Catholic Terminology

Candidate A baptized person seeking to complete initiation in the Roman Catholic Church by receiving Confirmation and/or Eucharist.
Catechesis An education of children, young people, and adults in the faith of the Church through the teaching of Christian doctrine in an organic and systematic way to make them disciples of Jesus Christ. Those who perform the ministry of catechists in the Church are called "catechists."
Catechumen A person who is preparing for Baptism.
Catechumenate The catechumenate is the formation of these catechumens in preparation for their Christian Initiation, and aims at bringing their conversion and their faith to maturity.
Diocese The churches subject to the jurisdiction of a certain bishop.
Dogma The doctrines and moral precepts taught by Jesus or by the Apostles, or delivered to the faithful by the Church.
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.
Lent The liturgical season of forty days which begins with Ash Wednesday and ends with the celebration of the Paschal Mystery (Easter Triduum). Lent is the primary penitential season in the Church's liturgical year, reflecting the forty days Jesus spent in the desert in fasting and prayer.
Mystagogy (Mystagogia) The catechetical period following immediately after the reception of Baptism by adults.
Penitential Rite The penitential rite complements the scrutinies during the period of purification and enlightenment. For the baptized elect, the penitential rite is an opportunity to privately examine our lives, repent our shortcomings, and to prepare our hearts for full communion with the Church.
Rite of Election The rite of election is a gathering of all candidates and catechumens, and their sponsors, from every parish in the diocese at a central location. The purpose of the rite of election is for the bishop to joyfully declare the Church's approval of the candidates and catechumens in the presence of the community. He will also ask the the community to express its approval. Before the rite begins, a representative from each parish presents the Book of the Elect to the bishop. From this day forward, the candidates and catechumens are known as the elect.
Rite of Sending The rite of sending offers the local parish community the opportunity to express its approval of the candidates and catechumens and to send them forth to the celebration of election. The rite enables the candidates and catechumens to be assured of the parish's care and support. The rite usually takes place after the homily during Mass. A representative of the community presents the candidates and catechumens, calling each one by name. Each one, accompanied by their sponsor comes forward and stands before the celebrant and the community. The names of those wishing to be baptized or received into full communion of the Catholic Church come together to officially enter their names in the in a Book of the Elect, which will be presented to the Bishop at the rite of election.
Scrutinies The scrutinies are the centerpiece of the period of purification and enlightenment for the unbaptized elect. They are rites for self-searching, repentence, healing, and strength. These rites complete the conversion of the unbaptized elect and deepen their resolve to carry out their decision to love God and be received into the Catholic Church. The scrutinies take place during the Mass and include special readings from the Gospel. There are three scrutinies that take place on successive Sundays after the rite of election. The baptized elect (candidates) and community also benefit from participating in the scrutiny rites.


Sources

Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults
(Archdiocese of Chicago: Liturgy Training Publications)

CamdenRCIA

Catholic Encyclopedia

www.catholicgbg.org

United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

 Baptismal font

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