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RCIA
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Are you interested in becoming a Catholic?
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What is RCIA?
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How long does it take?
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RCIA Inquiry Sessions
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Materials used in process
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Additional Information
Every year, thousands of people are received into the
Catholic Church. In response to the call of the Second
Vatican Council, the Church dramatically revised the
process of becoming Catholic. It promulgated what is
called the “Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults.”
The RCIA is an effort to restore the spirit of early
Christianity by emphasizing conversion as a
participation in the passion, death and resurrection of
Christ, as well as the role of the entire community in
giving support and shape to that journey.
The Rite of Christian
Initiation for Adults (RCIA) is a series of rites,
conducted in the context of learning about the faith and
spiritual formation, through which a person is fully
incorporated into the Church.
The RCIA is for anyone 7 or
older seeking to be baptized and/or enter into the
Catholic Church or for adult Catholics seeking
completion of the Sacraments of Initiation (e.g.,
Confirmation or First Communion). At St. Mark parish,
children under the age of 18 will be placed into the
appropriate level of our religious formation program, (CCD)
where they will receive preparation for the reception of
the Sacraments of Initiation. Adults will attend the
evening sessions of RCIA.
There is no set time period
for the process of becoming Catholic. Different parishes
and dioceses may set their own timetable. However, the
Church makes clear that what is important is not meeting
a schedule, but instead ensuring adequate preparation.
Some people may require more, some less, depending on
the spiritual readiness. Whatever precedes it, though,
the Sacraments of Initiation should normally be
celebrated at the Easter Vigil.
The “Catechumen”, those who
have never been baptized, and “Candidates”, those who
have been baptized in other denominations, (whose
baptism is recognized as valid) and those who are
baptized Catholic and have yet to complete the
Sacraments of Initiation will normally receive their
sacraments at the Easter Vigil.
RCIA Inquiry
sessions
are sessions
for anyone seeking to learn more about Christianity and
the Catholic faith, but uncertain about joining the
Catholic Church. Inquiry sessions are held on Monday
evenings, beginning in September, at 7:00-9:00 p.m.,
upstairs in Room 212, in the north school building.
For information about RCIA,
contact Susan Mikluscak or Mary Taber at
stmarkrelig@aol.com or (954) 252-9899.
Although the office of
Religious Education will be closed throughout the month
of July and early August you may still contact us via
e-mail as we will be periodically checking our mail.
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The "textbooks" used in RCIA
at St. Mark the Evangelist Parish are the New American
Study Bible, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, What
It Means To Be Catholic (an introductory pamphlet of the
Catholic faith) and Catholic Christianity by Peter J.
Kreeft. We will make these available to you.
Many other resources are
used or provided during the presentation of topics.
There is a $50.00 materials
fee.
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Additional Information
Throughout the year we will be updating this section with important
information regarding Religious Education.
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