Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults - St. John Vianney Catholic Church

Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) A faith journey, an ongoing process, constantly turning to the Lord, continuing through adult life. RCIA Contact Information
The Rite of Election - Feb. 18, 2007 40 Days to Live - First Sunday of Lent 40 Days to Live - Second Sunday of Lent Reasons for interest in the Church vary and situations are as many as there are individuals. St. John Vianney parish provides an opportunity for you to step back and freely explore your interest and desire. We will gather with interested people in September, providing an opportunity for you to bring your questions and to hear more about the rich and varied tradition of our Catholic Church. Please contact us so we might hear more about you and talk about what may be involved in the process of exploring full membership in the Catholic Church. For more information, call Nora Petersen, Pastoral Associate for Adult Faith Formation at the parish office (925) 939-7911 ext 107. The process of Christian Initiation is for adults who… ...are unbaptized and want to become Catholic Christians through the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist. ...are baptized Christians (in another faith tradition or Catholic) who want full sacramental membership in the Roman Catholic Church through Confirmation and Eucharist. ...attend Catholic Church because of a loved one or spouse and are not sure if the Catholic Church is for them, but are willing to ask questions. …attend Catholic Church because of a loved one or spouse and are not sure if the Catholic Church is for them, but are willing to ask questions. This process takes place within the context of the parish community and, after a suitable period of formation, culminates in the reception of the Sacraments of Initiation (Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist). Formation includes several areas: Scripture: the stories of God’s people Teaching: what Catholics believe Prayer: how we communicate with God Liturgy: how the community worships Mission: how we live out what we believe How it works: God calls and we respond. With the process of Christian Initiation, men and women at all stages of the faith journey come together in a non-threatening and non-pressured atmosphere to learn more about the Catholic Church. We provide a forum for shared spiritual growth and a means to explore Catholic Christian tradition through the scripture, sacraments, church teaching, and social outreach, all in the midst of the Catholic faith community. Want to learn more? Call the Church office, 939-7911, if you have questions about the process or would like to drop into our weekly Inquiry meetings held in the Commons Vista Annex, immediately behind the church. RCIA Team, Catechumens and Candidates - 2006
The Rite of Election - Feb. 18, 2007 The Church, identified in Scripture as the Elect of God, holy and beloved, is urged to be zealous about making her call and election secure by responding with Spirit filled mission; to be the means by which God’s love abounds in the world. We, the baptized, are the Church. Next week we ritualize the addition of newly elect (currently “catechumen”) who will be baptized at Easter and, at the same time we recognize the continuing journey of some of the already baptized toward completion of their initiation or reception into full communion with the Church. While discernment for election occurs at the local level, the Rite of Election will be celebrated with the Bishop. He is responsible for initiation, and will preside at the actual Rite the following week in another parish. Election is about God’s choice of the catechumens to embrace the mission of Jesus and is a turning point in the initiation process: from the extended formation period of the Catechumenate to the Lenten retreat. Sponsors are entrusted with the responsibility to give testimony and the Church (represented by the Bishop) chooses the catechumens for the celebration of the initiation sacraments that mark their immersion in the paschal mystery and, therefore, the mission of the reign of God. The initiative of God is to call a person to God’s self, to invite the other into relationship. Our tradition speaks of those who are so invited by God as the “elect”, those on whom God’s favor rests. Bishop, giving voice to the call of God, declares with confidence that they are God’s chosen. The catechumen responds freely, embracing the responsibilities of discipleship publicly by signing the parish book of the elect and, later, by verbally answering the bishop’s inquiry. In addition, those baptized who are making public their decision to complete their initiation with Eucharist and Confirmation (the “candidates”), or who are preparing for reception into the full communion of the Catholic Church will be presented to the bishop at this same Rite of Election. Recognition and the call to continuing conversion focus on the decision of the candidates to complete their initiation in response to their election by God at their baptism. The Rite of Sending of both candidates and elect will be celebrated at the 11:00 mass on February 25 and will provide an opportunity for the local community to ritualize and celebrate this pivotal moment. We express our approval and send them forth assured of the parish’s care and support. As we pray with and for these elect and candidates, we, the baptized might ask ourselves: Who would give testimony for me, if I were seeking membership in the elect today? What would they say about God’s action in my life? What evidence would be offered?
