RCIA - Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults, Teens, and Children

Who should be participating in R.C.I.A.?

We prepare children (ages 7+), teens, and adults for the Catholic Sacraments of Initiation: Baptism, Confirmation, and 1st Communion.   We also prepare baptized children (3rd graders +), teens, and adults for the completion of their Initiation Sacraments: Confirmation and 1st Communion.

 Adults can join our ongoing Inquiry Group which meets every 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Tuesday evenings and Saturday mornings.  Our next Tuesday Inquiry sessions will be July 13 and July 20. Join us at 6:30 p.m. in the Parish Center. Our next Saturday Inquiry session will be July 17 at 11 a.m., also in the Parish Center...just follow the signs.  Let's gather around the table together.  Don't forget to bring your questions, a Bible if you have one, and an open heart!  Please contact our Director of Initiation-RCIA  Stefanie Vance 818-949-4329 or email (click on Stefanie's name above) for an appointment or more information.

Children are served through RCIA's Family Faith First and eventually PREP (our parish religious education program).   Our May Family gathering included a Family Potluck. We shared our favorite family dishes (dessert, salads, entree, or main meal) and learned how our families can honor Mary in our hearts and homes.   We will also said "Farewell and God bless" to our teens who have now completed their RCIA time with us and are continuing on their faith adventure as fully-initiated Catholic Christians.  

Our next Family Faith First will be a summer field trip to our downtown Cathedral on Saturday, August 7.  Meet at the main plaza of the Cathedral @ 10:30 a.m.  We will tour our Cathedral then share lunch together at Philippe's Famous French Dip restaurant. 

Our September Family Faith First regular session will be on Sunday, September 5 @ 4:15 p.m.  Join us in the Parish Center.  Follow the Family Faith First signs.

Teens participate in both Family Faith First and RCIA for Teens: T.N.T. (Train/Nurture/Thrive!) as well as other parish youth activities.   We are currently in the process of interviewing Teen Candidates for our 2010 - 2012 T.N.T.  At the completion of their two-year preparation, teens receive all Sacraments of Initiation-- Baptism, First Communion and Confirmation. Teens meet on the 2nd & 3rd Sunday afternoons of each month @ 3:30 p.m. We attend the 5:30 p.m. Youth Mass together. Please scroll down to the T.N.T. section for more info.

R.C.I.A. at St. Bede's   At St. Bede's, R.C.I.A. is truly a year-round process.  This means that you can enter at any time throughout the year. Every month, your RCIA group (children, teens, families, and adults) will be engaged in thoughtful preparation for the sacraments.  It is your opportunity to "feast" on the richness of the word of God -- the Bible -- and the treasury of the Catholic faith -- traditions centuries old yet still vibrant today.  You will be taking the time to learn a different way of living, of being. It is our hope and our prayer that through the RCIA process, you will come to embrace Catholicism as your way of life.

           Interested? Please contact our Director of Initiation, Stefanie Vance at 818-949-4329  or email  (click on Stefanie's name above) for an appointment.

        What is R.C.I.A?  In 1988, the Catholic Bishops of the United States directed that adults becoming Catholic do so by a unique faith formation process called RCIA.  R.C.I.A. is the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults.  It has also been adapted for children (over the age of seven) and for teens.

There are actually three Catholic sacraments of Christian initiation -- Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist.  You are being prepared to receive all three on the same night. (If you have already received Christian baptism, you are being prepared for two sacraments -- Confirmation and Eucharist. You will not be asked to be baptized again.)

It is during the most special night of the entire Church year -- Holy Saturday (or the Easter Vigil) --that the Church receives those to be baptized whom She has called "The Elect of God".  Through the Rite of Baptism, you will be asked to publicly reject Satan and submit to the waters of baptism.  This baptism symbolizes the death of your old life. By rising out of the water, you are truly born again. You now have a new life, a new identity!  You are now Christian, sharing in the identity of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, "light from light, true God from true God." (Nicene Creed c. 325)

After water baptism, your godparent covers you with a white baptismal robe and gives you a newly lighted candle.  It is a reminder of your New Life, your Rebirth. You are now accepting the responsibility to be a loving light to your family, your co-workers, your community as Christ is Light to the entire world.

