The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) is a process through which adults learn about the teachings of Jesus as the Catholic Church has handed them on and put these teachings into practice by living as part of the Catholic community, serving others and praying.
RCIA is for three groups of people:
• Those who have never been baptized in any faith,
• People who were baptized in another Christian faith, and
• Baptized Catholics who have never received the Sacraments of Confirmation and Eucharist.
RCIA has several aspects
Spiritual – candidates attend part of Sunday Mass as a group each week. They learn new ways of praying, and they look into themselves to discover what God is saying to them now.
Educational – candidates learn what the Catholic Church believes about God, about Jesus, about the Bible, and about what the Church teaches.
Community – candidates are encouraged to be part of the parish and to attend parish events and celebrations. Their sponsors are representatives of the parish community.
Service – In the Bible, Jesus directs us to “love your neighbor as yourself”, and lets us know that “whatever you do for the least of my brothers, you do for me.” Following Jesus, RCIA asks each candidate to contribute 4 hours of service to the needy between September and March.
Time At St. Procopius Church, the next RCIA program will begin in October 2016. The program meets every Sunday morning for class and the group attends mass at St. Procopius as part of the program. The Easter Vigil Mass will be on April 15, 2017 (Holy Saturday- the night before Easter). At this Mass those who need to be baptized will receive the sacrament, and everyone will receive the sacraments of Confirmation and Eucharist.
Answers to Frequently Asked Questions
Some ask if attending RCIA is like taking a course. It is and it isn’t! Most importantly, RCIA is a process which helps a person figure out what God is saying to him or her at this point in life. The emphasis is on personal reflection, prayer, and service to the less fortunate. There are also formal presentations on subjects such as God, Jesus, the Sacraments, and the Scriptures. There are no quizzes or exams.
Registration Questions
If you would like more information, or to register, please call us at 312-226-7887 or you can stop by the rectory for information forms.