Home |
RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults)
We love inquiring souls…Are you interested in the Catholic Faith or do you know someone who has questions? We invite you to INQUIRE! It’s real simple…just call or e-mail and we will be glad to answer your questions.
Our Lady of the Hills R.C.I.A. Program Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults
Or Time, Location and other information
The Four Steps of the RCIA Process Overview The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults or RCIA is the typical way that adults join the Roman Catholic Church. It is the Church’s way of ministering sensitively to those who seek to become full and active members. The usual length of this process at Our Lady of the Hills (OLH) is about a year. Because this is a lifetime commitment, some need more time to prepare. RCIA is not just a “convert” class. At times the RCIA process includes the entire Parish. There are times in the RCIA process where there are rites that are celebrated during Sunday Mass. During the year, the entire parish will be reminded to pray for those in RCIA, especially as the Church enters Lent. Some in the parish will become sponsors and directly support those coming in the church. In the early Church the focus of bringing people into the Church was on Baptism. Baptism is only part of RCIA. The goal is not only to receive the Sacraments (Baptism, Confirmation and First Communion), but to understand the teachings of the Church so that the person will take part in the life of Church with full, conscious and active participation. In addition, RCIA assists adults to grow in their relationship with God. Those in RCIA, through their sponsors, get acquainted not only with Catholic teachings but the people in the Parish. Many become very involved with service within the community. Not everyone in RCIA will require baptism. Many of the people in RCIA come in already Baptized in another faith expression. They will not be re-baptized. However, they will receive all the other Sacraments of Initiation: Confirmation and Communion. Others in RCIA were baptized in the Catholic faith, but did not receive one or both of the other Sacraments of Initiation: First Eucharist and/or Confirmation.
The Journey of Faith BEGINS WITH QUESTIONS---Your Questions
How does faith grow? What do Catholics believe? Why is the Catholic Church different from other faith traditions? How different is it REALLY? Classes for the Christian Initiation of Adults are available for anyone who wants to learn more about the Catholic faith. The RCIA Process begins with an “Inquiry” period, when questions lead to exploration. The First Step: Inquiry Parts of the “inquiry step” doesn’t take place in RCIA at all! Often a person---we’ll call them an inquirer” will think about this for quite a while before making that first step and making a call to a Catholic Parish in a formal inquiry. For many years they may have been talking to a Catholic coworker, a Catholic Spouse or friend; or even attending Mass. Informally this can go on for years! However, one day they make the call and are told when the classes will begin. In the inquiry phase basic information about Christianity and Catholic beliefs are discussed. At OLH this class begins in early June and ends in early August. Should someone want to enter RCIA after the inquiry classes are over, Father is consulted. During the summer, the inquirers are encouraged to find sponsors. They can find their own or ask the RCIA team to help find one for them. Sponsors provide support and companionship for the duration of the RCIA Process. The period of inquiry ends with the Rite of Welcome (also known as the Rite of Acceptance).
The Rite of Welcome takes place in August. In this rite the Church symbolically claims these men and women for Christ by signing them with the Cross. This is the first time that the inquirers publically declare their faith. After this rite those that are unbaptized will be called “Catechumens”. Those who have been baptized are called “Candidates”. Both of these terms indicate that the class is learning the teachings of the Catholic Church and beginning to understand and accept Catholic practices. At this point they are encouraged (if not already doing so) to attend Mass weekly. Even though they have not yet received the sacraments, the Catechumens enjoy important rights. They have a right to assistance as they grow in the faith by learning about the teachings of the Church and participating in the works of service in the community. They also have the right to be married in the Church and to receive Christian Burial. The time spent in this period will vary from person to person. This is a time of preparation and will not be accelerated by anyone putting pressure on a Candidate or Catechumen to come into the Church this year. However, as Lent approaches, the RCIA Team and sponsors will help the Catechumen or Candidate discern whether they are ready to take the next step. This period of Catechumens ends with the Rite of Election.
