Rite of Welcome
Catechumens and Candidates for RCIA stand with their sponsors and our RCIA leaders.
Rite of Acceptance & Rite of Welcome
The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults or RCIA (now also known as the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults, OCIA) is the ancient process through which adults journey together while seeking to be welcomed into full communion with the Catholic Church. RCIA is not a class, nor is it a race to see how much information about the faith individuals can consume over the course of a year or more! Rather, it is primarily about one's relationship with the Lord and how he or she is being invited deeper to share in His body, the Church. Individuals will certainly grow in knowledge of the faith, but also they must grow in prayer so as to deepen their readiness to receive the invitation to the divine life in the Sacraments that Jesus offers to all of us.
This journey is marked by certain rites along the way both for the individuals and for us, the Church they will soon be welcomed into. The timing of these various rites mark their readiness to take the next step and invite our prayerful support as members of their family. This is truly the mission of the Church alive and at work!
Last Sunday at the 7:30 AM Mass, we celebrated the Rite of Acceptance and Rite of Welcome, a public display of the desire these individuals have to join the Church. It demonstrates a transition from simply an interested inquirer to active Catechumen (not yet baptized) or Candidate (already baptized). As seen in the intentionality of this rite last Sunday, quite literally, a public step for these individuals takes place as they physically "cross the threshold" into the Church for the first time to be seen by our community. After their sponsor, a helpful friend and mentor in the faith, introduced them to us, we questioned what it is they are seeking. Their answer is "faith," faith that offers "eternal life." After this initial inquiry, these individuals also receive the Word of God. Each receives a Bible to take for themselves, to be nourished daily with the very Gospel of Jesus Christ. Now, we as the Church take their intent very seriously by assuring them our prayerful support.
This year Holy Cross Church hopes to welcome five individuals whom the Lord has been actively at work helping them to hear his call in their lives: three Candidates whom are already baptized Christians: Kewan, Brad, and Erik, and two Catechumens: Lizzy and Sean who are seeking all of the Sacraments of Initiation. Please greet them warmly and welcome them to our faith community whenever you see them! Above all, please accompany them with your prayers that they may continue to know and be transformed by the Lord's grace already at work within them. They are a gift to us!
The RCIA journey is designed for all people looking for answers about the Catholic faith. If you would like to know more or know someone that may be interested, please invite them to get in touch with us!
Learn more at holycrossdewitt.org/rcia or call the parish office at (315) 446-0473.