Need help navigating through Adult Initiation Rites
  • Our Vicar General, a bishop, is visiting on Advent 2 and will confer adult Baptism and Confirmation (OF) with the rite of Reception for one or more candidates. I have not had experience with the use of these rites apart from the Easter Vigil. Several questions arise which do not seem to be adequately addressed in the rubrics of the rites themselves or in the praenotanda. Most of these have to do with the fact that the setting for these rites is assumed to be the Easter Vigil, and few instructions are given as to what to do when they are celebrated at other times.

    1. The fact that this will take place on a Sunday of Advent suggests that the Mass of the Day be celebrated rather than the Ritual Mass for Baptism. Is this correct?
    2. Should the Litany of the Saints be sung kneeling (there is no instruction about this), since it is the custom to kneel for the Litany outside the Easter Season and this is what is prescribed in the ordination rites? Should the deacon sing/say "Let us kneel" before the Litany is sung?
    3. Do the texts for the acclamation after Baptism include the "Songs from Ancient Liturgies" in the appendix?
    4. Is the Renewal of Baptismal Promises for the candidates for reception and the people required, along with the sprinkling rite? In the rite of Reception alone, the Creed is said by all and then the required profession of faith by the candidates, but in the combined rite, everyone makes the public profession with the baptismal promises and then there is the sprinkling; yet this seems to be more related to the Easter Vigil and not necessarily integral to the rite of reception. The question is: if the renewal of promises is omitted, how do the candidates for reception make their profession, as the use of the Nicene Creed would seem to be redundant (it is contraindicated by the rubrics of Baptism)? Is the short formula "I believe and profess all that the holy Catholic Church believes..." sufficient?

    I would be very grateful if someone with liturgical expertise in these matters would respond.
  • *bump*
  • chonakchonak
    Posts: 9,215
    Lacking someone with real expertise in the matter, I'll offer what I can find in the books. I have a copy of The Rites (1976) and the Ceremonial of Bishops (1989).

    1. The Ceremonial of Bishops (#426, p. 140) indicates that the Mass of the day, with its readings, is used on Advent Sundays, even at celebrations of Baptism and Confirmation. This is because the Advent Sundays rank high in the Table of Liturgical Days.

    2. The text of the RCIA (#213) says that the candidates and godparents go to the font before the litany, and if there are many to be baptized, they may approach while the litany is being sung. They stand around it while not blocking the faithful's view of the font. Based on this description, I think the rite does not require kneeling during the litany.

    3. The acclamations after baptism do include the ancient liturgical hymn texts. The rite says it is "appropriate" to have the people sing an acclamation after each baptism.

    4. (I don't have any information to offer on the last question.)
    Thanked by 1Pedro d'Aquino