Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults
Jesus to Saint Peter, The First Pope | Mt. 16:18-19
WHAT IS RCIA?
The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) program is, technically speaking, the process by which individuals who are unbaptized learn about, and become a part of, the Catholic Church. That said, it also serves as a no-pressure opportunity to learn what we believe. The program is attended by folks who are just curious about Catholicism, by people who grew up Catholic but have since journeyed elsewhere and want to come home, or even by active Catholics who want a better understanding of their faith. Basically, it's Catholicism 101 and everyone is welcome!
WHEN & WHERE IS RCIA?
Sundays starting August 7th, 2022 | 8:45 - 10:15 AM | August - May
We meet in the Holy Family Room - the room on the left-hand side just as you walk into the narthex (lobby) of the church building from outside.
WHAT CAN I EXPECT?
RCIA meetings are broken down into three important parts:
Prayer, Catechesis (the teaching of the Catholic faith), and Community.
We kick things off with the good ol' Sunday classics: coffee, donuts, and fellowship. After everyone has gotten settled, the speaker of the day leads us in prayer before spending some time (30-45 minutes) presenting on the topic of the day. Speakers are usually St. Malachy parishioners (church members) and the topics cover the basics of what Catholics believe, how we worship, and how to live a Catholic life. Speakers do their best to leave opportunities for Q&A.
After we've learned together, we take some time to learn from each other. Small group discussion is facilitated by the RCIA Team. This gives participants a chance to ask further questions, to share their reflections on the subject of the day, and to get to know each other a little better.
We end each session with the most important part: prayer. The Catholic Church offers us a rich, ancient treasury of ways to pray - with Scripture, with music, in silence, in the context of the Holy Mass, alone, with other people... the list goes on. Each week we have a chance to encounter our Lord through a different form of prayer, familiarizing ourselves with the many options and, more importantly, with the God who loves us infinitely.
HOW DO I JOIN OR GET MORE INFO?
That's easy! We'd love to connect. Submit this inquiry form and we'll get back to you.
Rite of Christian Initiation for Children
Rite of Christian Initiation of Children (RCIC) is a process focused for children in grades 3-8, who are in need of preparation to celebrate the sacraments of Baptism, Reconciliation and/or Eucharist. This program is adapted from the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) process, and the catechists concentrate on helping the children understand the sacraments to be celebrated as part of the Catholic faith community.
Sessions are on Sundays from 8:45 am to 10:15 am in the School Spanish Room. RCIC starts on August 7th.