Becoming Catholic | RCIA
Rite of Christian Initiation - RCIA (Becoming Catholic)
Are you seeking answers to your questions about the Catholic faith?
Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA), which originated in the early Christian Church, is a dynamic process in which a person comes to know and follow Our Lord Jesus in the Catholic Church. Our Lord invites a person to follow Him in many different ways. The invitation may come through a friend, a neighbor, a spouse, a child, or even a stranger! This gift of faith is nourished and celebrated within the local parish community. You may have attended a Sunday Mass when we celebrated the Rite of Acceptance.
At this Liturgy, the “Inquirer” now desires to begin the 2nd stage of the journey called the Catechumenate (for the un-baptized Adult). In this period the catechumen (un-baptized) and candidates (baptized in another faith) begin to participate in community activities, prayer liturgies, and deepening of their relationship with God. It is a period of personal growth in faith and knowledge. You may recall that following the homily at the Sunday Mass, the Catechumen is dismissed to go and study the WORD. They do not participate in the Liturgy of the Eucharist since they are not yet a member of the faith community. This time for the Catechumenate is open-ended, with no pressures to become Baptized in the Faith.
When the Catechumen/Candidate is ready, the 3rd stage begins the Rite of Election/or Rite of Sending. The Catechumen/Candidates are sent to the Bishop at the Cathedral and they profess their faith and desire for the Sacraments. In the following weeks, we celebrate the Scrutinies, a time of intense prayer, personal examination of conscience, looking deeper into the heart, and turning away from the sinfulness of the past. The Easter Vigil is the night of their Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist, the most glorious night of our Christian Faith! We then continue our journey in 4th stage called Mystagogy. The newly baptized (Neophytes… newborn) continue “breaking open the mystery of God’s gifts” until the following Easter.
This is actually just a “nutshell” of what the faith journey is like. This time together is one of Q/A, community celebrations, and service, of growing in faith and personal conversions, of transformation through prayers, and of growing in our community. RCIA is for the Un-baptized Adult or the adult baptized in another Christian faith who desires to be in full communion with the Catholic Church.
This is a Parish Community Process; every parishioner is involved in welcome, formation, hospitality, prayer, and witness.
Join us on Wednesday evenings at 7:00 pm in the Parish Center Office.
RCIA Adapted for Children meets every Tuesday, at 7:00 PM in the Parish Center Office.
Are you baptized Catholic over 18 years of age and need to complete the Sacrament of Confirmation?
There is also a process for adults seeking the Sacrament of Confirmation.
For more information, contact:
Contact Sr. Sharon Richards
818-349-2836 | aff@ollnr.org