Right of Christian Initiation
Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA) is the way that adults are prepared for entrance into the Catholic Church. RCIA is a process of appreciating that you are a child of God and that all of your past spiritual experiences are important. It is also a process of studying what the Catholic Church teaches and working toward conversion of life with the help of Jesus Christ. We move in faith together, integrating our daily lives with scripture, liturgy, church teachings and the church community.
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For more information about becoming Catholic through the support of the Sts. Peter and Paul parish community, we invite you to contact the Parish Office directly.
Steps of RCIA
Step 1: Looking In
The first step is all about inquiry. That's actually the common named referred to this first step in starting your journey to becoming Roman Catholic.
Your main task here is to explore and develop your faith enough so you can make an informed initial decision about entering the Catholic Church. The final decision won’t come for a long time, when you actually enter the Church at Easter and receive the sacraments of initiation.
Step 2: Learning About the Faith
After you begin to look into what the Church is about and developing and understanding your faith in the context of the Church, you're officially welcomed as a catechumen.
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Your job now is to come into closer contact with the Living God and learn more about the Catholic Faith.
Don't worry, our parish community is here to support you in exploration and help answer questions about our faith. We're here for you!
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Step 3: Getting Ready
After spending time learning about the faith you get to enter a period of purification and enlightenment.
This stage of intense reflection calls you to deeper conversion in preparation for your renewal at Easter.
At the end of this step you'll be welcomed into the Church by receiving the Easter sacraments of initiation: baptism, confirmation, and Eucharist.
Those already baptized with a valid baptism in another Christian church aren’t baptized again.
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Step 4: Reflecting on the Mysteries
Your initiation in the Church does not simply end with receiving the sacraments. After your initiation you enter into mystagogy.
During the Easter season you'll continue to reflect on the sacraments you have received at Easter, especially the Eucharist.
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The Mass and the Eucharist are the “source and summit” of the Christian life in the Catholic Church, and this period is designed to help you understand, appreciate, and live more deeply this center of Catholicism.
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