RCIA/Adult Education

I have questions about the Catholic Church. I am thinking of becoming a Catholic. Where do I go?

The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) is a communal process of spiritual and educational formation for adults who seek to become full members of the Roman Catholic Church through a conversion of mind and heart. The process is open to all persons, regardless of religious background or philosophical persuasion, who genuinely seek, by God’s grace, to live their lives in the distinctive Catholic Christian faith.

The RCIA, (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults), is a process through which non-baptized men and women enter the Catholic Church. It includes several stages marked by study, prayer and rites at Mass. Participants in the RCIA are known as catechumens. They undergo a process of conversion as they study the Gospel, profess faith in Jesus and the Catholic Church, and receive the sacraments of baptism, confirmation and Holy Eucharist. The RCIA process follows the ancient practice of the Church and was restored by the Second Vatican Council as the normal way adults prepare for baptism.

What is meant when people refer to men and women
coming into “full communion with the Church”?

Coming into full communion with the Catholic Church describes the process for entrance into the Catholic Church for men and women who are baptized Christians but not Roman Catholics. These individuals make a profession of faith, celebrate Confirmation and Eucharist, but they are not baptized again.

To prepare for this reception, the people, who are called “candidates,” participate in the RCIA formation program to help them understand and experience the specific teachings and practices of the Catholic Church.

What if I was Baptized and received Communion but was never Confirmed?

Often times adults have received the sacraments of baptism and Eucharist but have not been confirmed in the Roman Catholic faith. RCIA is also the program for you. As a confirmation candidate you will be a part of the RCIA class for a shorter duration. Once a year, in the winter, the bishop confers the sacrament of Confirmation at a special Liturgy for those ages 18 and over at the Cathedral of Christ the Light.

This sounds interesting, how do I sign up?

To receive more information, dates, times, and/or to enroll contact the Parish Office.