One of the greatest sources of renewal and new life in the Catholic Church over the past fifty years has been the revival of the Rites of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA).

The Second Vatican Council called for a restoration of the ancient process of welcoming new members into the Church family through stages of initiation in preparation for reception of the Sacraments of Initiation: Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist.

Anyone who is interested in learning more about the Catholic Church and its teachings and traditions is welcome to be part of our RCIA program.

• Those who have never been baptized in a Christian Church.
• Those baptized in a Christian church other than the Roman Catholic Church
• Roman Catholics who have had little formation or education in their faith and want to know more and become more fully integrated into our faith community.

The RCIA process has several distinct stages.

• Inquiry: the initial period before you decide to enter the Catholic Church. You're asking questions and checking it out, but aren't yet ready to commit. You are always free to say, "Not for me!" or "I'd like to know more, but..."
• Catechumenate: those who decide to enter the Church and are being trained for a life in Christ are called catechumens, an ancient name from the early Church. In this stage, you're developing your faith and are being "catechized" — learning the teachings and traditions of the Church as well as developing in your life of prayer both personal and with the community,
• Purification and preparation: The Church will help you focus and intensify your faith as you prepare you to commit your life to Christ and be received into the Church at Easter. If you're following the RCIA process, you'll go through a beautiful series of Gospel-based meditations during Lent, which is the time frame of this period.
• Initiation itself, the culmination of the whole process! You're received into the Church during the Easter Vigil Mass, where you'll receive the sacraments of initiation: baptism, confirmation, and Eucharist. (If you've already been baptized, you won't be baptized again but will make a profession of faith.)
• Mystagogy: after reception into the Church at Easter, this period lets you reflect and learn more about the mysteries of the Mass and the Sacraments that you now participate in fully.

Along with the weekly classes, there are several important rites that take place in church with the whole community. They mark important passages in the RCIA process.

• Rite of Acceptance into the Order of Catechumens: When the Inquiry or Pre-Catechumenate period comes to a conclusion and the person is ready to proceed towards full initiation into the Church, there is a special rite held usually on the First Sunday of Advent to formally welcome him or her into the Church family as Catechumens.
• Rite of Election or Enrollment: Following the Catechumenate period, usually held near the beginning of the Lenten season and often at the Cathedral church of the diocese with the local bishop presiding, catechumens who wish to proceed to full initiation into the Church at Easter are formally enrolled and thereafter called "The Elect", which means they have been chosen by the Church to proceed towards Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist.
• The Scrutinies: throughout much of the Lenten season, special rites of purification take place at the Sunday liturgies. The community intensely prays for the Elect that they might be free of every evil and fully purified in spirit for the coming sacraments.
• The Presentations: during this same period, the Elect are presented with important elements of our faith, the Creed and the Lord's Prayer.
• The Sacraments of Initiation: They are celebrated at the Easter Vigil following the lengthy and beautiful Liturgy of the Word. The Elect are baptized (or make a profession of faith if already baptized), Confirmed, and come forward to the Lord's Table for the first time to share in his Body and Blood in Holy Communion.

If you woud like to know more about our Catholic faith and explore the possibility of becoming a member of our family in Jesus Christ, please contact Father Vic, our pastor, or our Director of RCIA, Brian Ernst.