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2011 RCIA Brochure

What is the RCIA?

 

The RCIA guides the process by which adults are initiated into our Roman Catholic community. The RCIA describes a process in which men and women are guided and cared for as they awaken in faith and are gradually introduced to the Catholic way of life.

 

The RCIA process is a series of carefully planned stages, marked by liturgical rites in the presence of the whole community, in which new Catholics embark on and join us in a continuing and deepening conversion into faith and discipleship.

 

The RCIA draws its model from the Catechumenate of the ancient Church. Becoming Christian in the early days of the Church involved a sharp break with the surrounding culture. New Christians entered into the joy of new life and a life-sharing community of faith, but also entered into a way of living which demanded deep commitment and entailed great risks. In the modern world, our faith also demands deep commitment — our beliefs and the beliefs of our society are often in tension. The Church revived the Catechumenate — embodied in the RCIA — because new believers in the modern world need careful preparation and caring support as they enter into the mysteries of Christ and the commitment of Christian living.

 

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The RCIA Process

 

The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) is the process of discerning and ritualizing stages of gradual conversion. Initiation of adults belongs to all the baptized. The process is about a relationship over time with both God and the Catholic community. It is the Church's method of a faith journey of conversion.

 

The process has no time-frame. Conversion occurs on God’s time; not our time. The RCIA conversion process consists of four periods. The amount of time spent in each phase is dependent on individual needs and feelings.

 

 

At the end of each period, a rite is celebrated to signify the continuation of the process until the sacraments of initiation are celebrated.

 

Note: Mystagogia has no ending rite as this process continues throughout life.

 

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The RCIA Conversion Process

 

The Precatechumenate:

 

The Period of the Precatechumenate:

 

The Period of Purification and Enlightenment:

 

Mystagogia:

A time for the newly initiated and the community to move forward toward a closer relationship with God and each other; a time to deepen our understanding of God’s word, the sacraments, and of the lived Christian life.

 

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WHY SHOULD I PARTICIPATE IN RCIA?
(Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults)

 

 

Reason 1:		You are curious about the Catholic faith and want to know more.
Reason 2:		You’ve been away from the sacraments and would like to come back.
Reason 3:		You want to deepen your faith by rediscovering it as an adult and possibly help others at the same time.
Reason 4:		Your spouse is Catholic and you’d like to better understand the faith.
Reason 5:		You seek the optimism and peace of your Catholic friends.
Reason 6:		You feel called to help others know Christ better.
Reason 7:		You recognize a void in your life and you’d like to see if God can fill it.
Reason 8:		You’ve been to the lake, the mountains and to Branson. You’re ready to try a spiritual journey.
Reason 9:		You’ve been coming to Mass for a while and want to look deeper into the Catholic faith.
Reason 10:		You have a great job. You are financially stable. Everyone says you have the perfect life. But something’s missing.
Reason 11:		Your life is a mess and you are out of ideas to improve it.
Reason 12:		You’ve investigated other philosophies of life but didn’t feel “at home.”

 

 

 

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