Immediately following Baptism, you (the "neophyte" or "newly planted") are anointed with sacred chrism.  It is a strengthening sign of the Sacrament of Confirmation.  To be confirmed is to embrace the fullness of the Holy Spirit --to speak of Jesus with clarity and truth and love.

While you are still glistening with baptismal water and sacred chrism, you rejoin your companions and family in the pews. United in the Church's prayers, you prepare to fully receive our Lord. This is Eucharist (Communion). Using the elements of simple bread and simple wine, Jesus, the Lord of the Universe, humbles Himself so that His Body can be placed in our hands and on our tongues.  Now you can be Him to others.  You become the face of Christ to a world in need.  Imagine the possibilities!  Your mission is not to serve yourself, but to offer yourself in service to others. 

 Sounds Great!  When can I start?

You can begin the Journey towards the Catholic Sacraments any time during the year.   There are four stages to the RCIA process -- Inquiry, Catechumenate, Purification and Enlightenment, and Mystagogy.  

The first stage of the RCIA journey is the Inquiry Period.    (Parents, see the Family Faith First section regarding Inquiry for children and teens) If that first date is not convenient for you, come on the following Tuesday night or Saturday morning.  Come when you can!  The important thing is to just begin!  All adults interested in Inquiry should contact  Stefanie Vance at 818-949-4329 for an appointment or email (click on Stefanie's name above) for an appointment. (see the box at the bottom of this page for more information)

Inquiry meets from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Tuesday evenings of each month.  Saturday morning RCIA sessions are also available. Meetings are usually held in the Mother Teresa Room of our Parish Center.  Just follow the RCIA signs!  

What is Inquiry?

~Is open-ended; take your time to decide

~You should attend at least ten sessions.

~You can remain in Inquiry as long as you like.

~Provides you with "Basic Catholic" information and a time of spiritual discernment through group discussion and reflection.

~Allows plenty of time for your questions -- of the Church and of yourself:  "Is God leading you to the lifelong adventure of a Catholic Christian?"

~Ends when you enter the Catechumenate via the Rite of Acceptance and Welcome.  This Rite is celebrated at a Sunday Mass.

Your Journey of Faith continues onto the Catechumenate Period:

  The Catechumenate begins at the Rite of Acceptance and Welcome.

• If you have not been baptized, you are now called a Catechumen
• If you are baptized, you are now called a Candidate
• This time is open-ended, but you will need to attend sessions for at least one full year PRIOR to entering the Lenten Rites.
• Deeper exploration of Catholic doctine, tradition, and bible study within a group setting during Sunday Mass Dismissal sessions.
• You are expected to attend Sunday Mass Dismissal sessions.  (1st, 2nd, & 3rd Sundays year-round -- Mass times varies)
• Apprenticing our Catholic faith-in-action at our parish and in our communities of home, work, and school.
• Must bypass one Lenten and Easter Season
• Participation in Retreats and other special faith formation activities
• Ends when you enter the Purification and Enlightenment Period via the Rite of Sending and the Rite of Election.  This Rite is celebrated on the first or second Sunday of Lent.

* If you are already baptized, the  Catechumenate Period can vary, but you should know that: 

• You are expected to participate in all of the above as a Candidate for Reception into Full Communion with the Catholic Church.
• You have already enjoyed a life of Baptism.  You are now making the decision to fully embrace your Catholicism. We need your special insight! Those who have never been baptized will be looking to you for inspiration.   
• The Sacrament of Reconciliation ("1st Confession") can take place during the Catechumenate whenever you feel you are ready.
• The Sacraments of Confirmation, and 1st Communion are received at a time other than Lent and Easter Vigil.
• If you have not been baptized as a Catholic, you will be asked to make a brief Profession of Faith prior to your Confirmation and 1st Communion.

The next step on Your Journey of Faith is:     the Purification and Enlightenment Period

• Intended for those seeking Baptism who have bypassed one Lent/Easter Season as a catechumen 
• Time of intense preparation for the Sacraments
• Special Lenten Rites of Election (presentation by your sponsor to the parish at a  Sunday Mass and to the Cardinal at the Cathedral) and the three Lenten Sundays of the Scrutiny Rites (sharing with the Sunday assembly what is keeping you from surrendering to the love of Jesus --and allowing us to pray for your spiritual and physical needs)
• Ends in the waters of Baptism on Holy Saturday.
• *For those already baptized, you are asked to attend all Lenten Rites as a way of supporting those whom you have come to know through the Inquiry and Catechumenate periods.  You will receive Confirmation and 1st Communion at later time (to be determined after completing one full year of RCIA instruction).

