Are you:

• Interested in becoming Catholic?
• Interested in finding out more about the Catholic Faith?
• A baptized Catholic who wants to prepare for the sacraments of Eucharist and/or Confirmation?

Then please read on!

What is the RCIA:

The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) is a process through which adults prepare to become full members of the Catholic Church

Who can participate in the RCIA?

Anyone! The program is open to: 1)adults who have never been baptized in any Christian faith; 2) baptized adults of other faiths who are thinking about becoming Catholic; 3) adults who were baptized as Catholics but have not celebrated the sacraments of First Eucharist and/or Confirmation; 4)adults who are practicing Catholics but who have not yet celebrated the sacrament of Confirmation; 5)any adult who simply wishes to learn more about the Catholic faith.

What should I do now?

If you are interested in joining the RCIA. process, or just want more information, please contact our Pastoral Associate, Ann Boltz, or one of our pastors, Fr. Al Hirt, ofm or Fr. Tom Speier, ofm. We will be happy to talk with you! We can be reached at:

St. Monica-St. George Parish Newman Center

328 West McMillan Street

Cincinnati, OH 45219

(513)381-6400

st.monica-st.george@fuse.net

For more details about the RCIA process, and answers to some common questions, please click here. RCIA

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED! For more information about helping out with the RCIA process, please click here. Volunteers

For a brief history of the RCIA process, please click here. History

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What if I belong to another faith?

If you belong to another faith and are considering becoming Catholic, we would encourage you to discuss your situation with your current pastor or other religious leader. Sometimes people feel dissatisfaction with their church because of something that happened long ago or in another place. Such misunderstandings can often be addressed through honest and open communication. The decision to change one's religion (whether to Catholicism or to any other faith) should involve a deep spiritual commitment and transformation, and should not be made lightly or for the wrong reasons. It is important to note that the RCIA is not a "conversion" program of any sort. We deeply respect other religious traditions, and we encourage you to explore your own faith more deeply before you consider changing to another faith.

What if I've never belonged to any religion?

Then the fact that you're reading this is probably a sign of some spiritual awakening! We would encourage you to explore the Catholic faith with us, and we would also encourage you to explore other faiths, so that you may discern what is the right path for you to follow. In some way God is calling you, even if it is only a Whisper now. May the seeds of faith within you grow abundantly!

What kind of commitment is required?

The only commitment we ask for is that you be honestly committed to deepening your own faith life. There is no commitment to the program per se, or to St. Monica-St. George Parish. You can leave the program at any time. And you can always come back at some later date if you so choose. The purpose of the RCIA is to help you in exploring the dimensions of your own faith, and in discerning whether you feel called to join the Catholic church. Your own process of discernment may lead you in another direction, and we promise to respect that.

What will I be learning and doing?

• The RCIA process focuses on learning about and participating in the Catholic faith. You will learn more about: 1) the Bible and its application to our daily lives, 2) the life, person, and taching of Jesus, from his birth to his resurrection, 3) the history of Christianity, 4) the structure and function of the church itself, 5) the sacraments, 6) morality and the Christian life.
• In terms of participation, you are encouraged to attend Sunday mass and to become more involved in parish activities and ministries. During the course of the RCIA process, there are also some special rites and ceremonies that you will be involved in (don't worry -- they're very simple!).
• The "summit" of the RCIA process takes place at the Easter Vigil, the Saturday evening before Easter. At that time, you will celebrate the sacraments of baptism, confirmation, and Eucharist. You will then be fully initiated into the Catholic faith. You are not of course in any way required to celebrate the sacraments at this time -- if you are still unsure of the direction of your faith journey, we will understand. If you choose to postpone celebrating the sacraments of initiation, or if you choose to pursue another course in your faith journey, we will respect your decision.

When does it take place?

At St. Monica-St. George Parish, the RCIA is a 9-month process that begins in late September of each year and runs through early May. Sessions meet on Sundays during the 10:30 am Mass and from 12:00 noon to 1:30 pm.

What's expected of me?

• The most basic expectation is that you be willing to explore your own faith life. This exploration may eventually lead you to become Catholic, or it may lead you in another direction. As noted above, we will respect your decision!
• If you do plan to be fully initiated into the Catholic church, it is expected that you regularly attend both the RCIA sessions and the Sunday liturgy, and that you make an effort to become more involved in parish activities.

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RCIA VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!

