Becoming Catholic: 
Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA)

 

 

RCIA sessions begin in the Fall, preparing for receiving the Sacraments during the Easter season, and culminating at Pentecost.  If you've missed the early sessions, please contact us about the possibility of joining the program in-progress.

 

What’s YOUR story?

  • "I’m married with a couple of great kids; I have a job I enjoy and a nice home. . .but I  feel as though something is missing from my life.”
  • “I was baptized Catholic and even went to a Catholic grade school, but I got away from my faith in high school and wasn’t confirmed – and I’ve not been back since.  But I think I might want to.”
  • “I enjoy being involved in activities with other people who have direction in their life.  I thought I was one of those people, too. . .but lately, I’m wondering if this is all there is.”
  • “I attended church with my grandmother as a child, but I haven’t participated in any kind of religious activity since then.  I’m wondering if I can recapture some of that childhood joy.”

We all have questions, but few find easy answers.  Jesus simply says:  “Come, follow me.”  We extend this same invitation to you.  As you come to know us, you will discover that although Jesus didn’t offer any easy answers, he did give his followers a framework for living and loving the questions.  The Catholic Church is a community of believers who try to live the values He espoused in a world that often regards those values as absurd. 

Although you might consider the questions you have now your heaviest burden, they actually are your greatest resource! 

We welcome you and your questions.

The Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA) is the process established for the universal Church for individuals to become Catholic and receive the sacraments of initiation:  baptism, confirmation, and the Eucharist.   This journey takes place through a series of weekly classes offering instruction in the Catholic faith and an opportunity to develop a relationship with Jesus Christ and the church he founded. 

The course is based upon the United States Catholic Catechism for Adults and the Association for Catechumenal Ministry RCIA guidelines, and is divided into four sessions:  What We Believe (The Creed), How We Worship (The Sacraments), How We Live (The Commandments), and How We Pray (The Our Father). 

RCIA prepares inquirers for the Sacraments of Initiation and reception into full communion with the Catholic Church, and it also serves as a refresher course for Catholic adults who desire to go deeper into their own faith.  Inquirers attend weekly; parishioners may come and go throughout the year as their interest/schedule permits.  

Contact:  Rob Rodgers, 740-453-3301 ext. 125