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RCIA English Rite Election 2011 @ Visitation Church Seremban

RCIA English Rite of Election on Saturday 12 March 2011.

Tamil RCIA Retreat 2010/2011

The Tamil RCIA group (Rite of the Christians Initiation for Adults) organized a half a day retreat for those preparing themselves to be baptized and confirmed on Easter 2011. 20 candidates participated. This retreat was held at the St Paul the Hermit Chapel, Rahang, Negeri Sembilan on 14th November 2010 (Sunday) from 9 am to 2 pm.

The theme of the retreat was “WELCOMING JESUS”. The facilitators started the retreat with an ice-Breaking session by introducing the candidates with their sponsors. Then, the sponsors welcomed them warm-heartedly and shared their faith experiences with the candidates.

The chairperson of this Tamil RCIA, Miss Theresa Soosay gave a session on “Welcoming Jesus” in their lives. Fr George Packiasamy was present on this introductory session with the candidates and sponsors. He shared the importance of attending this retreat because it is a time of making a right step to follow Jesus and preparing for the Rite of Acceptance on the 1st Sunday of Advent 2010. The retreat ended with lunch.

Commissioning of Catechists 2010

On Sunday 26 September 2010 at 9.00am Mass, all English speaking Catechists (Sunday School & RCIA) were present for the Commissioning of Catechists. May God bless them all.

Easter Vigil in Visitation

More photos on Facebook. More videos on The Welcoming Parish Youtube Channel.

RCIA Retreat 2010

The Elect, candidates for the Sacraments of Initiation, from the various language groups will be participating in various retreats this weekend. This is a special time of grace for the candidates as they make their final spiritual preparation for Holy Week and the Easter Triduum.

During the period of Purification and Enlightenment (Season of Lent) that immediately precedes the celebration of the Easter Mysteries, there is already a shift in the atmosphere from formal teaching to a time of inner quiet, reflection, and more spiritual growth. It is a time of ‘going into the desert’ and seeking the Lord, listening in one’s heart for his call, and learning to respond to him. Lent becomes a time for quieting the daily noise, a time of deeper reflection on the Scriptures, and a time to recognise how the candidates/elect are being led by the Spirit. The elect are challenged to reflect upon their own conversion journey – how they have already changed and where they are called to continual change.

This 2-day retreat (1 day for some of the language groups) is the climax of the entire ‘retreat’ experience of Lent. This intense retreat is a time away from the daily world and its distractions for the purpose of being with God and listening for His will.

The theme for Day I of the Retreat is built around the symbol of the cross. It is hope that meditations, prayer exercises and reflections will lead the candidates to commit themselves more firmly to the cross of Christ. For it is in the cross, that they will encounter the God who loves them and wishes to free them from slavery to darkness and sin. It is the cross, that Jesus promises us new life.



On the Day 2 of the Retreat, the Elect will be led to recall the steps of the journey that have brought them here and they take a further step into the unknown, ongoing journey of faith in resurrected life. This retreat is based on the unusually long Liturgy of the Word for the Easter Vigil. The nine readings of the Liturgy of the Word remind elect and sponsors alike that they are indeed pilgrims on the way, a people with a story that is ongoing.

As a parish community waiting to receive them as new members, as brothers and sisters in Christ on the night of the Easter Vigil, let us keep them in prayer during this weekend as they make this journey with and into the very mystery of God.

2nd Rite of Scrutiny and Exorcism

March 14 - The Elect, candidates for the Sacrament of Initiation at the Easter Vigil, celebrated the 2nd Rite of Scrutiny and Exorcism at the various vernacular masses. The theme for the 4th Sunday of Lent is Illumination, with the gospel taken from Year A lectionary focusing on Jesus, the Light of the World, healing the man who was born blind. Next Sunday, the Fifth Sunday of Lent, which is also the final Sunday of Lent before Holy Week, the Elect will celebrate the third and final Rite of Scrutiny and Exorcism. This will be the last set of rites before the celebration of the Easter Mysteries at the Easter Vigil.

Videos of the Rite has been uploaded to The Welcoming Parish Youtube Channel.

Scrutinies and Exorcisms

The Scrutinies are very special rites celebrated on the last three Sundays of Lent, at liturgies where the Elect are present. The Elect are those in our midst who are preparing for Baptism. Part of their journey to the font is that they have been received among us, the Rite of Acceptance, and they have been enrolled in the Book of the Elect in the Rite of Election.

The period of Lent during which the elect are involved in the final stage of preparation for celebrating the rites of initiation is called by various names to indicate the nature of the scrutinies or its result, namely, illumination, purification and enlightenment.

