RCIA
The Order of Christian Initiation of Adults
The process for becoming a Roman Catholic
The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) names the process by which
interested persons gradually become members of the catholic Church.
The R.C.I.A. is primarily a journey of faith:
- "From the awareness of stirring of faith and curiosity within one's
heart,
- through all those stages of asking and seeking,
- through beginning involvement with Christian/Catholic people,
- through hearing the Gospel proclaimed and by faithful reflection and prayer on this Word
of God,
- through study and discussion about the Catholic experience,
- through doubts and hesitations,
- through involvement in the works of charity and justice with those already committed to
the catholic way of life,
- through discernment of God's call for them as individuals,
- through the steps of commitment,
- through the sacraments of initiation (baptism, confirmation, and eucharist)
- to a life of faith, love, and justice lived in communion with Catholics
throughout the world.
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Conversion, a gradual process
- The R.C.I.A. as a rite, marks stages along the path to full commitment in the Catholic
Church; the R.C.I.A. as a process, describes in broad terms what this gradual commitment
means.
- The R.C.I.A. as formation gradually looks both to the inner
transformation of the individual to God's call as given week by week in the lectionary of
Scripture readings at the Sunday Eucharist and to the gradual transformation of the person
to an active member of the local church wherever he or she lives.
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The R.C.I.A. contains main stages or phases:
- The Period of Inquiry (Also known as the time of Evangelization or
Pre-Catechumenate),
- Catechumenate,
- Period of Purification and Enlightenment/Scrutinies,
- The Paschal Triduum with the Sacraments of Initiation and
- Mystagogical Catechesis.
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The Period of Inquiry
- Period of Inquiry has as its purpose a time
- to become acquainted with the catholic Church and
- to hear the good news of salvation from Jesus Christ our Savior;
- it is a time to look within at one's one life story and see connections to or needs for
the gospel story of good news.
- During this period, the gospel of Jesus is proclaimed, and inquirers look within their
own story to make and mark connections.
- This reflective process becomes a continuing, on-going method.
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Period of the Catechumenate
- Period of catechumenate embodies the first stages of commitment leading to full
membership.
For a person to enter this phase, s/he must already have come to faith in
Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior and sincerely desire to become members of the
Catholic Church.
- During this phase, the catechumens now gather with the Catholic community on Sundays for
the first part of the mass, during which, together, we hear the Scriptures, respond to
them, and reflect on the meaning of God's Word for us personally and as community through
the homily.
After the homily, catechumens are dismissed , and with their Catechist,
continue a process of reflection and application of the Scriptures to their own lives.
- During this period, the initial conversion is deepened and appropriated; the person
comes to know more and more deeply the love of God in their own lives and in the midst of
the church community.
This period, too, lasts as long as the person needs it to last, from
a few months to several years, if necessary.
- For the unbaptized, this phase must normally last 12 months.
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Period of Purification or Illumination
- The Period of Purification corresponds to that time known in the Catholic Church as
Lent,
the six-weeks of preparation for Easter become the days of prayerful time for catechumens
and candidates,
who are now known as the Elect, as they prepare for the moment of welcome as full
members and are established as such by the Sacraments of Initiation.
- This period is begun by the Rite of election, usually celebrated at the Cathedral
Church with the Diocesan Bishop; by this rite they are accepted as candidates for the
Sacraments by the Bishop, representing the fact that this decision is not theirs alone.
Normally this rite takes place on the first Sunday of Lent.
- Throughout Lent, special prayers are offered at the Sunday Eucharist for the catechumens
and candidates; they are called scrutinies; these prayers for strengthening in grace and
virtue and for purification from all past evil and from any bonds which hinder them from
experiencing the love of God.
Throughout this period, the Elect are invited to join with
the whole Church in a deeper practice of works of charity and in the practice of fasting.
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Celebrating the Sacraments of Initiation
- The Sacraments of Initiation are celebrated at the Easter Vigil, an extended night-watch
of prayer, singing and hearing the Word of God.
- By the waters of baptism, a person passes into the new life of grace and becomes a
member of the Body of Christ.
- Anointing with special holy oil called chrism seals the initiation by the power of the
Holy Spirit and participation at the Table of the Lord in the eucharist marks full
membership in the church.
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Period of Mystagogy
- The Period of Mystagogy lasts from Easter Sunday until the completion of the Easter
season, fifty days later on Pentecost Sunday and completes the initiation process.
Those
who have just shared in the sacraments of initiation are now called Neophytes and during
this period of Easter joy they reflect on what they have just gone through and look to the
future as to how they can now share in the mission of Christ who came to bring salvation
and life to the whole world. This period of time reminds the whole church that life in
Christ constantly calls us to grow and to look for new ways to live the life of grace,
personally and together.
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How long does it take?
- "The Rite of Christian Initiation is not a program.
- It is the church's way of ministering sensitively to those who seek membership.
For that
reason some people will need more time than others to prepare for the lifetime commitment
that comes with membership in the Catholic Church. The usual length of preparation is from
one to two years. For those already baptized and who seek full communion in the Catholic
church, the time may also vary.
- It seems reasonable that catechumens or candidates experience the yearly calendar of
Catholic practice at least one time around in order to make an informed decision.
- The process of spiritual renewal and catechesis should not be hasty, especially for
those not accustomed to the fasts and feasts and Sundays and seasons the way Catholics
observe them.
- One of the best time for the sacraments of initiation or the Rite of reception into full
communion is the Easter Vigil. Lent prepare catechumens, candidates and the whole
community for baptism,, confirmation and eucharist. The celebration of the Easter Vigil
dramatically points to the wellspring of the church's life:
the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ."
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