Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA)

The Catholic Church warmly welcomes new members and provides them with spiritual formation according to their needs.  The process, which  is known as the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA), includes children who have passed their seventh birthday, unbaptized adults,  baptized adults who are either unfamiliar with or not active in the Christian way of life, and persons who were baptized and active in other Christian denominations. All RCIA participants have sponsors - members of the parish community -who attend the sessions and rites with them and serve as companions on the journey. 

The RCIA  process includes four formation periods which prepare the participants to take part in the rites that conclude the first three periods:

    Period One:    Inquiry - a time of informal introduction to the Catholic community, its teaching and traditions.

    Rite One:         Rite of Acceptance or Welcome - the inquirers are formally introduced to the parish community which accepts and welcomes them.

    Period Two:   Catechumenate - a lengthy period during which the participants gather weekly to discuss the gospel proclaimed in the Sunday readings

                            and relate those truths to their daily lives.  The RCIA team, the pastor, associate pastor, and other speakers assist the participants in

                            their study of many facets of the Catholic faith.

    Rite Two:        Election or Call to Continuing Conversion

                            (continued on the More RCIA page)