RCIA:
Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults

Inquiry session date is September 9 at 10 a.m.

Register now for RCIA beginning Fall 2007!  

Becoming a Catholic

Adults who are interested in exploring Catholic beliefs and practices are invited to participate in the RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults). This is a process of prayer, reflection and study spread over several months during which the inquirer participates in Catholic life and worship. The focus of the RCIA process is Christian conversion - a change of heart in which the individual turns toward God and away from whatever is in the way of living a full Christian life.

Once one has decided to become a baptized Christian, the next question becomes, ‘Is the Catholic Church the faith tradition within which I can best live out my Christian life?’ The Christian faith is lived out in community and so the RCIA process will explore what Catholics believe and the implications of accepting those beliefs.

The RCIA is a journey, marked by rites (ceremonies) that lead to the reception of the sacraments of baptism, confirmation and Eucharist on the night before Easter (the Easter Vigil). These are called the sacraments of initiation.

The process begins with a period of Inquiry. Stories are shared, questions are asked and the basics of Christianity are explored. The inquirer is invited to get to know the community and hopefully to see in that community an example of the Christian life. Each inquirer has a sponsor, a person who serves as a companion, a guide, an advocate. At the end of the Inquiry the first Rite takes place. In the Rite of Welcome participants ask to be formally enrolled into the Catechumenate. The word comes from the Greek term meaning to teach by word of mouth and suggests instruction in the faith.

During the Catechumenate phase, participants prepare for the sacraments, attend Mass regularly with the community, share discussion on the Sunday scriptures and continue to learn and reflect on Catholic beliefs. They participate in the ministry and social life of the parish.

On the first Sunday of Lent, the Catechumenate period ends and the Rite of Election is celebrated. The church calls participants to the Easter sacraments and to deeper relationship with God.

Lent, the forty days before Easter, is a special time in the Catholic Church. It focuses on nurturing spirituality, a personal relationship with God, with a community emphasis on prayer, fasting and almsgiving. We are called to examine our lives to see what is standing in the way of living a full Christian life. The Catholic tradition regards conversion as a lifetime process which begins at baptism and ends with death. Lent is a time for recommitting ourselves to conversion.

During the period of Lent, participants are now called the Elect, and are led into a deeper prayer life and understanding of what it means to be followers of Christ. A retreat, or time apart for prayer and reflection, is part of the experience. On the second, third and fourth Sunday of Lent, the Elect participate in rites called “Scrutinies.” This is not a public examination of worthiness. The community prays for and with the Elect, reminding us that we all still need God’s saving power in the process of ongoing conversion.

At the Easter Vigil, the Church invites those who have not been baptized to enter the waters of baptism, from which they emerge as new creations, sharing the life of the Risen Christ. All of the Elect then receive the sacrament of Confirmation to empower them in the Spirit. All are nourished at the Table of the Lord as they take communion for the first time. Their new way of life has begun!

Post-Easter gatherings are held to reflect on the sacramental experience and to discern ministry in the community. Christian initiation through RCIA is now complete; the Christian journey of life is just beginning!

Frequently Asked Questions

Not at all. The purpose of the process is to provide information and experiences needed to decide whether God is calling you to the Catholic way of life. Our role as leaders and teachers in RCIA is to help you discern for yourself. Worship with us, explore our beliefs and practices, spend a year among us participating in the community, and then decide if you are called by God to this way of life.

We welcome those who just want to understand what being a Catholic really means. It is not unusual for people who are engaged or married to a Catholic to participate so that they will understand their spouse’s religion. This is also true of parents whose children are being raised Catholic - they want to know how to answer the questions posed by their children. All are welcome.

Although the decision to embrace the Catholic faith is deeply personal, it also has a community dimension. Catholics believe that we encounter the Risen Christ in the community of believers, in the Word of God and in the Sacraments, especially so in the Breaking of the Bread (Luke 24:13-35). Faith is lived out within the context of community. Baptism invests us with bringing the mission of Christ to the world. Those standing before us during these rites are evidence that the Church is doing its work. The presence of those in RCIA is an occasion of celebration and gratitude.

As for the length, this is an important decision, not to be rushed. It is not at all unusual for former participants who had this concern to gratefully acknowledge that they would not have missed this experience for the world.

