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Becoming
Catholic: The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults
(RCIA) |
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Adults
who wish to join the Catholic Church are brought into the Church
through the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults.
The RCIA consists of 4 stages which come in the following order:
Inquiry, Catechumenate, Election,
and Mystagogy.
These 4 stages are fluid and one’s movement from stage
to stage is individual. The Inquiry begins at any time one is
moved to begin asking questions about the church and continues
until one’s questions are answered sufficiently to merit
movement to the second stage.
The Second Stage is marked by the Rite
of Acceptance at which one who is not baptized is
considered a Catechumen
and one who has been baptized in another Christian faith is
considered a Candidate for
full reception into the Catholic Church. The Rite of Acceptance
is celebrated at one of the Masses on the First Sunday of Advent.
The Third Stage is marked by the Rite
of Election, in which those individuals who have
discerned that God is calling them to be full and active members
of the Roman Catholic Church are moved into a more intense spiritual
preparation for reception of the Sacraments
of Initiation (Baptism, Eucharist, and Confirmation).
The Rite of Election is celebrated at a Sunday Mass. Those who
are the Elect are formally initiated into the Catholic Church
during the Sacred Triduum
(Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday).
Following full initiation, the new Catholics, now called "Neophytes",
continued to meet on a weekly basis to break open the Mysteries
(Sacraments) they have celebrated.
This final stage is called "Mystagogy"
and runs throughout the year. At one of the Masses on Pentecost
Sunday, the Neophytes are sent forth to proclaim the Good News
through their active participation in the Catholic Christian
Community here at St. Anne Parish.
Neophytes are encouraged to participate in the weekly or daily
celebration of the Eucharist and to pray about where Jesus is
calling them to serve in the parish community. At the annual
Ministries Fair in late summer, they are encouraged to sign-up
for a ministry to continue to grow in their practice of their
new found religion.
For more information on the Rite of
Christian Initiation of Adults, please contact Jim
Yencha at extension 23.
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Becoming
Catholic: Christian Initiation of Children of Catechetical
Age (CICCA) |
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Children
age 7 through 18 are brought into the Church through the CICCA
which parallels the RCIA in all of it’s stages. The young
people are instructed in a manner suitable to their age and
comprehension. |
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Re-Membering
Church: |
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The
Re-Membering Church program is for Catholics who have been away
from the practice of their religion and would like to be reconciled
with the Church.
It is an optional program that runs concurrently with the RCIA
during the course of the year. Anyone who has been away from
the Church and wishes to return may do so by making an appointment
with the Pastor and discussing the options that are available.
If you want to learn more about the Re-Member Church process,
please call Jim Yencha at ext. 23 |
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