The Third Step: The Rite of Election and the Period of Purification and Enlightenment
The period of the Catechumen ends with the Rite of Election. In our Diocese (the Diocese of Charleston, SC) this takes place just after Ash Wednesday—on the first Saturday of Lent. Because this includes all of those in RCIA in the Midlands, this will probably be held at another Catholic Church in the area. This Rite takes place when the Catechumens and Candidates discern, with the help of their Sponsors and the RCIA Team, that God is calling them to receive the Sacraments. However, before they can do this, they must be officially CALLED to the Sacraments by the Bishop---or in our case---a Priest designated by the Bishop to do so. This priest in the name of the Diocese declares approval of the Catechumens and Candidates. During the celebration the Catechumens sign their name in the Book of the Elect. The Candidates will also sign in another book to declare their intention to proceed. The Rite of Election is the sign post of the next step on your faith journey. Based on the testimony of Sponsors and the RCIA Team, and the Catechumen’s acknowledgement that they are ready to continue, the Church declares their state of readiness to enter the final period in their faith journey. They get a new name, too. They are no longer Catechumens but are now called the ELECT. PURIFICATION AND ENLIGHTENMENT The Elect and the Candidates now enter into the Period of Purification and Enlightenment. This is the preparation for the Sacraments. The faith journey intensifies as the initial commitment becomes a call to a deeper commitment to conversion to the Catholic Faith. Lent, for an entire Parish, is to be a life changing period of time. And during this period of time the Elect are remembered in prayers. AT OLH, their pictures are posted and short biographies are posted as a reminder to the Parish to pray for RCIA Candidates. The Sponsors continue to accompany the elect in the Church and support them in their Lenten preparations. The aim of this period of Lent for entire Parish is to eliminate that which keeps us from God---that which is weak and sinful and to affirm what is holy. For the Candidate and Catechumens this period is marked by:
Ø Times of Recollection and Prayer Ø Celebration of Lenten Rites Ø Final preparation for the Sacraments of Initiation Ø The RCIA Lenten Retreat
During this period of Purification and Enlightenment, there are also formal rites that are celebrated during Mass. These are called the “Scrutinies”. Unlike what the name suggests, it IS NOT a public scrutiny of those coming into the Church, but the formal handing to the Candidate teaching of the Church including the Creed and the Lord’s Prayer. So it is more that the Candidates scrutinize the teachings of the Church to determine if they are ready to receive the Sacraments. The community prays for and with the Candidates during these rituals, reminding us all that we all still need God’s saving power and mercy in the process of ongoing conversion. Throughout this entire period there is never the pressure to go forward if there are doubts. This period of time ends with the Lenten Retreat on the Saturday of Palm Sunday weekend. Palm Sunday begins HOLY WEEK.
The Fourth Step: Initiation and Mystogogia
The Easter Fire A Baptism during the Easter Vigil The Easter Vigil begins with the new fire-signifying the light of Christ into the world. It continues with a Mass which includes the reception of those in the RCIA program through the Sacraments of initiation: Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist. Mystagogia--Once the Sacraments are received, the Candidates and Catechumens are given a new name. They are called NEOPHYTES and they are still called to class! The time between Easter and Pentecost is special for these new members of the Church. This time of unfolding and discovering the meaning of what they have received from the Sacraments is called Mystogogia (Mist-a-Go-gia). At OLH, these are informal meetings with a potluck dinner and time for questions and discussion. During this season the Neophytes are encouraged to go to a Mass in Charleston specifically for them. It is called the Mass of the Neophytes and is celebrated by the Bishop. The journey of faith lasts a lifetime, but these weeks after Easter are a time to discover the parish as a whole and the ministries and services which are done in the name of Jesus. As part of imitating what Christ did on Earth, service is part of our duty as a Christian and everyone will be encouraged to find what God is calling them to do.
