The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults

RCIA

The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) is the Catholic Church’s way of welcoming unbaptized adults into the faith of the Church. Here at Saint John’s, we use the RCIA program for four distinct groups. First, RCIA is intended for those who are not baptized, and will culminate in their Baptism, Confirmation, and First Holy Eucharist in the Catholic Church. Second, RCIA is appropriate for those baptized in other Christian confessions (e.g. Lutherans, Methodists) who wish to come into full communion with the Catholic Church. For these people, RCIA will culminate in their Profession of Faith, Confirmation, and First Holy Communion. Third, RCIA is used for those who were baptized Catholics but not raised in the faith (these people may not have received First Communion or Confirmation), who will complete their Christian Initiation. Finally, RCIA is helpful for those Catholics who want to have a firmer foundation on the basics of the Catholic faith. Everyone is welcome.

Text

The Catholic Study Bible. 2006: Oxford University Press. (This is the standard Bible used for theology classes at CSB/SJU; if you don't have this bible, don't go out and buy it-another one (Catholic translation) will do, but it would be preferable to have everyone "on the same page") United States Catholic Catechism for Adults. 2006: United States Conferences of Catholic Bishops. (If you want to purchase this text, which would be a wonderful resource to keep, Amazon.com has them for about $17. Otherwise, Campus Ministry is going to purchase a number of them that you may use for the year-but we would need them back when RCIA is finished)

Time/Attendance

We will regularly meet on designated Sundays from 7-8.15 PM in the Campus Ministry offices (100 Mary Hall) It is very important for those who are joining the Church (or receiving First Communion or Confirmation) to regularly attend RCIA meetings. After the Rite of Acceptance/Welcoming, these folks would also be expected for the Sunday 9 PM Campus Ministry Eucharist. If, for a good reason, someone is not able to attend, they should let me know so that we can find another way to cover the material. If someone makes a habit of not attending RCIA, we would need to meet to see if that person is really ready to make an adult commitment to the Catholic faith. Those Catholics who are attending to deepen their understanding of the basics are always welcome, but are free to attend as their schedule permits.