40 Days to Live - First Sunday of Lent The final period of purification and enlightenment for the men and women who are preparing for full initiation into the Catholic Church this Easter, which the rite of election begins, coincides with Lent. It formally began with the Rite of Election with Bishop Vigneron Sunday afternoon, Feb 25^th. In Lent, this period of purification and enlightenment for the RCIA members is thus a reminder of the ongoing journey of repentance and re-birth for our entire community. the reminder of baptism already received or the preparation for its reception, as well as the theme of repentance, renew the entire community along with those being prepared to celebrate the paschal mystery. For all of us the Lenten season is a time for spiritual recollection consisting in interior reflection intended to purify the minds and hearts of all as we commonly together search our own consciences and do penance. It is also a time to enlighten our minds and hearts with a deeper knowledge of Jesus Christ as our the Savior – the One who has conquered sin and death through his life of compassion, his suffering and crucifixion, and his resurrection.. To be baptized into Christ’s resurrection is to pass thorough death to a new life in the waters of baptism. All of us who are baptized have been united to Christ, dying with him and given life again with him, and with him we rise again. At Easter we will renew that experience, renewing our baptismal vows. So now we prepare to die and rise with Christ. One author asks, “If your physician announced that you had but forty days to prepare for your death, what might you do during that time?” Would you take a look at the life you have lived? Would you mend some relationships? Would you seek forgiveness and reconciliation? Would you be sure to spend time differently and with different people? What would you do? March 4th at the 11:00 Mass we celebrated the first of four Penitential Rites with those who are already baptized and now preparing for full communion in the Church. Next week (March 11th) we celebrate special rites, called Scrutinies, designed specifically for those awaiting baptism for baptism or reception of others and the rest of the sacraments of initiation. All of these are opportunities for all of us to search ourselves.. Together with them we will seriously examine ourselves, uncovering all that is weak and bringing out all that is upright, strong and good, praying together in the spirit of true repentance. The RCIA elect and catechumens spend time with the questions: What is a weakness of the human condition today? Jesus is God’s beloved Son; in what does our world, society, need to listen to him? What is my own personal weakness? Where do I need to listen to him? What gets in the way? We might all reflect on these questions as we pray for insight to uncover what is weak and ask God’s healing; strengthening what is upright, strong and good in us.
40 Days to Live - Second Sunday of Lent Lent is a reminder of the ongoing journey of repentance and re-birth for our entire community. For the Elect and Candidates in our RCIA process this is called the period of purification and enlightenment. For all of us the Lenten season is a time for spiritual recollection consisting in interior reflection intended to purify the minds and hearts of all as together we search our consciences and do penance. It is also a time to enlighten our minds and hearts with a deeper knowledge of Jesus Christ, our Savior, the One who has conquered sin and death through his life of compassion, his suffering and crucifixion, and his resurrection. To be baptized into Christ’s resurrection is to pass through death to a new life in the waters of baptism. All of us who are baptized have been united to Christ, dying with him and given life again with him, and with him we rise again. At Easter we will renew that experience, renewing our baptismal vows. So now we prepare to die to our old ways and rise with Christ. One author asks, “If your physician announced that you had but forty days to prepare for your death, what might you do during that time?” Would you take a look at the life you have lived? Would you mend some relationships? Would you seek forgiveness and reconciliation? Would you be sure to spend time differently and with different people? What would you do? Today at the 11:00 Mass we celebrate the Penitential Rites with those who are already baptized, preparing for full communion with the Church. Their journey is most like ours. For the following three Sundays at 11:00 Mass, we observe special rites, called Scrutinies, designed specifically to help prepare for baptism and the rest of the sacraments of initiation. All of these are opportunities for all of us to search ourselves. Together we seriously examine ourselves, uncovering all that is weak and bringing out all that is upright, strong and good, praying together in the spirit of true repentance. The RCIA elect and candidates spend time with questions like these: What is a weakness of the human condition today? Jesus is God’s beloved Son; in what does our world, our society, need to listen to him? What are my own personal weaknesses? Where do I need to listen to Jesus? What gets in the way? In Lent, as we pray with and for the elect and candidates, we might all reflect on these questions. Pray for insight to uncover what is weak and ask God’s healing to strengthen what is upright, strong and good.
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