By appointment only, call the parish office to schedule

Arrangements with the Pastor at least 6 months prior to the date

The RCIA process is a course designed for interested adults or older teens seeking full communion with the Catholic faith and lifestyle.  It is modeled after the way the first Christians entered the Church.  There are 4 distinct phases to the program:

• Pre-Catechumenate-the period of inquiry where a person begins to respond to the urge to seek out life with Christ in the Catholic Christian community.
• Catechumenate-Period where one has moved from being an inquirer to beginning to live the life of a Christian, a time of instruction, participation in church activities and the Breaking of the Word during the Eucharistic celebration.
• Enlightenment-Period of the final Lent before receiving the Sacraments: the time is to reflect, reconcile, and deepen awareness of God's grace.
• Mystatogia-Period where the newly initiated grow in understanding of scripture, sacraments, and the Christian life.

This process is communal in nature, meaning that it takes place within the context of both the group and the parish family.  The various phases of the class are punctuated by rites.  These are created to help the potential convert to the main rite, full entrance into the Church at the Easter Vigil Mass.  However, one's journey toward conversion is highly personal, and there is no pressure put upon the potential convert to rush through the process; rather, he / she is encouraged to proceed at his / her comfort level.

The RCIA is a communal process and involves a number of stages punctuated by liturgical rites to aid and assist the potential convert toward the final rite, usually at the Easter Vigil at which time they will become full members of the Roman Catholic Church. The entire process takes several months, (ideally a minimum of one complete liturgical year), but participants are generally invited to proceed at a pace which suits them individually. The Church prefers to call this a process and not a program

A variety of topics are covered in this class, beginning with Sacred Scripture.  The Sacraments, morality, social justice, Mary, and the saints are also focal points of the course.  There is no homework or tests. 

The class meets on Tuesday evenings from 7:30 through 9:00.  It starts in mid to late September and concludes in May (dates revolve around the date of Easter).  Dates will be listed in the Church bulletin.  Participants are encouraged to attend class weekly, with or without a sponsor, to read the chapters in the book that is provided, to ask questions, and to participate in discussions or just to sit and listen, whichever is preferred.  At the start of Advent, another component of the class begins-Breaking Open the Word.  Participants in the class attend Mass at 9:30 a.m. and are invited to go out after the homily to reflect upon the readings and message with a parishioner.  Breaking Open the Word concludes on Palm Sunday.  On the first Sunday after Ash Wednesday, the RCIA group participates in the Rite of Election at Blessed Sacrament Cathedral, the mother Church of the Archdiocese of Detroit.

RCIA is designed for many types of people.  Those who have never been baptized are Catechumens.  For those seeking full communion with the Church from another Christian denomination, the term Candidate is applicable.  There are also people who have been baptized into the Catholic Church and have received the Sacrament of Communion, but have never been confirmed.  These are Confirmandi.  Finally, some people take the class just to learn more about their faith. 

If you are interested in signing up for the class, please contact Lisa Powaser at lpowaser@stpwl.org for more information.

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