RCIA - Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the RCIA process for:
Unbaptized
The process prepares you to enter into the Catholic Church by celebrating what are called the Sacraments of Christian Initiation: Baptism, Confirmation, and the Eucharist (or Holy Communion). This process/journey happens in community with others. The community of believers helps those adults - called catechumens- who freely and consxiously seek the way of faith to gro in awareness to God's call to conversion as well as ways to respond to that call. For the unbaptized, this process has several stages (see below) on the way to the Sacraments of Initiation.
Baptized in Another Christian Church
If you were already baptized in another Christian traditions, the initiation process prepares you to enter into full communion with the Catholic Church by celebrating the Scaraments of Confirmation and the Eucharist (or Holy Communion). The length of the process is generally less than for someone who is not yet baptized. The candidate's readiness for full communion with the Roman Catholic Church usually depends on how well catechized a person is.
Baptized but Uncatechized Catholic Adults
Persons who were baptized as infants and not given any religious upbringing within the Catholic Tradition, are prepared to celebrate the sacraments of Reconciliation, Confirmation, and Eucharist.
2, Must I make a commitment to Catholicism to participate in RCIA?
No! We realize that many people are searching and need to know more about the Church before they make such a commitment. We ask no firm commitment until the beginning of Lent.
3. I was baptized a Methodist, Baptist... Must I be re-baptized in order to join the Catholic Church?
No! There is only one Baptism. Candidates seeking full Communion within the Catholic Church will not be baptized again. They will simply make a Profession of Faith and receive the Sacraments of Eucharist and Confirmation.
4. What is the Rite of Christian Initiation?
The Rite of Christian Initiation is a gradually deepening process of exploring how God may be calling a person to a life of faith, exploring the person of Jesus and encountering him, and his community of believers, the Church. This process unfolds gradually in stages.
Inquiry (or Precatechumenate)
The first stage begins when a person first expresses an interest in becoming a Catholic. With the help of the parish community, the individual explores his or her relationship with Christ and how that relationship might be enriched and deepened by joining this Christian community.
At St Therese, this period of inquiry typically lasts until a person decides to continue to the next stage of the process, which is celebrated when the community is prepared to welcome him or her in a Rite of Acceptance into the Order of Catechumens (for catechumens) and the Rite of Welcoming (for candidates) that usually takes place in early November. However, there is no hard and fast time frame; the inquiry may last several months or even years until the inquirer feels ready to move forward to the catechumenate stage.
Catechumenate
The second stage is called the catechumenate -- again, the again, the beginning of which is marked by the Rite of Acceptance and the Rite of Welcoming. This second stage is a time of catechesis, of learning more intentionally about what the Church teaches and believes. This is also a time for the catechumen or candidate to learn how to live as a Catholic Christian through their faith journey and the support of thie parish community.
This period ends when the catechumens and candidates express their desire to recieve the Sacraments of Initation and the parish community acknowledges their readiness. The catechumen then becomes and "elect," which is marked by the Rite of Election, a special celebration with the local bishop at the cathedral.
Purification and Enlightenment
The third stage is the period of purification and enlightenment, which coincides with the liturgical season of Lent. During this time, the elect (catechumens) and the candidates enter into a period of intense preparation and prayer, including the three celebrations of the scruitines in which the catechumens search their hearts and souls so they may more fully receive the grace of the Sacraments. For the catechumens this period ends with the celebration of Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist at the Easter Vigil Candidates are usually received into full communion with the Church several weeks before Easter.
Mystagogy
The fourth stage is the period of post baptismal catechesis or mystagogy. The newly initiated explore their experience of being fully initiated through participation with all the faithful at sunday Eucharist and through appropriate catechesis and integrating the spiritual gifts they have received.
The newly baptized and those newly received into the Church reflect on how they are called to best exercise those gifts of newlift. The period formally lasts through the Caster season and often is marked by a parish celebration around the feast of Pentecost.
5. When does RCIA meet?
We meet regularly on Tuesday evenings in the Wooldridge Center (the church undercroft), beginning in late "August and extending through May. We start promptly at 7:00 pm so please try to arrive 10-15 minutes early so you can gather your materials for the session and help yourself to some snacks - there is always plenty of good food! If your schedule prevents you from joining us on time, please don't feel self-conscious about coming late. We try to start on time, so that we can end promptly at nine.
6. How often must I attend?
While the expectation is for you to attend all sessions, we realize that healt, family, and work responsibilities may prevent you from attending on occasion. What we do ask is that you participate as much as possible and invest yourself in this process. If you are unable to attend a session, we ask that you contact your RCIA table facilitator, who will help make sure you receive the information covered in the session. If you are unable to attend for some period of time, you should make an appointment with the RCIA director and work out a suitable plan for your continuation in the process
.
