The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults at Saint Luke Catholic Church
The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults The process whereby Christian or non-Christian adults become full members of the Catholic Church.
AN OVERVIEW: In the not-too-distant past, adults who wanted to become Roman Catholics attended a few weeks of "convert instruction" and were quietly baptized in a private ceremony by the parish priest. It was a totally private process that involved only a priest and the inquirer. One of the great gifts of the Second Vatican Council in the 1960s was a renewed process of forming and initiating adults called the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA). In the words of author Thomas H. Morris, men and women involved in the RCIA today are "formed at the hands of the local community around the word of God, discerning and welcoming God’s invitation to embrace life in the Catholic Christian community, and thus serving the mission of Jesus in the world today."
The RCIA restores for the modern world the process the ancient Church used in initiating members. In the first 500 years of the Church, early Christians realized that initiation is a process that proceeds through certain stages and that necessarily involves the entire faith community. At Saint Luke Catholic Church, inquirers meet weekly with a team of lay people and clergy who teach the faith, share their own experience of Christ in their lives, and accompany inquirers on their journey of faith. They also experience Scripture reflection on Sundays that opens them more fully to the powerful word of God. RCIA is open to anyone, Christian or non-Christian, who genuinely seeks to explore the possibility of joining the Catholic Christian faith community.
Naturally, RCIA includes a substantial amount of instruction in the teachings of the Church. But first and foremost, RCIA is a process of conversion; it is about changing the heart and transforming the spirit. Along the way, inquirers participate in a number of ceremonies in which the Catholic community gradually affirms them for full membership. Initiation culminates at the Easter Vigil through the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist.
The RCIA process at Saint Luke is led by a very talented team of people, beginning with our pastor, Fr. Richard Guest. Fr. Joseph Moschetto, our parochial vicar, is the overall coordinator and contact person. There are 5- 6 additional team members who share in the formation process. All work together in this journey of faith that we are all on.
The first stage is the Inquiry period. We encourage people to join inquiry sessions about this process and about their faith before making a definitive decision about becoming Catholic. These sessions are held year around, and will include detailed information about the Catholic Church as well as informal discussions.
The Catechumenate period, held on Wednesday evenings, focuses primarily on the teachings of the Church and is presented in a more structured format. Sunday Scripture reflection in small groups encourages participants to "break open" the word of God and consider its meaning in their lives.
The six weeks of Lent make up the period called Purification and Enlightenment. This is a time of more intense spiritual preparation leading up to the Easter Vigil, where the Sacraments of Initiation will be celebrated.
The final period is Mystagogia, where all reflect on the Easter mysteries just celebrated and discover ways to become fully integrated into the life of the Church.
If you are interested in the RCIA process or attending an Inquiry session, please contact Fr. Joseph Moschetto at 703.356.1255 or frjoseph@saintlukemclean.org.
AN OVERVIEW: In the not-too-distant past, adults who wanted to become Roman Catholics attended a few weeks of "convert instruction" and were quietly baptized in a private ceremony by the parish priest. It was a totally private process that involved only a priest and the inquirer. One of the great gifts of the Second Vatican Council in the 1960s was a renewed process of forming and initiating adults called the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA). In the words of author Thomas H. Morris, men and women involved in the RCIA today are "formed at the hands of the local community around the word of God, discerning and welcoming God’s invitation to embrace life in the Catholic Christian community, and thus serving the mission of Jesus in the world today."
The RCIA restores for the modern world the process the ancient Church used in initiating members. In the first 500 years of the Church, early Christians realized that initiation is a process that proceeds through certain stages and that necessarily involves the entire faith community. At Saint Luke Catholic Church, inquirers meet weekly with a team of lay people and clergy who teach the faith, share their own experience of Christ in their lives, and accompany inquirers on their journey of faith. They also experience Scripture reflection on Sundays that opens them more fully to the powerful word of God. RCIA is open to anyone, Christian or non-Christian, who genuinely seeks to explore the possibility of joining the Catholic Christian faith community.
Naturally, RCIA includes a substantial amount of instruction in the teachings of the Church. But first and foremost, RCIA is a process of conversion; it is about changing the heart and transforming the spirit. Along the way, inquirers participate in a number of ceremonies in which the Catholic community gradually affirms them for full membership. Initiation culminates at the Easter Vigil through the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist.
The RCIA process at Saint Luke is led by a very talented team of people, beginning with our pastor, Fr. Richard Guest. Fr. Joseph Moschetto, our parochial vicar, is the overall coordinator and contact person. There are 5- 6 additional team members who share in the formation process. All work together in this journey of faith that we are all on.
The first stage is the Inquiry period. We encourage people to join inquiry sessions about this process and about their faith before making a definitive decision about becoming Catholic. These sessions are held year around, and will include detailed information about the Catholic Church as well as informal discussions.
The Catechumenate period, held on Wednesday evenings, focuses primarily on the teachings of the Church and is presented in a more structured format. Sunday Scripture reflection in small groups encourages participants to "break open" the word of God and consider its meaning in their lives.
The six weeks of Lent make up the period called Purification and Enlightenment. This is a time of more intense spiritual preparation leading up to the Easter Vigil, where the Sacraments of Initiation will be celebrated.
The final period is Mystagogia, where all reflect on the Easter mysteries just celebrated and discover ways to become fully integrated into the life of the Church.
If you are interested in the RCIA process or attending an Inquiry session, please contact Fr. Joseph Moschetto at 703.356.1255 or frjoseph@saintlukemclean.org.