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God calls all of us to salvation; our journeys, however, may take many different paths. For some, the journey began in Baptism as a newborn child; but for others, the journey could be winding. Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) is the process for welcoming adults into the faith tradition of the Roman Catholic Church.
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Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults
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The RCIA program is designed for adults:
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Who have not been baptized in any religion
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Who have been baptized in another faith tradition and desire to be in full communion with the Catholic Church
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Who were baptized Roman Catholic, but did not receive the sacraments of Eucharist and/or Confirmation
The purpose of the process is to form adults in the faith by forming them in Scripture and Catholic Tradition, and by transforming them through a solid relationship with God in prayer and the celebration of Mass.
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Understanding The Journey
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Your participation in RCIA will take you through different stages. A brief description of each stage is detailed below.
- Pre-Catechumenate: A period of time where the adult inquires about the Catholic faith, begins to join the parish community at Mass and social occasions, and begins to study the teachings of the Church.
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Rite of Acceptance and Welcoming: This is a ceremony that takes place during Mass in which those in RCIA publicly profess their desire to begin a more intense study and practice of the Catholic faith.
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Catechumenate: In this stage, the candidate delves deeper into the study of Scripture and the Traditions of the Catholic Church. They live the Catholic faith in order to test whether they can make a lifetime commitment.
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Rite of Election: Another ceremony in which the Bishop of the Diocese of Cleveland embraces all those coming into the Church and blesses them as they begin the last stage of their preparation.
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Purification and Enlightenment: This is the final and perhaps the most intense period of preparation as the catechumen/candidate enters into the Lenten season of forty days. It is a time of prayer and fasting so that the spirit will be strengthened and the roots of their faith will grow deeper. Our catechumens are now called “The Elect.”
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Celebration of the Sacraments of Initiation: On the night before Easter, the Catholic Church prays their most beautiful liturgy as they walk with the catechumen into the waters of Baptism and receive the Professions of Faith of the candidates. The newly baptized become our “neophytes.”
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Mystagogy: A short period of time for each of us to reflect on the miracle that God has given to us.
It may seem complicated, but do not worry. Our RCIA team walks the journey with you and your sponsor. We are there to prayerfully, socially, and faithfully support you. If you or someone you know seems to be feeling God’s call to become a member of the Roman Catholic Church, we welcome you and promise to help you discern what God may be desiring for you.
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