The scrutinies, which are solemnly celebrated on Sundays and are reinforced by an exorcism, are rites for self-searching and repentance and have above all a spiritual purpose. The scrutinies are meant to uncover, and then heal all that is weak, defective, or sinful in the hearts of the elect; to bring out, then strengthen all that is upright, strong, and good. For the scrutinies are celebrated in order to deliver the elect from the power of sin and Satan, to protect them against temptation, and to give them strength in Christ, who is the way, the truth, and the life. These rites, therefore, should complete the conversion of the elect and deepen their resolve to hold fast to Christ and to carry out their decision to love God above all.

By the means of scrutinies, first of all, the elect are instructed gradually about the mystery of sin, from which the whole world and every person longs to be delivered and thus saved from its present and future consequences. Second, their spirit is filled with Christ the Redeemer, who is the living water (gospel of the Samaritan woman in the first scrutiny), the light of the world (gospel of the man born blind in the second scrutiny), the resurrection and the life (gospel of Lazarus in the third scrutiny). From the first to the final scrutiny the elect should progress in their perception of sin and their desire for salvation.

In the rite of exorcism, the elect, who have already learned from the Church as their mother the mystery of deliverance from sin by Christ, are free from the effects of sin and from the influence of the devil. They receive new strength in the midst of their spiritual journey and they open their hearts to receive the gifts of the Savior.

Visitation Parish will witness the first of the three scrutinies and exorcisms at these weekend masses.

Rite of Election 2

The second part of the Rite of Election was celebrated in the Church of Holy Family, Kajang, which saw 629 catechumens being enrolled by the Archbishop of Kuala Lumpur, His Grace Tan Sri Murphy Pakiam, as elect in preparation of the Sacraments of Initiation at the Easter Vigil. Apart from the catechumens (now called the Elect), their sponsors, godparents, RCIA teams members, parish priests and other parishioners were also present to lend them support.

35 candidates from the 4 RCIA language groups from the Church of Visitation were also present at the Rite of Election.

More photos can be viewed on Facebook.

Rite of Election

This weekend, we will witness the first part of the Rite of Election in our parish. The Rite of Election is the second rite to be celebrated in the RCIA process. The catechumens who are preparing to receive the Sacraments of Initiation (Baptism, Confirmation & Eucharist) during the Easter Vigil mass have completed a period of catechesis known as the Catechumenate.

The first part of this rite will be celebrated at the weekend masses of our Parish, English and BM group(sunset mass), Tamil group(Tamil Mass) and Mandarin group (Mandarin Mass). The first part of this rite is also called the Rite of Sending or the Rite of Enrollment of Names. As our parish is not the Cathedral Parish or the parish where the Bishop will be enrolling the names of the Elect (the new name given to the catechumens), as in the case of this year (Holy Family Parish in Kajang will host the archdiocesan level Rite of Election), the candidates will be prepared with this Rite of Sending.

At the Rite of Sending, the parish prepares to send the candidates to meet with the Bishop who will receive them at the Rite of Election. The Rite of Election is a testimony of their faithfulness to this process in the past year or so. This act of sending is done by the whole parish. Therefore, it is celebrated within the mass in the presence of sponsors and RCIA Facilitators. Another integral part of this ceremony is the signing of the book of the elect. As the candidates sign this book they will signify that they are prepared to seal their covenant with God.

On the First Sunday of Lent, the bishop will then receive contingents from all parishes with catechumens. The catechumens will then be presented to him by their sponsors who will attest that they have completed their Catechumenate formation. The sponsors will also affirm that these candidates have experienced a true conversion of heart, mind and soul. As the bishop signs the same book that was signed by the candidates in the first part of the Rite of Election (or the Rite of Sending), he is receiving the candidates into our family of Christ. The candidates are now called the “elect” and have been elected to receive the sacraments of initiation at the Easter Vigil mass.

The elect will now be given a more intense spiritual formation during the season of Lent. They will undergo further Rites of Scrutinies and Exorcism, a period of purification and enlightenment. Let us continue to support them in our prayers.

Joint RCIA Christmas Event and Fellowship - December 20, 2009

By Arthur Pinto

This event was organized with the joint effort of the English, Mandarin, Tamil and the Bahasa Malaysia RCIA facilitators.

The programme started at around 10:30 am with some of the groups having their individual class session. The English group did a session on the meaning of Christmas.

At around 12:00 noon, all four groups came together at the Parish Hall, already set up with decorations to give the feeling of Christmas. Participants were made up of the RCIA candidates and their family members, sponsors and facilitators. In total we had a headcount of about 120 who attended.