Of course! Everyone is welcome. If neither parent is a practicing Catholic we defer baptism of children until the Easter Vigil. Infants and young children do not require additional preparation as they will grow in the faith just as any other person baptized as a young child. School aged children or teens will be instructed in a process similar to the RCIA, adapted to be appropriate to their age. The older the person is, the more he or she will participate in the decision.

Call or e-mail Debbie Carmody, the director of the RCIA program (913-631-7356)You may also register online here. If formal classes have not yet begun, Debbie will be happy to meet with you, suggest resources, help you get acquainted and explore questions with you.

RCIA Calendar 2007-08

MONTH	DATE	TIME	DESCRIPTION
September	09	10-12	First Inquiry Session, meet the team, goals, overview, questions,  Church tour with  Fr. Francis
	16	9-11	Second Inquiry Session,  The Sacraments -- RCIA Team
	23	9-11	Third Inquiry Session,  The Mass -- RCIA  Team
	30	9-11	Fourth Inquiry Session,  The Mystery of Faith:  An Introduction to Catholicism -- Brian Hughes
October	07	9-11	Fifth Inquiry Session -- Brian Hughes
	14	9-11	Sixth Inquiry Session -- Brian Hughes
	20	TBA	Pilgrimage to Phillipine Duschene Shrine in Mound City  $30 fee includes coach bus fare, lunch, presentation and tour -- Good Shepherd Adult Ed
	21	9-11	Seventh Inquiry Session -- Brian Hughes
	21	9-11	Mary and the Saints, Sponsor meeting -- Debbie Carmody
November	04	9-11	Practice for the Rite of Acceptance/Welcome, Catechumenate overview
	11	9-11	Rite of Acceptance/Welcome, Breaking Open the Word, The Liturgical Year -- Bill Carmody and Fr. Francis  Introduction to Prayer  and Saint of the Week
	18	9-11	Breaking Open the Word –  O Antiphons/ Saint of the Week /Celebrating the season of Advent -- Candi Phillips
December	02	9-11	Breaking Open the Word, , Prayers of Praise/Saint of the Week/Sin is Missing the Mark -- Ruby McCrary
	09	9-11	Breaking Open the Word, Formula Prayers,/Saint of the Week/Morality and Conscience -- Brian Mark
	16	9-11	Breaking Open the Word, Praying in Community/Saint of the Week/ The Incarnation -- Theresa Hursh
January	06	9-11	Breaking Open the Word, Prayers of Petition/Saint of the Week/ Forgiveness -- Dave Mertz
	13	9-11	Breaking Open the Word, Praying in Sacred Space/Saint of the Week/Heaven, Purgatory and Hell -- Anne Harvey
	20	9-11	Breaking Open the Word, Persistence in Prayer/Saint of the Week/Grace and Merit -- John Rudzinski
	26	TBA	Visit the Benedictine Sisters and Monks in Atchison Kansas -- Good Shepherd Adult Ed
February	03	9-11	Breaking Open the Word, & Lenten Practices of Prayer, Fasting and Almsgiving -- Ellen Carmody
	04	7pm	Parish Mission – Things that Remain – Faith, Hope and Love
	05	7:30 pm	Parish Mission – Things that Remain  - Faith, Hope and Love
	06	7pm	Ash Wednesday and Breaking Open the Word
	10	9-10	Breaking Open the Word, Rite of Sending
	12	TBA	Rite of Election
	17	9-11	Breaking Open the Word & Preparing for the Scrutinies -- Mary Kay Whitacre
	24	9-11	First Scrutiny, Breaking Open the Word and ,  Prayers of Longing -- Bernadine Asher/Social Justice
March	02	5-9 pm	Second Scrutiny, Breaking Open the Word,  Evening of Preparation for the Sacrament of Reconciliation and potluck supper
	09	5 pm	Third Scrutiny, Breaking Open the Word, Simple Soup Supper, receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation at Parish Service
	15	5 pm	Palm Sunday, Final Breaking Open the Word, pizza dinner, Practice for the Easter Vigil, registration in the parish and invitation to involvement from PLB
	19	7:00 pm	Holy Thursday
	20	7:00 pm	Good Friday
	22	8 p.m.	Easter Vigil and reception
	30	10 am	Mystagogia
March 30 through May 11 at 10 a.m. Breaking Open the Easter Readings and Mystagogia

                                            SHADED AREAS INDICATE REQUIRED SESSIONS