The Holy
Family Parish welcomes enquiries from anyone wanting to know more about
the Roman Catholic Church's Christian faith. Please
contact Fr.
Philip
The RCIA programme usually
runs from October until Pentecost, see newsletter announcements.
We welcome and ask your prayers for those taking part. Do let us know if you are interested
At times a separate 'confirmation' class is available.
Interested adults who want to learn more and possibly to
join the church later, can enter a liturgical and catechetical process of
evangelisation and formation called
the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults or 'RCIA', also known as
the 'Journey in Faith'.
This enables inquirers to explore the rich
depth of Catholicism in a friendly, relaxed environment and if desired eventually, to be welcomed into full communion with the
Catholic community of faith. The programme usually runs from Autumn to Easter, the highlight of the Christian
year and the traditional time for initiating new Christians,
concluding at Pentecost. You can also take a longer time if you wish, there is no
pressure.
Becoming a Catholic is not just a matter of
learning about and accepting a number of beliefs, it is a period of
personal growth and ongoing conversion as a Christian while developing a
personal relationship with Jesus, as well as
growing into a particular community or parish. The RCIA process
provides an opportunity to learn without commitment and is also
suitable for Catholics who wish to deepen their understanding of
the faith.
Some who participate are Christians by virtue of their Baptism in
another denomination. Adults who are baptised Catholics but were
never confirmed or seldom practice their faith are also most
welcome. We are often joined by parishioners seeking to explore
their own continuing journey in faith in greater detail and share
their experiences.
Enquirers discuss aspects of the Christian faith and learn more
about Catholic life, in a supportive environment with Catechists
and parishioners, many of whom have themselves been through the
RCIA. For those already baptised, the process leads to reception
into the Church, Confirmation and Eucharist (Holy Communion). Those
not yet baptised receive all three Sacraments – Baptism,
Confirmation and Eucharist. In previous years the process was
called the Catechumenate and the person joining the Church was
called a Catechumen. RCIA has its roots in the earliest
evangelisation of the Church by the Apostles 2000 years ago and in
Jesus’ call to all of us to preach the “Good News” to all men and
women.
The RCIA process is composed of four steps.
[for a highly detailed
description see the Wikipedia article in the external links list
below]
-
The Inquiry or Precatechumenate stage is a period of hearing the first preaching of
the Gospel. This stage ends with the Rite of Acceptance, a rite
where the person making the inquiry states his or her desire to
enter the church to the entire community.
-
The Catechumenate stage is set
aside for a more thorough catechesis, instruction on the Sacraments
and other church teachings. This stage ends with the Rite of
Election, a rite where the catechumens sign the Book of the Elect
which is then signed by the Bishop. This takes place in our
Cathedral in Plymouth during Lent.
-
The period of Purification and Enlightenment
is designed for a more intense spiritual preparation,
consisting of more interior reflection than catechetical
instruction. This stage includes the celebration of the scrutinies,
which are rituals where the entire community prays over those
wishing to enter the church that they deepen their resolve to set
aside their past faults and sins, hold fast to Christ and to carry
out their decision to love God above all. This period concludes
with the reception of the Sacraments of Initiation - Baptism,
Confirmation and Eucharist, usually at our Easter Holy Saturday
Vigil Service.
-
Mystagogy (Mystagogia). From
the Greek for "education in the mysteries" or "going deeper into
the mysteries" or a "pathway into the mysteries". This is a period
for the newly received Catholic (Neophyte)
to deepen their Christian formation and understanding of their new
faith & the mysteries of the Sacraments of Initiation. Also for
incorporation into the full life of the community, learning more
about the different ministries in their parish and deciding how
they want to more fully live out their faith. This is usually
during the 50 days from Easter to Pentecost
and is just the start of a new and personal journey with the gift
of faith, over the rest of one's lifetime. read more using links
below
[In our faith ‘mystery’ is not a puzzle that cannot be solved. It
is a truth that is so deep that we know we’ll never be able to get
to the bottom of it; a truth we’ll never completely be able to
understand.]
Penzance Catholic Church - The Holy Family Parish > "RCIA" <
