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WHAT IS RCIA?


Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults

WHAT DOES THIS INITIATION MEAN?

  1. Goal: To welcome new members into the Catholic Church
  2. Means: The three Sacraments of Initiation
    • Baptism: Doorway to the new life in Christ
    • Confirmation: Reinforcement/completion of the grace of Baptism
    • Eucharist: Nourishment with the Body of Christ to develop/renew our spiritual life
  3. Groups whom RCIA is designed to serve include: Those who are not baptized, those baptized in the Catholic Church but who have not received Confirmation and the Eucharist, and baptized non-Catholics.

AT WHAT STAGE CAN A CANDIDATE ENTER THE RCIA PROCESS?


Any stage

WHAT ARE SOME KEY ASPECTS OF THE RCIA PROGRAM?

  1. Process: Developing one's relationship with God, being changed/renewed by this relationship
  2. Community Involvement:
    • Community appoints a team from its ranks to facilitate the process
    • Community checks in at certain points in the process to invite candidates to the next stage and to remind them of the goal
  3. Multi-dimensional Formation
    • Instruction in teachings, traditions, and customs of Catholicism; E.g. Weekly catechesis
    • Changing the heart, becoming more intimate with Jesus Christ (Personal/spiritual);
      E.g. Retreat, service activities, reflections.

WHAT ARE THE STEPS IN THE RCIA PROCESS?


There are four periods in the process, and three celebrations that mark the attainment of each milestone on the journey (four periods, with liturgical celebrations as the dividing lines between periods)
  1. Period #1: Pre-catechumenate: Initial questions, hearing about God, beginnings of faith
  2. Celebration: Rite of Acceptance: Candidates indicate intention, and community invites them, to begin formal preparation for the Sacraments of Initiation
  3. Period #2: Catechumenate: Initial period of formation
    • Learning about content of our faith
    • Deepening relationship with God through prayer, rites, good works
  4. Celebration: Rite of Election: Candidates express their desire, and community recognizes their readiness, to receive the Sacraments of Initiation (First Sunday of Lent)
  5. Period #3: Purification and Enlightenment: Final, more intense period of formation (Lent)
  6. Celebration: Sacraments of Initiation at the Easter Vigil
  7. Period #4: Mystagogy: Post-initiation formation
    • Deepen relationship with God and understanding of mysteries received
    • Participation in community life, esp the Eucharist and works of charity
    • Lasts through Easter season & beyond (rest of our lives)

WHAT IS THE ROLE OF THE RCIA TEAM?


  1. To invite candidates into the process
  2. To share the faith
    • Discuss the content of our faith (i.e. what the faith of the community is) at weekly classes
    • Create opportunities for a developing/ deepening of the candidates' relationship with God. Try to convey a sense of what it means to be a member of the Body of Christ (retreats, service projects, sharing faith experiences).
  3. To attest to the readiness of the candidates for the Sacraments of Initiation

RCIA TEAM MEMBERS


The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) is a process whose basic goal is to welcome new members into the Church, the Mystical Body of Christ. One becomes a full member of the Church by receiving the three Sacraments of Initiation: Baptism, Confirmation, and the Eucharist. By the reception of these sacraments, one is re-formed in Christ's image. Our parish RCIA team has the privilege and responsibility of helping our RCIA candidates to prepare for these sacraments.

There are two fundamental components of this preparation. The first is educational. This aspect of the preparation requires that RCIA team members and catechists recruited from the parish instruct the candidates in the truths of the Trinitarian faith that the Church professes. This is done at weekly class meetings that extend from September through May. The objective is that the candidates come to an understanding of:
  1. The content of the faith (what we believe)
  2. The way we celebrate this faith in our sacramental liturgy
  3. The way we live this faith by conforming our behavior to the moral teaching of the Gospel
  4. The way we express this faith in our personal and communal prayer.

The second element of the preparation involves a personal conversion, or "changing of the heart". This conversion can only take place by the grace of the Holy Spirit. This grace prompts each candidate to open his/her heart to God's infinite love. This aspect of the preparation requires that the RCIA team provide the candidates with various opportunities for personal encounters with God. These include retreats, communal prayer services, sharing of personal faith experiences, and service activities.

In summary, the RCIA ministry is designed to help each candidate to know God better and to deepen his/her personal relationship with Him so that he/she will be prepared to begin a new life in Christ.

RCIA PARISH SPONSORS


One of the RCIA program requirements is that each candidate must have a sponsor. Here at St. Bart's, the sponsors are recruited from the ranks of the parish. The sponsors typically come to all of our RCIA functions and "walk with" the candidates through the various steps of the RCIA journey.

CONTACT INFORMATION


If you are a practicing Catholic and you think you might like to take part in the rewarding and important RCIA ministry, please call the parish office at 646-1613 to find out more about it.