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Dear Sarah,
Thanks for your questions,
Coming into the Church is not simply an intellectual ascent, but it takes
a living faith which would cause one to submit to Her judgments.
- For some,
it may take as much as the full 8 months to understand the material;
- others
it could take far less;
- still others could come into the Church having
grasped everything fully.
The period of
time serves as betrothal of sorts. The candidate patiently awaits to enter
into the household of faith with his fellow candidates. In this process,
(he or she) is being reminded that while the Church of Jesus Christ is
a Church of dogma, it is more over the Called Out
People of God. Unlike Evangelical Protestantism, Catholicism does
not take the me, my Bible, and Jesus approach. Rather, Salvation
is a family covenant. The RCIA program, if properly run, should foster
this sense of being part of the Body of Christ.
Your Pastor has a just concern that an early Baptism could cause scandal.
It could cause some candidates to view RCIA as only an academic program. Once you know the answers, you're ready to go.
That is like telling
a teenager, once he understands how all the plumbing works; he is ready
to go out and have sex. Spiritual Formation includes the virtues of humility
and patience. It includes the concept of sacrificing ones desire for immediate
gratification, for the good of ones fellow candidates.
If I were you, I would make this an opportunity to help those that aren't
as advanced as you are. Further, take this time to meditate, in a deeper
way, on the mysteries of our faith. By doing this, you will make the day
of your Baptism much more special and meaningful.
I hope this helps.
Under His Mercy,
John C. DiMascio
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