During the period of the mid-20th century, the Roman Catholic Church recognized that adult converts were growing in numbers. The SecondVatican Council thus called for the restoration of all the rites of the catechumenate which had been approved in the practice of the early Church, in order that that mature Christians could be instructed andnconstantly nurtured. (Sacrosanctum Concilium , No. 64-70) The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) thus was born.

In the RCIA, there are three periods of preparation for the Sacraments of Initiation: the period of Evangelization and Precatechumenate; period of the Catechumenat; period of Purification and Enlightenment. Finally there is a period of Postbaptismal Catechesis or Mystagogy. The purposes and main rites of these 4 periods are as follows.

The first period, of Evangelization and Precatechumenate, is of great importance and should not be omitted. It is a time of evangelization: through the help and grace of God, an initial conversion to faith takes place: a conversion through which a person feels called away from sin and drawn into the mystery of God's love. The whole period of the precatechumenate is set aside for this evangelization, so that the genuine will to follow Christ and seek baptism may mature. (RCIA, 1972. No. 9-10)

The second period, the Catechumenate, is an extended period beginning with the "entrance into the order of catechumens." During this period the candidates are given pastoral formation and are trained by suitable discipline. In this way, the dispositions manifested at their entry into the catechumenate are brought to maturity. (RCIA, No. 14, 19)

The third period, Purification and Enlightenment, starts with the "election" or "enrollment of names" celebrated on the first Sunday of Lent. This begins a period of more intense spiritual preparation, which involves more interior reflection than catechetsis, and is intended to purify the minds and hearts of the elect as they search their own consciences and do penance. This period is intended as well to enlighten the minds and hearts of the elect with a deeper knowledge of Christ the Savior. This period customarily coincides with Lent. For both the elect and the local Christian community, this is the period for spiritual recollection in preparation for the celebration of the paschal mystery. During this period, three scrutinies are celebrated solemnly on Sundays. (RCIA, No. 22, 25) The sacraments of baptism, confirmation, and Eucharist, integrated into the Easter Vigil, are the summit of RCIA. However, many people are mistaken in thinking this summit is the end of RCIA.

The fourth period of RICA, Postbaptismal Catechesis or Mystagogy, Is the time, usually the Easter season, following the Celebration of Initiation, during which the newly initiated experience being fully a part of the Christian community by means of pertinent catechesis and particularly by participation with all the faithful in the Sunday Eucharistic celebration. The term "Mystagogy (neophytes)" suggests a fuller and more effective understanding of mysteries through the Gospel message they have learned and above all through their experience of the sacraments they have received. They then derive a new sense of the faith, the Church, and the world. (RCIA, No. 38)

Some characteristics of RCIA are worth taking greater note of: 1. It is a growth in faith for both the adult converters and the congregation of Christian communities. By partaking in RCIA, all members of the Church are nurtured and have opportunities to grow. Thus, RCIA is not something that happens in front of, but including, the pews; 2. RCIA and its liturgical rites should be consistent with the spirit and the rhythm of the Church's liturgical year; 3. The adult converts undergo a process of purification with the assistance of sacred rites during their catechumenate. Thus, well-designed rites and liturgies deserve attentions and care. In developing the Christian Initiation of Adults the Church has restored and prepared a wonderful catechumenate system for us, a system in concert with the rhythm and structure of Church's liturgical year. Now, even our Protestant brothers and sisters are paying more and more attentions to RCIA, and are willing to learn from it. We should tune in and pace ourselves with the rhythm of RCIA, to bring more converters home and to have more mature Christians.