The
RCIA is a process by which we welcome and
prepare adults to enter the Catholic faith.. The
acronym, RCIA stands for "R" ite of "C"hristian
"I"nitiation of "A"dults . "Rite" comes from the
word ritual, which means set ways in which we
welcome, pray, celebrate, teach, etc. "Christian
Initiation" stands for the Initiation Sacraments
of Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist, which
are celebrated. "Adults" stands for anyone 18
years of age and older.
It"s an experience of welcoming and being
welcomed, of revealing and being revealed, of
supporting and being supported, of joining and
incorporating. It's a means of helping an
outsider to explore the Church community, while
at the same time being a means of helping the
Church community to come to know and appreciate
the new believer who seeks to join their
community.
This process begins in the Fall every year (
though people may enter at almost any time) and
runs to completion around the middle of May,
depending on when an adult enters the process
and provided there aren't impediments to slow
their progress at some point. We meet on Mondays
from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. in the Hayes
Community Room which is in the Rectory building.
RCIA is divided into 5 phases:
the first is The Inquiry Period ( Pre-Catechumenate)
For some, it is an introduction to Christianity,
for others it"s exploring a new Christian faith,
for still others, it's being baptized Catholic
but never raised in the faith.. During this time
we talk and share about God, learning about
Jesus in His stories and our stories, the Church
He founded, the Bible, prayer, finding
similarities, praying over Scripture and sharing
what it means in our own lives, the Mass, asking
questions (Hot Seat - all you ever wanted to
know about the Catholic Church but were afraid
to ask!) and our own discoveries about God.
The second phase is The Catechumenate period (
teaching ) where presentations are given on a
variety of subjects about the Catholic faith.
Actually, teaching presentations are given
throughout the following phases. These subjects
are always connected to Scripture. because our
experience is always rooted in God experiences.
We are not divorced from Jesus, Mary and others
before us. We find that "our" experience and
what is in Scripture are remarkably similar and
we spend time each session sharing what it means
and what it has to do with our lives.
The third phase is The Time of Decision, Choice
and Commitment and it is celebrated at the Rite
of Election at Holy Name Cathedral in Chicago.
The fourth phase is The Spiritual Preparation
(also called period of Enlightenment). This
phase coincides with the season of Lent when all
Catholics re-examine their lives and cleanse
themselves of what may still stand in the way of
living for God. During this time there is
emphasis on prayer, a Lenten retreat, parish
mission, and final preparation for those who
will celebrate the sacraments of Baptism,
Confirmation and Eucharist on Holy Saturday.
The final phase is the Period of
Post-Sacramental Study where we reflect on the
mysteries of the sacraments, learn practical
aspects of being Catholic, learn and discuss the
issues confronting the Church today and explore
how to become a real part of parish life at OLH
Interested in finding out more about the
Catholic faith and RCIA?.....don't hesitate.
Please contact Arden Robinson at 262.658.0286 or
by email at
www.ardensue@aol.com for more information.
We look forward to hearing from you!!!
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