Introduction to RCIA St Teresa of Avila

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Lynette Allen
5 years ago
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1 Introduction to RCIA St Teresa of Avila Welcome to RCIA at St Teresa of Avila Catholic Church. I would like to begin with a prayer by Thomas Merton. Thomas Merton was a Trappist monk best known as a mystic and Catholic writer. Possibly his greatest book was his autobiography, The Seven Storey Mountain. The Road Ahead My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think that I am following Your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please You does in fact please You. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this, you will lead me by the right road though I may know nothing about it. Therefore, will I trust You always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone. Amen I have chosen this prayer because it possibly addresses the uncertainty many of you may have. Why am I here? What is Catholicism all about? Where is God in my life? Although we may feel alone and lacking a sense of direction we are never alone. God is always by our side even during those times when we drift away from him. We should always seek to do God s will even if it is not clear what He is calling us to do. Pray and the Holy Spirit will guide you along the right path. Common to people of every time and culture is a longing for understanding and the truth. We want to know! We want to know the purpose of our life, why we are here on earth, where we came from, whether there is a God, who this God is, whether there is an afterlife, and so much more! These most basic and fundamental questions are hopefully in the forefront of our minds. And if they are not, it s never too late to start! Hopefully over the next few months we will explore these questions and provide answers. I know from past experience that you are here for many reasons. Some have already decided to convert to Catholicism while others are simply curious and are here to learn more about the Catholic faith. Still others are already Catholic and have joined us as a refresher in the Faith. 1

2 But is important for each of you to know that you are here tonight because God called you by name and you have chosen to answer His call. The initiative is always God's and never our own. You must discern the call of the God in your life. What brought you here? Why? Are you doing this to satisfy someone else or is this your personal desire? Are you doing this to fulfill a cultural custom or is it really heart-felt? God has created each of you to be unique, and he loves you just as you are with all of your imperfections. This doesn t mean he doesn t want us to be better. God desires that each of us develop a more intimate relationship with him. How do we develop this special relationship? Acts 2:42 tells us how they accomplished this in the early Church.: And they devoted themselves to the apostles teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers In this scripture we see the 4 Pillars of Faith: 1.Creed 2.Sacraments 3.Commandments 4.Prayer By being attentive to the 4 Pillars we can grow closer to God. 1.Creed We will discuss the Apostles and Nicene Creeds in a few weeks The Creeds are the basic statements of what we believe as Christians. These are the articles of our faith it is what we must believe to call ourselves Christians. 2.Sacraments The sacraments will be presented in great detail at the first of the year -Visible sign of an invisible grace instituted by Christ for our sanctification and the sanctification of His Church Seven Sacraments Initiation Healing Service of Communion (Vocations) 3.Commmandments 10 Commandments or Decalogue 2

3 A summary of all the laws of the Old Testament and all the moral teachings of the Church To grow closer to God we must obey his commandments. 4.Prayer A conversation with God We speak through words, thoughts, and desires God speaks through our hearts, our conscience, the scriptures, the Church RCIA is the abbreviation for the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults. RCIA is the process by which adults enter the Catholic Church. We do this through the sacraments of Initiation: Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Eucharist If you paid close attention to what I just said you would have noted that I described RCIA as a process not a program. It is a spiritual journey and not an academic course. We will not be teachers in the strict sense of the word. There will be no tests. RCIA is a process of gradual learning. My predecessor Sister Laura Ann Gray described it as taking baby steps. We have to learn to walk before we can run. Being a Catholic is not simply about having knowledge Jesus does not say, know this and do that ; He says come and see and follow me. A very important part of our time will be devoted to developing this intimate relationship with Christ. RCIA in a way is all about seeking Christ It is not simply to know about Christ but to know Him on a more personal basis. This personal knowledge leads to love. Love begins by receiving his love which he offers freely. All you have to do is ask. This love should not just be individually but also as a community Over the next several months a variety of speakers will be sharing presentations dealing with the customs, traditions, doctrines and practices of the Catholic Church. Weekly we will be sharing scripture and prayer. RCIA is a journey of spiritual growth just as much as it is a process of learning about the Church. RCIA is NOT a course in theology though you will learn aspects of theology along the way. 3