Unbaptized
The process prepares you to enter into the Catholic Church by celebrating what are called the Sacraments of Christian Initiation: Baptism, Confirmation, and the Eucharist (or Holy Communion). This process/journey happens in community with others. The community of believers helps those adults - called catechumens- who freely and consxiously seek the way of faith to gro in awareness to God's call to conversion as well as ways to respond to that call. For the unbaptized, this process has several stages (see below) on the way to the Sacraments of Initiation.
Baptized in Another Christian Church
If you were already baptized in another Christian traditions, the initiation process prepares you to enter into full communion with the Catholic Church by celebrating the Scaraments of Confirmation and the Eucharist (or Holy Communion). The length of the process is generally less than for someone who is not yet baptized. The candidate's readiness for full communion with the Roman Catholic Church usually depends on how well catechized a person is.
Baptized but Uncatechized Catholic Adults
Persons who were baptized as infants and not given any religious upbringing within the Catholic Tradition, are prepared to celebrate the sacraments of Reconciliation, Confirmation, and Eucharist.
2, Must I make a commitment to Catholicism to participate in RCIA?
No! We realize that many people are searching and need to know more about the Church before they make such a commitment. We ask no firm commitment until the beginning of Lent.
3. I was baptized a Methodist, Baptist... Must I be re-baptized in order to join the Catholic Church?
No! There is only one Baptism. Candidates seeking full Communion within the Catholic Church will not be baptized again. They will simply make a Profession of Faith and receive the Sacraments of Eucharist and Confirmation.
4. What is the Rite of Christian Initiation?
The Rite of Christian Initiation is a gradually deepening process of exploring how God may be calling a person to a life of faith, exploring the person of Jesus and encountering him, and his community of believers, the Church. This process unfolds gradually in stages.
Inquiry (or Precatechumenate)
The first stage begins when a person first expresses an interest in becoming a Catholic. With the help of the parish community, the individual explores his or her relationship with Christ and how that relationship might be enriched and deepened by joining this Christian community.
At St Therese, this period of inquiry typically lasts until a person decides to continue to the next stage of the process, which is celebrated when the community is prepared to welcome him or her in a Rite of Acceptance into the Order of Catechumens (for catechumens) and the Rite of Welcoming (for candidates) that usually takes place in early November. However, there is no hard and fast time frame; the inquiry may last several months or even years until the inquirer feels ready to move forward to the catechumenate stage.
Catechumenate
The second stage is called the catechumenate -- again, the again, the beginning of which is marked by the Rite of Acceptance and the Rite of Welcoming. This second stage is a time of catechesis, of learning more intentionally about what the Church teaches and believes. This is also a time for the catechumen or candidate to learn how to live as a Catholic Christian through their faith journey and the support of thie parish community.
This period ends when the catechumens and candidates express their desire to recieve the Sacraments of Initation and the parish community acknowledges their readiness. The catechumen then becomes and "elect," which is marked by the Rite of Election, a special celebration with the local bishop at the cathedral.
Purification and Enlightenment
The third stage is the period of purification and enlightenment, which coincides with the liturgical season of Lent. During this time, the elect (catechumens) and the candidates enter into a period of intense preparation and prayer, including the three celebrations of the scruitines in which the catechumens search their hearts and souls so they may more fully receive the grace of the Sacraments. For the catechumens this period ends with the celebration of Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist at the Easter Vigil Candidates are usually received into full communion with the Church several weeks before Easter.
Mystagogy
The fourth stage is the period of post baptismal catechesis or mystagogy. The newly initiated explore their experience of being fully initiated through participation with all the faithful at sunday Eucharist and through appropriate catechesis and integrating the spiritual gifts they have received.
The newly baptized and those newly received into the Church reflect on how they are called to best exercise those gifts of newlift. The period formally lasts through the Caster season and often is marked by a parish celebration around the feast of Pentecost.
5. When does RCIA meet?
We meet regularly on Tuesday evenings in the Wooldridge Center (the church undercroft), beginning in late "August and extending through May. We start promptly at 7:00 pm so please try to arrive 10-15 minutes early so you can gather your materials for the session and help yourself to some snacks - there is always plenty of good food! If your schedule prevents you from joining us on time, please don't feel self-conscious about coming late. We try to start on time, so that we can end promptly at nine.
6. How often must I attend?
While the expectation is for you to attend all sessions, we realize that healt, family, and work responsibilities may prevent you from attending on occasion. What we do ask is that you participate as much as possible and invest yourself in this process. If you are unable to attend a session, we ask that you contact your RCIA table facilitator, who will help make sure you receive the information covered in the session. If you are unable to attend for some period of time, you should make an appointment with the RCIA director and work out a suitable plan for your continuation in the process
.
