the catechumenate process is an old way of forming people in faith
Catechumenate
catechumenate
A Catechumen is a person preparing for Baptism. 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 within the ecclesial community. See the Catechism # 1248.
there are actually four steps and they are: evangilization, catechumenate, purification and enlightenment and mystagogy.
Elect
Mary Birmingham has written: 'Word and Worship Workbook for Year B' 'Year - Round Catechumenate'
RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults) is the modern name for the catechumenate and its surrounding processes, a catechetical system developed in the Early Church to prepare and initiate converts into the Church and largely structured by St. Augustine of Hippo in his De Catechizandis Rudibus. The catechumenate fell into disrepair during the Middle Ages as the Edict of Milan legalized Christianity and future emperors made it the official religion of the empire, which prompted mass conversions and led to a decreased need for such a system. Furthermore, the rise of Infant Baptism led to a fall in adult conversions, for which the catechumenate was established. These factors combined allowed the Christian culture of Europe to evangelize on its own, so that a non-Christian desiring to join the Church would already be very aware of the Church's teachings.The Second Vatican Council restored the Catechumenate in response to the needs of the modern world and the rise of secularism, which changed the culture from being an authentically Christian one that would automatically evangelize its citizens and renewed the need for a system and process of catechesis for non-Christian adults. In restoring the catechumenate under the RCIA, the Second Vatican Council responded to the real need of modern society.The RCIA is generally used for any adults seeking to join the Catholic Church, even though it is technically only for catechumens, who are non-Christians converting to Catholicism (non-Catholic Christians converting to Catholicism are known as "RCIA candidates").The catechumenate is a stage of the RCIA process and therefore the two are not technically identical, but the terms are usually used interchangeably. The RCIA consists of the Pre-Catechumenate (a basic, less formal stage of instruction and venue for inquiries about the faith), the Catechumenate (a formal stage of instruction), Purification and Enlightenment (a spiritual preparation before joining the Church, usually during Lent since most RCIA candidates are welcomed into the Church at Easter), and Mystagogy (a post-baptismal period of ongoing catechesis for new Catholics, who are called neophytes).
A catechumen is a non-Christian who is receiving religious instruction in preparation for the sacraments of initiation and membership in the Catholic Church. A non-Catholic Christian receiving the same instruction is called a "candidate"
Joseph V. Gallagher has written: 'A parish catechumenate' -- subject(s): Catholic, Christian education, Textbooks for adults 'Para Ser Catolico UN Catecismo Para Hoy'
William Harmless has written: 'Desert Christians' 'Augustine and the Catechumenate' -- subject(s): Catechumens, Catholic Church, Church history, History, Initiation rites, Religious aspects of Initiation rites
Since the Second Vatican Council, the Church has attempted to retrieve many aspects of the Catechumenate that had been lost or ignored for centuries, one of these is the Rite of Enrollment where Catechumens enrolled in RCIA meet with the Bishop and sign a book signalling their intent to enter into communion with the Catholic Church.
It is the first sentence of a paragraph which is the topic sentence.