Q: In our OCIA we are engaging children of all ages, but my main question concern several families who fall into a specific category: those are the families who have elementary aged children in need of various sacraments. To best serve those families, especially the ones with multiple children over the age of 7 but young enough that the Easter Vigil might be overwhelming, we have been looking to the OCIA provisions for children who have reached catechetical age.
#26 of the General Instruction provides for a pastoral decision to celebrate preparation and initiation rites outside of Lent and Vigil/Easter Day as long as the sequence of the order is maintained…. and we would like to make plans do so for our families who have younger children in need of all the initiation sacraments.
We do need to request the bishop’s permission, but I’m hoping you can offer some guidance on timing for us so we can include complete details in our request to our Bishop.
As we are planning, would it be acceptable to schedule the Mass with Sacraments of Initiation on a Sunday during Lent, or should we plan to schedule that Mass during the Easter season?
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A: Please look at OCIA 26, 27, 29, 30, 34 #2, and 331. Notice that EVERYTHING gets moved—not just initiation. They need a rite of election and scrutinies. For children, the scrutinies may be reduced to one.
I’d recommend bring them to the diocesan Rite of Election and schedule initiation not during Lent but during Easter Time—if they can’t do it at the Vigil.
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