• Did you know that , over the past several years, the St. Monica-St. George parish community has welcomed over 100 new adult members into the Catholic faith, or celebrated the Sacrament of Confirmation with them? The RCIA Ministry serves our parish all year long by welcoming the many people who come to us seeking more information about becoming a Catholic, and then helping them to prepare for full membership in the Church. To do this well requires the dedication of many people serving in many capacities.
• The experience of being part of each other's faith journey, in whatever form that takes on, is always a very special and priviledged place to be. Over the years, the relationships formed during the RCIA process have been a continuing source and sign of God's energy and presence in the life of our community here at St. Monica-St. George.
• As we begin a new year of this ministry, once again we are seeking generous parishioners who are willing to share their time and spiritually in the following areas:

SPONSORS

A sponsor is someone who is truly a "companion on the journey" for the person who is preparing to become a Catholic. But from the start, you will realize that this will be just as much as a spiritual journey for you as it is for the person who is preparing! If you are already a Catholic, and are interested in more information about being a sponsor, E-MAIL US or phone the parish office at 381-6400.

CORE TEAM

The Core Team is a group of parishioners who provide direction and support for the RCIA program. As a Core TEam Member, there are many ways to help out, and you will have the opportunity to travel with our newest members as they follow their faith journeys. If this sounds like something you might be interested in, please E-MAIL US or phone the parish office at 381-6400.

HOSPITALITY

People who are preparing to become Catholic are here from about 10:30am to about 1:30pm on Sundays -- right through lunchtime! Each week, the RCIA offers hospitality to our catechumens, candidates, and their sponsors in the form of some light refreshments during this time. The RCIA needs people who can "set-up" the hospitality table (drinks, food, utensils, etc.) before the session begins at noon. Can you help us do this for a week or two during the year? If so -- great! E-MAIL US or phone the parish office at 381-6400 and let us know when you are available!

BREAKING OPEN THE WORD

Every week, our catechumens and candidates are "dismissed" from the 10:30 am Sunday liturgy after the homily to share with each other what their own reflections are on the Word of God that was just proclaimed at Mass. "Breaking Open the Word" facilitators lead the RCIA group from the liturgy, and helps the group get conversation started. The sharing that follows is a deeply spiritual and rewarding experience for everyone. Interested? Then E-MAIL US or phone the office -- we can look at schedules, and make sure that you have whatever resources you need to be prepared for your service in this ministry.

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WHERE DOES THE RCIA COME FROM?

For many Catholics, the RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) may seem like a new development in the church. And in a sense, it is. The church developed the RCIA in the 1970's, to provide a more effective and consistent way to welcome new Catholics to the faith. Previously, people wanting to become Catholic usually just met with the priest a few times, studied the catechism, and received the sacraments. Although these efforts were certainly well-intentioned, the result was often that new Catholics didn't really understand their new faith, and didn't always feel welcomed into the community.

The RCIA process was developed to address these concerns by providing a clearly defined, well-structured program in which new Catholics would learn about the faith and would be effectively introduced to their new faith community. But it wasn't really a "new" program; on the contrary, its roots reach back into the arly period of Christian history.

The early church was without question a "missionary" church, which not only welcomed but actively sought new members. Many of the New TEstament stories suggest that, in the first century A.D., conversion to Christianity was a relatively simple matter - at least in terms of the process itself. Basically, the converts would be baptized, repent of their sins, and commit themselves to living their new life as Christians. It quickly became apparent, however, that many of these new converts understood very little about their religion - oftentimes they even mixed various pagan practices and beliefs in with their new faith. Some of these concerns and tensions are apparent in the letters of St. Paul.

Another problem that the early church soon began to face was that of persecution. The waves of persecutions were generally localized and short-lived, but they did create a climate of fear for early Christians. Often they had to meet in secret, and had to be on guard against Roman "spies" who would sometimes disguise themselves as new converts. For the early Christians, the thought of an unbelieving pagan sharing in the Eucharist was appalling.

Hence, the early Christians soon began to develop a much more careful process of conversion, both to ensure that new converts truly understood their faith, and to reduce the likelihood of a non-believer infiltrating the Eucharistic assembly. The basic approach taken by these early Christians was to allow catechumens (the term used to designate those preparing to become Christians) to join in the first part of the liturgy - the Liturgy of the Word - but then to "dismiss" them at the beginning of the Liturgy of the Eucharist. The dismissed catechumens would be taken to a nearby room where they would be taught the essentials of the Christian faith. After an extended period of preparation - usually three years - the catechumens would be fully initiated into their new faith on the Easter Vigil, by celebrating the sacraments of baptism and the Eucharist.

This, then, is the basic model followed in the RCIA process. Although we are no longer worried about "spies" in the Eucharistic assembly, we still dismiss the catechumens after the Liturgy of the Word, so that they can learn more about their new faith. Few churches nowadays have a three-year process of preparation (although some do), but usually it is at least a year, and always culminates with the Easter Vigil, when the catechumens are fully initiated into the Catholic faith.

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