R.C.I.A. – Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults

R.C.I.A., the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults, has been a process for people to become disciples of Jesus and members of the Catholic Church since the 300’s A.D.!

Many parishes offer this program through a format of classroom sessions starting in the Fall and ending in the Spring.  If someone decided they wanted to become Catholic in February or March, they would have had to wait until the next fall to even begin. Some people have done many years of extensive study on their own, they may have been attending other denominations or even the Catholic Mass for years; they may enter an RCIA group in the fall alongside a person who has never set foot inside a church building and doesn’t know the basic Bible story.

Because of this, and many other reasons, we are offering Year Round RCIA. RCIA is not a class. No one "graduates".  There is no specific start time or end time.  We do not have to have a conveyer-belt system where one size fits all. Each person will be treated individually, with a plan developed just for you.  

There is no "one way" to enter the Church, and the process length varies from person to person, but it's YOUR journey and we are here to help you on it.  

On a calendar, this is messy and confusing. But this gives the candidates (those who have been baptized previously) and catechumenates (those unbaptized) as much time AS THEY NEED before jumping into the later steps.

The learning component of RCIA will be woven into our faith formation life of the parish. Your "inquiry" stage may be an Alpha course or one of our Adult Formation classes or Bible Studies. We will ensure your questions are answered through a series of Catholicism 101 classes throughout the year.  You will connect with other journeyors as they seek answers to their questions also.  

There will be multiple times during the year when the carious RCIA rites/ceremonies will be offered, which allows you to join, and also complete, the process when you are ready.  

Come, talk to us.  Let us help guide you on this journey of discovery.