Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults
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Michelangelo's famous painting "The Conversion of St. Paul" captures a moment of blinding revelation along the road to Damascus. Saul was transformed from a persecutor of early Christians into Christianity's most effective apostle to the Greek and Roman world.
Our own journeys of faith can lead along straight paths, but they are just as likely to take us over rocky roads with some rather dramatic twists and turns. Some of us have been gifted by our families with a strong faith in Christ nourished in tradition and community. Others will discover Jesus in the most unexpected places, at unexpected times and in the most unlikely people. Our lives progress along different roads from childhood to old age. Along that journey, our experience of God is shaped by our experience of life. If we are open to God's whispered summons, we will find ourselves drawn ever closer to His love.
The Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA) is our parish community's welcoming outreach to anyone whose faith journey has led them to investigate the beliefs of the Catholic Church, and we welcome anyone who might wish to join us in worship and communion. The RCIA provides no-obligation meetings with a member of our inquiry team during which an inquirer may reflect on their spiritual journey and how God is calling them. For those who choose to continue, the RCIA offers opportunities for developing a deeper faith and a confident understanding of Catholic beliefs, primarily by experiencing how we Catholics live our faith.
The RCIA is designed for adults, teens, and children who are seven years old or older and have not been baptized.A modified RCIA process is available for adults, teens, and children who are seven years old or older and have been baptized in another Christian denomination, and also for baptized Catholics over the age of eleven or twelve, who have not celebrated First Communion.
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Contact Us
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Julie GutierrezJulie.Gutierrezdor.orgPastoral Associate
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An Overview of RCIA
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Baptism, Confirmation and First Communion are the rites of entry into the Catholic Christian community. For those whose adult faith journey brings them to Christ, the Catholic Church recommends a significant period of exploration, study and prayer prior to their initiation.
Our faith demands a mature commitment to a life centered in the good news of Jesus Christ and the mystery of Christ's presence in the Eucharist.
Our candidates are of all ages and backgrounds. Some are not baptized. Some were baptized in other Christian denominations. Some were baptized in the Catholic Church but have not celebrated Confirmation or First Communion.
Children ages seven and up who have not been baptized prepare for full initiation in the RCIA. This means that they will be baptized, confirmed and celebrate First Communion at the next Easter Vigil. Their preparation is suitable to their age.
The RCIA process can be tailored to the needs and experience of candidates from different backgrounds. Are you new to the Church, or have you been attending Mass for quite some time with a spouse or friend? Have you engaged in significant study of religions, including Christianity, or is this your first experience of a faith community?
The "norm" for the RCIA process is preparing an unbaptized candidate for full initiation into the Church.
However, baptized Christians from other denominations (except for the Orthodox Churches) may also participate in the RCIA, as well as baptized Catholics over the age of ten who have not celebrated First Communion.
We will try to listen to you and meet you where you are on your journey.
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The Four Periods of RCIA
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The RCIA process is divided into four periods that correspond to an individual’s progress in Christian formation. Here is the usual path by which an adult who has not been baptized would join our community of faith. Children over the age of six and teens receive preparation suitable to their ages.*
Period of Inquiry or the Pre-Catechumenate
The pre-catechumenate is a preliminary step in the journey of faith. At Assumption, inquirers meet with a member of the Inquiry Team who will listen to their story and answer any questions. When the inquirers are ready to proceed to the next phase, the Catechumenate, a ritual called the "Rite of Acceptance into the Order of Catechumens" takes place during a Sunday Mass, so that the community can welcome the inquirers to the second step of their journey of faith.
Period of the Catechumenate
The inquirers are now catechumens. "Catechumen" refers to someone who is preparing for Baptism. The catechumens usually meet once a week in a group with sponsors and members of the parish to explore what it means to be a disciple of Jesus and to learn about the teachings and traditions of the Catholic Church. These sessions are inspired by the portions of the Bible proclaimed at Sunday Masses. The Period of the Catechumenate may last from several months to a year or more. Those catechumens who are ready for initiation into the Church at the beginning of Lent celebrate the Rite of Election with the diocesan bishop and catechumens from neighboring parishes.
Period of Enlightenment
Beginning with the first Sunday of Lent, the catechumens, now called the elect, enter into their "40 day retreat" to focus on deepening their awareness of God's grace through prayer. During the time the Church also celebrates rituals called "Scrutinies" with the elect. These are prayers of healing, prayed by the community on the Third, Fourth and Fifth Sundays of Lent. The Church prayes that the elect will have the strength to withstand evil and remain free from sin as they journey toward initiation and growth in faith. While we minister to the elect, they provide a visible reminder to each of us of the meaning and purpose of Lent, and minister to us through their presence. Finally the night of the Easter Vigil arrives, at which the Sacraments of Initiation are celebrated and the elect are made one with the Body of Christ called the Church. The community says, "Now you belong, for you have been born again of water the the Spirit. Come, you are welcome at the table of the Lord."
Period of Mystagogy
The concluding period of the RCIA is called "Mystagogy", which comes from the word, mystery. In the early Church it was the time when the community explained the mystery of the sacraments the elect had experienced. Today, this step is seen more as a time for the newly initiated and the community to move forward together toward a closer relationship with each other and toward a deeper understanding of God’s Word, the sacraments, and everyday Christian living. The period of Mystagogy takes place during the Easter Season (the 50 days between Easter and Pentecost), but this step in the journey of faith continues for the rest of a Christian’s life.
Baptism alone is for infants and young children in the Catholic Church. Children who are seven years or older and who have not been baptized are fully initiated into the Church. Because preparation for Baptism, Confirmation and First Communion takes several months at minimum, we recommend that any unbaptized child over the age of six enter the RCIA.
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