4 It is NOT a course of Church History though you will learn much about the history of our Church. It is not a Bible Study though weekly you will share scripture as we break open the Word of God. RCIA is a spiritual journey that will end at the Easter Vigil Mass when many of you will enter the Church. (Though this is really just the beginning) Ours will be a journey under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. The concept of RCIA dates back to the early Church. It is a process that unfolds in stages. In the early Church the process, referred to as the Catechumenate, could take 3-4 years. It is a process that cannot be rushed but must unfold at your own pace. I know several individuals who attended RCIA for 3 years before making a decision to enter the Catholic Church. Our first stage is referred to as the Stage of Evangelization and Inquiry. You will be exposed to the teachings of the Gospels. This is the period of time when you are encouraged to ask questions and express doubts. During this stage you will decide if you are ready to move forward with the preparation to enter the Church. One cannot rush this decision. This is a journey that takes as long as it takes. Conversion occurs on God s time not ours Once one reaches the point of initial conversion and wishes to become Christian, they are accepted as catechumens by the Church The second stage is the Period of the Catechumenate. Those who decide to enter the Church are trained for a life in Christ. This period entails a more intense preparation for the sacraments of initiation The third stage is the Period of Enlightenment and Purification. This coincides with the Catholic season of Lent. This is a time for more intense prayer and spiritual discernment. Spiritual spring cleaning to prepare to receive the sacraments. A fourth stage is referred to as the Mystagogia. During this stage we explore the mysteries of our faith. The newly initiated experience being fully a part of the Christian community by means of both pertinent catechesis and particularly by participation with all the faithful in the Sunday Eucharistic celebration. 4

5 Each stage is transitioned by a liturgical rite where you will gather as a group with the faithful of the parish during Mass. The Church will pray with you and for you and commit to support you on your spiritual journey. These rites: The Rite of Acceptance and Welcome. The candidates express and the Church accepts their intention to respond to God s call to follow the way of Christ. The Rite of Election The Church formally ratifies the catechumens readiness for the sacraments of initiation and the catechumens, now the elect, express the will to receive these sacraments. The Rite of Initiation This is the liturgical rite by which the elect are initiated through baptism, confirmation, and the Eucharist. The goal of RCIA is to learn about the Catholic faith in preparation of the Sacraments of Initiation at the Easter Vigil Service. But as I stated earlier it is much more than an academic course. It is a process of spiritual growth and conversion. Hopefully through the weeks spent in RCIA you will be alive with the spirit as you receive the Sacraments of Initiation. Through what you will learn in RCIA you will be well equipped for the spiritual journey that will unfold as you progress through all of life s challenges. Your ultimate goal will be a more perfect union with God. When we think of the word initiation, we think of a beginning. The Sacraments of Initiation are not the end but the beginning of your journey as a Catholic Christian. Initiation also suggests joining a club or becoming a member of a group as in an initiation into a sorority or fraternity or a club. In this case you are being initiated into the faith community of St Teresa of Avila as well as the Roman Catholic Church. This concept of community is very important and we will discuss it more at a later date. But for now take comfort in knowing that with every step of your journey you will be supported by your faith family both in prayer and action if needed. When one first glances at the schedule for RCIA, the most striking feature is the length of the process. 5

6 I know this appears overwhelming but I promise the weeks will fly by and before you know it you will be standing before the altar at the Easter Vigil Mass awaiting Baptism, Confirmation and/or your First Communion. These Thursdays that we will meet together will prove to be not only informative but very enjoyable. Although perhaps strangers tonight you will grow to become a family. I invite you to speak to those who have gone through the program over the past several years. I believe they will agree with what I am telling you now. This will not be a chore. It will be a joy. I predict this will become the highlight of your week. Task List: If you have been baptized I will need either a copy of your baptismal certificate or an affidavit stating you have been baptized. Please try to get this done over the next several weeks. If you or your spouse have been previously married or divorced I need to speak to ASAP! We have weekly refreshments, which is the shared responsibility of the group. Terri Bair is in charge of coordinating this task. We will provide drinks but will ask 3 individuals to sign up weekly to bring snacks Terri will have a sign-up sheet. I will need to meet with each of the inquirers/candidates for a short interview over the next several weeks. RCIA Team: Deacon Kerry Diver Terri Bair Bob Prange 6

RCIA for Adults Explained

RCIA for Adults Explained "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded