RCIA (Becoming Catholic)

What is the RCIA? 

The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA), also called the Baptismal Catechumenate, is a process of initiation into the Catholic Community of Faith for persons who are experiencing a conversion in their lives and seeking either Christian baptism in the Catholic Church or full Communion with the Catholic tradition of Eucharist and Confirmation. It is a journey that enables the study of the Gospels, Catholic Christian teaching, the acceptance of Christian values and morality, and the development and deepening of a life of prayer and action with the support and involvement of the local Christian community. The RCIA is more than a course of instruction. Ultimately, it is a process of conversion, designed to meet the unique and individual needs of the participants and to foster a personal relationship with God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. 


The Five Stages of the RCIA Process

  • Inquiry or Pre-Catechumenate. At this time participants are encouraged to ask questions and explore the basic tenets of the Catholic faith and to reflect upon these in light of their own life experiences. There is no commitment required at this stage. Depending on their personal journey and readiness, this stage can last from a handful of weeks to months or years. 
  • The Catechumenate. When a person is ready for a greater commitment to the faith and desires to move towards receiving the sacraments, this is when they enter the Catechumenate after going through the Rite of Acceptance. It is during this time that most of their study consists of deepening their knowledge and understanding of the faith while drawing closer to Christ. One can only enter the Catechumenate after attending the Inquiry and setting up an interview. 
  • Purification & Enlightenment. For those preparing for baptism, this stage takes place during the Lenten season when they reflect upon their own faith experiences in a more intense, prayerful way. 
  • Sacraments of Initiation. Candidates for baptism celebrate their initiation into the Church on the holiest of nights-the Easter Vigil – where they are baptized, confirmed, and receive the Eucharist. For those who have already been baptized, but have not received their confirmation or Eucharist, they, too, will receive their sacraments during the Easter Vigil. 
  • Mystagogia. This is a time for fully initiated members of our community to reflect upon their experiences of being new Catholic Christians and find their place in the ordinary life of the Church. Although formally, mystagogia usually takes place from Easter to Pentecost, we are called to continue our faith journey and growth for the rest of our lives. 

Interested in Becoming Catholic and Entering the RCIA? As mentioned above, the first step is to attend our Inquiry sessions. They take place on the second and fourth Wednesday of the month in the Community Center at St. Thomas More. The full schedule with topics is below. You are welcome to drop in at any time to join us. There is no beginning or end to Inquiry and will continue all year round. 

P.S. Even if you’re fully initiated in the Catholic Church and you just want to learn more about your faith, you are absolutely welcome to drop in as well! 

We also have RCIA Elementary and RCIA Teen. For more information, please contact Jenifer Jefferies at 725-204-9912 or at jeniferj@stmlv.org

 

Remaining 2024 Dates and Times

Wednesday, March 13th (6:30-8:00 pm)
Wednesday, March 27th---No Session
Wednesday, April 10th (6:30-8:00 pm)
Wednesday, April 24th (6:30-8:00 pm)
Wednesday, May 8th (6:30-8:00 pm)
Wednesday, May 22nd (6:30-8:00 pm)
Wednesday, June 12th (6:30-8:00 pm)
Wednesday, June 26th (6:30-8:00 pm)
Wednesday, July 10th (6:30-8:00 pm)
Wednesday, July 24th (6:30-8:00 pm)
Wednesday, August 14th (6:30-8:00 pm)
Wednesday, August 28th (6:30-8:00 pm)
 

*Meetings are in Room 8 of the Community Center

If you’d like to learn more about any part of the RCIA, please reach out to Juliann Dwyer at 702-476-2281 or juliannd@stmlv.org

If you are interested in attending Inquiry, you are encouraged to fill out the form below to let us know you plan to attend. 

 
 

 

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