WHEN is RCIA?
Starting Soon for 2021
WHAT IS RCIA?
The Rite 'of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) is a process by which adults are initiated into our Roman Catholic community. In this process men and women are guided and cared for by the community as they awaken in faith and are gradually introduced to the Catholic way of life. It includes a series of carefully planned stages, marked by liturgical rites in the presence of the whole community. The process is about a relationship over time with both God and with the Catholic community. It is the Church's method of a faith journey of conversion.
The RCIA draws its model from the Catechumenate of the ancient Church. Becoming Christian in the early days of the Church involved a sharp' break with the surrounding culture. New Christians entered into the joy of new life and a life sharing community of faith, but also entered into a way of living which demanded deep commitment and entailed great risks. In the modern world our faith also demands deep commitment - our beliefs and the beliefs of our society are often in tension. The Church revived the Catechumenate - embodied in the RCIA - be cause new believers in the modern world need careful preparation and caring support as they enter into the mysteries of Christ and the commitment of Christian living.
THE RCIA PROCESS
The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) is the process of discerning and ritualizing stages of gradual conversion leading up to full initiation into the Catholic Faith. This RCIA conversion process consists of four periods and at the end of the first three periods a liturgical rite is celebrated to mark the transition from one stage to the next.
The last stage of the process (Mystagogia) that follows reception of all the Sacraments of Initiation does not have a concluding rite, as the process of learning the fully lived out Catholic Faith continues for our entire lifetime
The general time frame and what we do in each period is listed below. However, strictly speaking, conversion takes place on God's time, not ours, so individual needs and feelings are taken into consideration in this process.
THE RCIA CONVERSION PROCESS
PRECATECHUMENATE OF INQUIRY PERIOD:
Sharing stories about the Catholic Faith
Answering questions about why Catholics do the things they do
Proclaiming the message of salvation through the Words and Catechesis
Introduction into parish life
Building trust
THE CATECHUMENATE PERIOD
Catechesis based on Scripture and a systematic presentation of the Catholic Faith Living in the life of the Catholic community - participating in Church activities
Prayer and worship
Introduction to the apostolic life
THE PERIOD OF PURIFICATION AND ENLIGHTENMENT
Continued Catechesis
A time of recollection
Final preparation for the sacraments of initiation
Celebration of Lenten Rites
MYSTAGOGIA
A time for the newly initiated and the community to move forward toward a closer relationship with God and each other; a time to deepen our understanding of God's word, the sacraments and the lived Christian life.
WHY SHOULD I PARTICIPATE IN RCIA?
You are curious about the Catholic faith and want to know more
You have been away from the sacraments and would like to come back
You want to deepen you faith by rediscovering it as an adult and possibly help
others at the same time
Your spouse is Catholic and you would like to better understand the faith
You seek the optimism and peace of your Catholic friends
You feel called to help others know Christ better
You recognize a void in your life and you would like to see if God can fill it
You have been coming to Mass for a while and want to look deeper into the
Catholic faith
You have investigated other philosophies of life but did not feel "at home"
RCIA - INQUIRERS AND SPONSORS
WHAT WE DO: The RCIA ministry guides the process by which adults are initiated into our Roman Catholic community.
WHOM DO WE SERVE: All those who desire to know more about becoming a fully initiated Catholic; RCIA is for those who are unbaptized, baptized in another faith tradition, or baptized Catholic but not yet confirmed. RCIA is also for helping adult Catholics that have been away from the Church to reconnect with their faith tradition
TIME COMMITMENT: Attend weekly sessions and applicable liturgical rites from
mid-September to Holy Saturday. The inquiry period of
RCIA for those considering becoming Catholic is from mid-
September to mid-November
REGISTRATION TIME IS THE FIRST AND SECOND SUNDAY OF AUGUST
Contact:
Director of Religious Education
Louise Browne
944-5466