The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults Ministry, or RCIA, welcomes and prepares adults for full participation in the sacramental life of the Church. Some people become a Catholic gradually. They were baptized as infants, grew up in Catholic homes, received a religious education, and gradually shared in the sacraments of the Church. Other Catholics came to the Church as adults, sometimes already baptized, sometimes having received a religious formation in another faith.
The Church wants to welcome all adults who are interested in the Catholic faith. For those who think they might wish to become Catholic, the Church's Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) provides for the whole process of preparing adults for initiation into the Catholic Church. It is often referred to as the "catechumenate".
In the stage of evangelization and inquiry there is no fixed duration or structure. This is a time when the contents of faith and the tradition of the Church are presented and questions are answered. It is a time for an introduction to gospel values and an opportunity for the beginnings of faith.
The period of Inquiry is a time for:
More importantly, it is a time for:
We read the Sunday Gospel for the week and discuss what it means to us in our lives.
We also discuss topics such as:
Through this time the individual, now welcomed into the faith begins the process of conversion - learning more about Catholic belief and his or her responsibility to God’s call.
The period of study (Catechumenate) is a time for:
More importantly, it is a time for:
We continue to read the Sunday Gospel for the week and discuss what it means to us in our lives. We also discuss topics such as:
This time immediately precedes the Elect’s initiation. It is a time of reflection – intensely centered on conversion and on preparation for the rites on Holy Saturday.
The period of purification and enlightenment is a time for:
We continue to read the Sunday Gospel for the week and discuss what it means to us in our lives. We also learn about:
Now, through the Easter Season and beyond the newly initiated experience being full members of the Christian community by means of mystagogy, participation in parish ministry and sharing the Sunday Eucharistic celebrations.
The period of mystagogia is a time for:
We also discuss:
We read the Sunday Gospel for the 8 weeks of the Easter season, including Pentecost, and discuss what it means to us in our lives.