prepares newcomers to the Catholic faith.

But in 2021, the U.S. Bishops called for changes to be made to R.C.I.A., including its name to Order of Christian Initiation of Adults, O.C.I.A. Those changes take effect this fall, and questions have been raised about what the changes are and why.

Explaining it in the simplest of terms, Father Michael Hall, diocesan director of the Office of Worship, said the changes do not impact the stages that seekers will experience in their journey to the Church. The stages that are marked by prayer, study, discussion and developing a relationship with a Catholic faith community will remain the same, as will the various rites that take place during the O.C.I.A. process.

Following A Trend

The changes that will occur are mostly language based in the rituals that are used for adult initiation, Father Hall said.

“The adult initiation ritual is changing due to a restoration of liturgical texts that began with the Roman Missal, which was promulgated – put into place – at the beginning of Advent in 2012,” Father Hall said. “Since that time, there has been a systematic re-translation of every liturgical and sacramental book in English.

“It has been ongoing,” he said, noting the texts have already been changed for Worship of the Holy Eucharist Outside of Mass and the sacramental celebrations of Confirmation, Matrimony, Baptism and Penance.

Shown is the cover of the new Order of Christian Initiation Ritual Book. Courtesy photo

Father Hall said moving from the word “rite” to “order” is common in the translations since the Latin word “ordo,” when translated to “order,” designates the book as a collection of rites, he said. One such example would be The Rite of Marriage is now called The Order of Celebrating Matrimony.

Noting he has yet to review the revised O.C.I.A. text in its entirety, Father Hall said there will be definite changes to include a “more precise text that will be more in line with what we’ve seen with the language style of other new translation books. The text will be much more clear in its definition of an inquirer, someone who is seeking to receive all Sacraments of Initiation but has not yet committed to the process through the Rite of Acceptance; a catechumen, the same person after making a commitment through the Rite of Acceptance; and a candidate for full communion, someone from another Christian faith tradition who has already been validly baptized but must make a Profession of Faith to receive Confirmation and First Eucharist.

“These distinctions are important,” Father Hall said, adding that the older texts would “default to calling everyone candidates.”

Then and Now

Reviewing a bit of the catechumenate process, Father Hall said that while O.C.I.A. is a tool of the universal Church, it is much more prominent in the United States than in most other countries due to the diversity of faith traditions within the country’s population.

“When it was created, R.C.I.A. was really meant to be a way to bring unbaptized adults into the Catholic faith,” Father Hall said. “However, in the United States, the process grew to include the candidates for full communion, which required additions to the rituals. Now, the core of the O.C.I.A. is still for the unbaptized, both as a way to bring those wishing to enter the Church as a means for doing so and providing the entire Church and individual parishes, not just a means of supporting them through this process, but also having their journey toward the Sacraments be a means of examination and renewal for the entire congregation.”

“Also,” Father Hall continued, “many parishes, for the reason of catechetical resources and personnel, include already baptized Catholics who are seeking full initiation in the process.”

“While this is fine and even understandable from the catechetical standpoint, the distinction between the groups and the reasons for those distinctions are often muddied,” he said.

The new O.C.I.A. translation, like the previous translations that have occurred during the past 12 years, “provide an opportunity not just to learn what the new books say but also to reexamine and evaluate how we have been doing the ritual prior to the new book,” Father Hall said. “It is an opportunity to renew our practices and our understanding of what the Church intends this sacramental process to be and make sure how we do it is in accord with that.”

Opportunities to Learn More

To equip clergy and O.C.I.A. team members for the changes in texts, the Office of Worship and Department of Catechesis will have training sessions Jan. 16 at Nativity Parish, Fair Haven, and Jan. 18 at St. Gregory the Great Parish, Hamilton Square. In addition, there will be another opportunity for clergy and team members to engage in ongoing formation at the Diocesan Faith Formation and Parish Ministry Conference March 29 at St. John Vianney High School, Holmdel. Breakout sessions on unpacking the O.C.I.A. will be available in English and Spanish.