We started with an ‘Ice Breaker’ to get the groups integrated and then ‘carol singing’ by each group in their own language. They was a lot of fun and excitement during the ‘Ice Breaker’ and we also observed some good preparation in the ‘carol singing’ especially by the Tamil and the Bahasa Malaysia groups.After this, we had a buffet lunch with Christmas cakes and cookies. Both young and old had a good feast and the food was well appreciated. By about 2:00 pm the party ended.

More Photos in Facebook.

RCIA: Rite of Acceptance into the Catechumenate

The RCIA or the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults is the process by which adults are initiated in the Catholic faith community. Rather than just a catechetical programme, the RCIA is a process of ongoing faith growth and conversion.

The entire process is divided into several periods marking different stages of conversion and commitment: the pre-catechumenate or period of inquiry, the catechumenate, purification and enlightenment and mystagogy. These stages are punctuated by rites, which celebrate the stages of growth and conversion.

The Church of Visitation witnessed the Rite of Acceptance into the Catechumenate, first of these rites last weekend, November 28 (English and BM sections) and 29 (Tamil and Mandarin Sections). This rite marks an important transition from the period of inquiry/precatechumenate to the period of the catechumenate. Prior to this rite, the candidates were called Inquirers. Subsequently, they are officially known as Catechumens, candidates for baptism.

Catechists and RCIA Facilitators Commissioned

September 13 - Today, our parish celebrated Catechetical Sunday with the Rite of Commissioning of our team of Catechists and RCIA Facilitators. We are truly thankful for these dedicated faith sharers and for the sacrifices they've made to be part of the Church's mission and ministry in imparting or "handing down" the living faith of the church to our children and new members. May God continue to guide them and bless them.

Prayer of the Catechists/ RCIA Facilitator

God of all ages,
You send out your Spirit to touch the hearts of people
So that they may believe in you and in Jesus, whom you sent.

Look kindly on all the children and catechumens you entrust to us
As they listen to your voice open their hearts to your Spirit
And bring to fulfillment the good work you have begun in them.

As I reach out to guide, teach and welcome
Our children and new members into the church,
Make me an instrument of your love.
Teach me to reverence what is holy in others,
And to be patient with what I do not understand.
Deepen my faith in the gospel and in the Church’s teachings
And help me to pass it on by word and example.
To those who are hesitant or afraid, let me offer encouragement
For those who are weak, let me be a source of strength.

I humbly accept the ministry of Catechist/ RCIA facilitator
And pray that you will continue to guide me and sustain me.
I praise you through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Sit, Stand and Kneel - But Why?

Ever wonder why Catholics sit,stand and kneel so much in the Mass? Well, watch this video from "That Catholic Show"

Rite of Christian Initation of Adults (R.C.I.A.)

WHAT IS THE RCIA?

The RCIA is the process through which adults are fully initiated into the Catholic faith community. The RCIA was restored to the Church by the Second Vatican Council as the normal process of initiation into the Catholic Church.

Involvement of the Whole Parish Community

One of the distinctive features of the RCIA which sets it apart from other religious education and formation programme is that the entire parish community must take responsibility for the formation of adults who wish to join the community. This is based on the principle that we become a member of a community by truly experiencing the life, the self-understanding, and the activities of the community itself.

This essential factor in the journey of faith calls forth the gifts and talents of the community. The community is called to be a ‘ministering’ community. It is exercised through hospitality, faith sharing, catechesis, prayer support, sponsorship etc. The challenge of mission is extended to the entire parish community, for to live and act as disciples witnesses of the risen Christ applies equally to all, and calls all to mission.

Process not a Programme

Most inquirers and even Catholics are shocked to learn it takes months before one can receive the Sacraments of Initation (Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist). Why does it take so long? Perhaps, this is the wrong question to ask.

It is important to remember that the RCIA process must always be seen as a process, not a programme. The call to journey, the conversion experience, comes in the Lord’s way and time. We share, but we do not attempt to convert – that is the Lord’s doing. We respond and help others hear and respond to the call, but we remember always that it is the Lord’s call.Therefore, growth in the Spirit, conversion and transformation is a life-long process. It is not something which can be completed in any single programme, not even one which may take almost a year to finish.

As a process, the journey of faith is divided into four periods:

Precatechumenate: a time of initial questions and shared life stories.


Catechumenate: a time of faith formation


Election: a time of strengthening and healing through prayerful reflection on the Word of God during the great community retreat – Lent


Mystagogia: a time of deepening baptismal commitment supported by ministry and flowing into mission.