RCIA

Want to become a Catholic? Or are you a Catholic who have not completed their sacraments of initiation (Baptism, Eucharist, Confirmation)?
Then you should attend our R.C.I.A program. 

What is the R.C.I.A program?
The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (R.C.I.A.), is a process whereby adults are welcomed and received into the Roman Catholic Church. It is a way of learning about the various aspects of Church life: liturgy, belief, morality, prayer, and outreach, all in the context of developing an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ.

The process begins in September where adults attend weekly classes where they will learn about the faith, traditions and practices of the Roman Catholic Church.  The process concludes with the celebration of the sacraments at the Easter Vigil where they are fully initiated into the faith by receiving one or more of the sacraments of initiation: Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist.
The R.C.I.A. program is available in either English or Spanish.
Director:  Deacon Robert Pang

Come by the parish office to register or contact Deacon Robert Pang for additional information or questions you may have about the R.C.I.A. program.   

Additional Questions and Answers:

How can I get baptized?

The Catholic Church has a special process called the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (R.C.I.A.) for adults who wish to be baptized. This process is designed to welcome and prepare people to celebrate baptism through a series of small group gatherings and classes. The purpose is to foster a relationship with God and with the community, to encourage a spirit of faith and charity, to learn the basics of the Catholic faith, to prepare for the sacraments, and to help the person feel "at home" in the Catholic Church.

I’m already a baptized Catholic but have not received the sacraments of Eucharist and/or Confirmation. Can I receive these sacraments through the R.C.I.A. program?

Yes, you can receive the sacraments of the Eucharist and/or Confirmation by attending the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (R.C.I.A.) program. Receiving either or both sacraments will depend on which one you have not received.

If I’ve been baptized in another Christian Church, will I be baptized again?

We normally recognize as valid any baptism performed by pouring or immersion with water and the words "I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit." This would include the baptism of most Christian Churches. In this case, a person would not be baptized again. You will be instructed in the Catholic faith and invited to come into ‘full communion with the Catholic Church.’

What is meant when people refer to men and women coming into "full communion with the Catholic Church"?

When men and women who are baptized Christians but not Roman Catholics wish to become Catholics, they are coming into "full communion with the Catholic Church" through a process similar to the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (R.C.I.A). These people make a profession of faith but are not baptized again.

Why does it take so long?

The person can build a good foundation for lifelong formation and an ever deepening relationship with God, moving at God’s pace, not too fast or too slow, during the eight or nine months of the R.C.I.A. process. Each person can also experience the richness of the Church’s different seasons and feasts and have an opportunity to enter fully into the life of the community.