 Mystagogy is the final period of R.C.I.A.  It is designed as a final six-week nurturing of the neophytes and coincides with the Easter Season.  Because you are a neophyte "newly planted", this is a time for you to fully dwell on the truth of the Sacramental life as a Roman Catholic.

During this time, you should:

• Continue to meet with the Sunday group for one-hour bible study/discussion after Mass.
• Enjoy the fullness of Sunday Mass -- its readings, prayers, and meaning.
• Frequently feast on the Word of God (Jesus) in form of the Eucharist
• Mingle with the Sunday assembly before and after Mass.  They will be eager to congratulate you!
• Seek ways to be an active Catholic parishioner.
• Consider mentoring someone who is considering Inquiry.
• Consider becoming a sponsor for a teen in Confirmation.

On Pentecost Sunday, the neophytes will receive their final R.C.I.A. blessing at the conclusion of Mass.  The blessing concludes with these prophetic words,

_{"Go forth now}

_{to bring the love of Christ to others with all your body,}

_{with all your mind, with all your soul, and with all your heart.} 

_{Nothing is ending.  All is beginning! Amen!"}

  Our Family and Teen RCIA Gatherings:

Family Faith First  is our R.C.I.A. answer for families of children and teens who have not yet been baptized or who were not able to receive the Sacrament of 1st Communion in the 2nd grade.

   Family Faith First or FFF meets on the first Sunday afternoon of every month. It is at least a two-year faith journey for those seeking baptism. Through these monthly meetings, your family is actively preparing your children for full reception into the Catholic Church by the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and 1st Communion. These Sacraments of Initiation will be received-- in their entirety-- at a future Easter Vigil. 

If your young child or teen has already been baptized and you have been attending Mass on a regular basis, your time in FFF will vary. The Sacraments of Confirmation and 1st Communion will be received at a time other than Lent or Easter Vigil.

FFF meets at 4:15 p.m. upstairs in the Parish Center and we attend Mass together at the Sunday 5:30 p.m. Youth Mass.

Through Family Faith First :

• Your family will grow in faith together -- guaranteed!
• Learn the benefits of bringing our Catholic faith and traditions (we have 2,000 years of treasures to discover!) into your home life
• Enjoy games, inter-active reflections, lively discussions with your children and other families, and participate in our special Advent/Lenten events designed to enrich your family's "God-life".
• Your children enroll in PREP (our parish religious education program) during the 2nd year of Family Faith First.   If your child is currently enrolled in PREP, we will find a way to fit the monthly FFF events into your PREP schedule. 

All parents interested in Family Faith First  should contact  Stefanie Vance at 818-949-4329 or email (click on Stefanie's name above) for an appointment.

RCIA for Teens: T.N.T. (Train/Nurture/Thrive!)   Teens, you know you require attention of a different sort.      If you have not yet received your 1st Communion, RCIA's T.N.T. for Teens is designed just for you.   We include you in Family Faith First because you need your family's full support.  Your family might be a little rusty about attending weekly Mass or discussing the benefits of the rosary, saints, the bible, etc.  Meeting monthly will help your family become a stronger faith-filled family. It just may keep you all inspired!  

Teen RCIA follows the general RCIA guidelines of the Adult Inquiry, Catechumenate, Purification and Enlightenment, and Mystagogy Periods.  (scroll up for that info)

T.N.T. (Train/Nurture/Thrive!) is:

• Designed for RCIA teens from ages 12 to 17 years old.
• Includes Family Faith First
• on the 2nd and 3rd Sunday afternoons of the month: Meets as a small group for 90 minutes, beginning at 4:00 p.m.  (During the 2nd year, our meetings begin at 3:30 p.m.)
• Attending our weekly Youth Mass on Sundays at 5:30 p.m.
• Completing weekly homework and journal assignments
• Seeking ways to become a faith-filled Catholic in spite of the challenges of our peers. 
• Catholic Bible study
• Participating in certain Teen Life and Confirmation activities, including Retreats.

All teens interested in T.N.T. should contact  Stefanie Vance at 818-949-4329 or email (click on Stefanie's name above) for an appointment.