WHAT: The Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (or, RCIA) is the process by which interested adults are brought into full communion in the Catholic Church, and involves formation in the catechetical, liturgical, and pastoral elements of Catholic faith and practice.
WHO: In addition to being available for those who desire to enter the Church, however, the RCIA is also offeredas an opportunity for those who are already Catholic as a means of learning muchmore about the Catholic faith.
HOW: In weekly sessions over approximately six months, we will work through the whole content of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which Pope St. John Paul II described as “offered to all the faithful who wish to deepen their knowledge of the unfathomable riches of salvation,” and as a means of better comprehending “the wondrous harmony of Catholic faith.” There is no cost to participate. The only “homework” required will be reading assigned sections of the Catechism, and occasional passages from Sacred Scripture.
WHY: For many Catholics, the only formal instruction we received in the Catholic faith occurred during grade school or high school. And notwithstanding the particular quality of that instruction, it was necessarily tailored to the questions, and the capacities, of young students. But as adults we have likely had life experiences, and faced moral challenges, which go beyond the degree of understanding afforded by that early religious training. Quite simply, this is why the Church encourages adult education in the Catholic faith—we cannot expect to properly know, love, and serve God as an adult Catholic if we are armed only with an 8th-grader’s understanding of the faith. So, please consider participating in the RCIA sessions this year, as an aid in developing a fully adult understanding of what the Church teaches and believes.
If you are interested, or would like to inquire further, please contact:
Deacon Joe Fragale: [email protected] Phone: 314-771-1228 #4
or
Harold Ernst: [email protected] Phone: 314-606-2361
