What does rcia mean

Someone baptized in a Christian church may now wish to be a Catholic. A group similar to the Catechumenate receives instruction, guidance, and support. Reception into the church usually also takes place at the Easter Vigil.

Throughout the year, the parish offers series and sessions for such adults. What is RCIA? It includes several stages marked by study, prayer and rites at Mass. Participants in the RCIA are known as catechumens. They undergo a process of conversion as they study the Gospel, profess faith in Jesus and the Catholic Church, and receive the sacraments of baptism, confirmation and Holy Eucharist. The RCIA process follows the ancient practice of the church and was restored by the Second Vatican Council as the normal way adults prepare for baptism.

What are the steps of the RCIA? The threshold for catechized seems pretty low here. According to the rite, someone who is uncatechized is a baptized person who received zero catechetical formation after infancy. In all of the examples above, the person in question has received some catechetical formation.

I think we would all say that some of the people in the examples above need a lot more catechesis. But is it true that they are really uncatechized?

And given that we could all use more catechesis, is there any harm in treating them as uncatechized for the purposes of the catechumenal process? Would you like to receive an e-mail when a new post goes up? Subscribe here. Your e-mail is safe with us. We never give it out to anyone. Thanks for visiting! It's good to see you again. If you enjoyed this post, please click on one of the share buttons above or click here to e-mail a friend or colleague and spread the word.

After a conversation with a priest or a parish director of Christian Initiation, the person, known as an "inquirer," may seek acceptance into the Order of Catechumens, through the Rite of Acceptance. During this Rite, the inquirer stands amidst the parish community and states that he or she wants to become a baptized member of the Catholic Church. The parish assembly affirms this desire and the inquirer becomes a Catechumen.

The Period of the Catechumenate can last for as long as several years or for a shorter time. It depends on how the person is growing in faith, what questions they encounter along the way, and how God leads them on this journey. During this time, the Catechumens consider what God is saying to them in the Scriptures, what changes in their life they need to make to respond to God's inspiration, and what Baptism in the Catholic Church means. When a Catechumen and the priest and the parish team working with him or her believes the person is ready to make a faith commitment to Jesus in the Catholic Church, the next step is the request for baptism and the celebration of the Rite of Election.

Even before the Catechumens are baptized, they have a special relationship to the Church. The Rite of Election includes the enrollment of names of all the Catechumens seeking baptism at the coming Easter Vigil.

Typically, on the first Sunday of Lent, the Catechumens, their sponsors and families gather at the cathedral church. The Catechumens publicly express their desire for baptism to the diocesan bishop. Their names are recorded in a book and they are called the Elect. Lent is a period of preparation marked by prayer, study, and spiritual direction for the Elect, and prayers for them by the parish communities. Now the person is fully initiated into the Catholic Church. Each session will focus on a particular topic.

The session consists of a teaching on this topic followed by a time for discussion to ask questions and apply the material to our lives. We also always make time for prayer together. You will be a part of a group of people from all walks of life - young, old, different backgrounds and jobs.

Some are absolutely certain they are ready to join the Church, others are somewhat interested but still searching. Some have no religious background at all, some have been members of a Protestant Christian community in the past, some were baptized Catholic as infants and never practiced the faith or learned much about it, and are now coming back to the Church as adults.

They are drawn to the Church for a variety of reasons. The Easter Vigil is the Mass held after sunset the night before Easter. It is when candidates and catechumens complete their initiation into the Catholic Church. You would be preparing to receive Eucharist and Confirmation in order to be initiated into the Catholic Church.

The Mass is the center of Catholic life and it is a sin for a Catholic to miss Mass unless there is very good reason like a serious illness--going on vacation is NOT considered a serious reason.

If you are unsure of what is happening and what to do during Mass, the leaders of the RCIA group are happy to help and explain. Catholics believe that the Eucharist is actually, truly Jesus present in the Eucharist- body, blood, soul, and divinity. We must pray for the unity of all Christians. Furthermore, even Catholics do not receive communion in certain circumstances, for example, if they are too young, if they have eaten within an hour of Mass, or if they are guilty of serious sin.

However, you may come forward to receive a blessing. Just cross your arms over your chest and get in the line with the priest or deacon the men wearing vestments. If you watch you will see many people doing this. We welcome all those who are interested in learning more about the Catholic faith.