FAQS:
Will there be pressure on me to join the Church if I attend the Inquiry Classes or go forward through the process? Not at all. This entire journey is a discovery of where God is calling you. The purpose of every portion of the RCIA process is to provide information, experiences and teaching so that you have the information and time to discern God’s call. Worship with us; explore our beliefs and practices; spend time with scripture to discover where these teachings come from--spend a year of your life among us and then decide. What if I just want to learn about the Catholic Church without joining? We welcome you! We love it when someone wants to understand what being a Catholic is about. This is very important when you are raising children in the Faith. It really helps to understand what a First Communion or Confirmation means. It will also help you answer you children’s questions. If you are marrying a Catholic it will help you understand their commitment to the Church and to the Mass. Why does it have to take so long and be so public with all the rites and ceremonies? Although the decision to become Catholic is a private and deeply personal choice, it also has a community dimension. Catholics believe that we encounter the Risen Christ in the community of believers, in the Word of God, and in the Sacraments—especially in the Eucharist (Communion). We live our faith within the world and within our community. Baptism and Confirmation invest us with bringing the Mission of Christ to the World. Those that stand before us during these rites are a witness that the Church is indeed doing its work. It is also a reminder to all that ALL are involved in bringing others to Christ. The presence of those coming into the Church within our midst is a time of Joy and Thanksgiving for everyone in the Parish. As for the length of time---this is an important decision and it cannot be rushed. That’s why there is no pressure to go ahead and come in THIS year. It is not unusual for those who have gone through the process to realize years later at what an impact this has had on their life. (TOP) What about my children? If I become Catholic, can they also join? Of course! If neither parent is a practicing Catholic, we defer the Baptism of Children until the Easter Vigil. Infants and young children do not require additional preparation as they will grow in the Faith just as any other person baptized as a young child. School-aged children or teens will have special instruction. The older the young person is, the more that they will participate in the decision to become Catholic. What if I don’t join in June the Inquiry Class and find out about RCIA much later—can I go ahead and come to class and join the Church. It depends on several things and these are best worked out with your Pastor and the RCIA team. There are also sometimes special situations which can lengthen the process. Sometimes people want the time to study and discern as to whether they are being called to join the Catholic Church. There is no timeline involved in this. So how do I get started? Call the Church Office 772-7400 or Deacon Burdick 798-8296 or email us at envchemist@gmail.com
Teachers
Deacon Steve Burdick/ Nydia Burdick/ Debbie Heizer/Mark Gray
Jeannie Butler Eric Longshore
Marsha Sansonetti
We use the US Catholic Catechism for Adults as a textbook and the Catholic Answer Bible.
These can be checked out from the RCIA Library or purchased from the St. Frances Catholic Shop located on St Andrews Rd about 1 mile from the Church.
http://www.stfrancisshop.com/home.html
Service is the lifeblood of every Parish. Volunteers at Our Lady of the Hills are responsible for setting up the Altar for Mass and cleaning the Church. Volunteers serve as ushers; help distribute communion; sing in the choirs; collect money and food and distribute it to the poor; visit the homebound and those in nursing homes; and visit those who are sick in the Hospital. Volunteers teach the Children the Faith; visit the prisons; take food to elderly and bring them to Church. Volunteers have turned the grounds surrounding the Church into a garden. Our youth are asked to give service throughout their time in religious education, but especially when they enter preparation for Confirmation. Those in RCIA are also preparing for the Sacraments, so helping others and the Church is part of the journey. During your time in the RCIA, there will be service projects in which we as a class will participate. What are the advantages of this for you? First of all, service is an essential part of being a Christian, and of course, there is that good feeling that everyone gets when they help someone else. However through service you will get to meet others in the Parish. When the RCIA process is complete, you may miss it BUT you have a whole community around you!!!
Are you being called into the Catholic Church? No one can answer that question for you. You can only answer this question with study along with time to reflect and pray. So we invite you to come to class and begin to discern where God is leading you. God Bless you!
Deacon Steve, Nydia, Mark, Debbie, Jeannie, Eric and Marsha Time, Location, and other information
RCIA meets in the Atrium of the Family Life Center on Wednesdays at 6:30 PM The Inquiry Step of the Process begins on May 26th and runs through the summer. The Second Step, the Catechumen phase, begins in late August.
You will have an interview conducted by a member of the RCIA Team shortly after you begin attending class. The questions we ask will be kept completely private, but allow us to know a little more about you and to determine your needs in terms of your faith journey. This interview will include questions about your marriage or planned marriage; baptism, religious experience and so on.
For more information call Deacon Burdick at 798-8296 or email envchemist@gmail.com
|
©2003 All rights reserved. This site is maintained by Our Lady of the Hills. If you have any questions about this site please contact Webmaster.
