Christian Initiation of Adults
Rooted in the traditions of the earliest disciples, the Rites of Christian Initiation are the process of entering into the full communion of the Catholic Church.
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops describes the Order of Christian Initiation for Adults as a process in which participants undergo “conversion as they study the Gospel, profess faith in Jesus and the Catholic Church, and receive the sacraments." Rooted in the practices of the Early Church, OCIA is the normal manner of preparing adults for receiving the Sacraments of Initiation — Baptism, Eucharist, and Confirmation. Within the program, there are two groups: Catechumens, who preparing for Baptism; and Candidates, who are baptized persons seeking to complete their sacramental initiation through First Holy Communion and Confirmation.
The period consists of study, exploration, community-building, and faith formation, with liturgical rites interspersed throughout. Any and all adults or older children who have a desire to join the Church are invited into the ancient celebration of the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults. During this process, participants are introduced to the beliefs, teachings, liturgy, prayer, and life of the Catholic Church.
It is a Journey
RCIA is a process that proceeds over the course of months. It has several steps:
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This earliest phase in the process is also called the Period of Inquiry. Catechumens and Candidates acknowledge that Christ is calling them into the Church through the movement of the Holy Spirit. This is a time for seeking and reflection, that culminates in the Rite of Acceptance (also called the Rite of Initiation), wherein the parish community accepts, on behalf of the entire People of God, the new members into the community.
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The longest part of the process, the Catechumenate is a time of learning and formation in the traditions and doctrine of the Catholic Church. This is a time for sharing stories, reading scripture, and studying the Church customs, traditions and doctrine. Participants also participate in worship services and various Church rituals.
This period of the process reaches its zenith in the Rite of Election, in which the Catechumens and Candidates are received by the local Bishop, who calls them to receive the Sacraments of Initiation at Easter.
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At the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday, all of the recent elects reach the end goal of the RCIA process, when they are formally welcomed formally into the People of God through receiving Baptism, Eucharist, and/or Confirmation.
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Taking place after Easter Sunday's formal reception into the Catholic Church, this period is centered around further reflection and continuiing community-building. Mystagogia means “leading into the mystery", and the newly-initiated are called during this time to explore the deep mystery of the Faith and to go forth to spread the Gospel and build up the Kingdom of God.
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