Mission Statement:
To welcome and help adults inquiring about the Catholic Church.
To provide preparation and support for those seeking the Sacraments of Initiation:
Baptism, Confirmation and Holy Communion.
To prepare already Baptized Christians wishing to become Catholic for reception into the Church.
Do you have friends or family interested in learning what the Church is about?
Or ready to take the step to become Catholic?
Contact Info: Blessed Sacrament Parish Office at 269-673-4455
Kelly Beckers: RCIA Director at 269-509-2475
Current Catechists: Maria Vandermeer and Jeff Clearwater
“Then Jesus came to them and said, “ All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28: 18
RCIA Classes begin in October.... Call for more information.
WHAT IS THE R.C.I.A. ?
RCIA stands for the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults. It is a process by which a person, above the age of an infant, become fully initiated members of the Catholic Church.
WHAT ARE THE STEPS IN THIS PROCESS?
There are three basic steps in the RCIA process. These steps contain different stages and are unique in length for each individual.
Step 1: Acceptance into the Order of Catechumens This step contains two periods of discernment and concludes with the Rite of Election.
* The process begins with a period of questioning and searching called the Inquiry Period.This is a stage of lerning, discerning, and praying. This stage may last a few months or more than a year. When they are ready to continue their journey of conversion and follow Christ, they will participate in the Rite of Acceptance (for unbaptized) or the RIte of Welcome (baptized). At this point the Inquirer becomes a Catechumen (unbaptized) or a Candidate (baptized). This stage is undetermined in length and varies from person to person.
* The second stage of the process is called the Period of Catechumenate/Catechesis. This is the stage at which the Catechumens/Candidates consider what God is saying to them in the Scriptures, what changes in their life they need to make to respond to God's inspiration, and what Baptism in the Catholic Church means. This period of time in this stage can vary in length also, for each individual. Once they are committed to following the teachings of the Catholic Church, strive to live a moral life, and committed to growing as a disciple of Christ, they receive the Rite of Election(for unbaptized) or the Call to Conversion (for baptized). The names of those unbaptized catechumens are formally entered into the Book of the Elect, a formal record of those wanting to become baptized in the Catholic Faith.
Step 2: Election or Enrollment of Names. This step usually begins at the start of Lent and is the final preparation for the receiving of the Sacraments. It involves spiritual preparation, formal presentations, and special ceremonies performed during the Sunday Mass.
* This stage of the RCIA prpcess is the Period of Purification and Enlightenment. This is a period of deep reflection and final preparation to receive the Sacraments of Initiation.
Step 3: Celebration of the Sacraments of Initiation. On the eve of Easter, we fully welcome ouir brothers and sisters into the Catholic CHurch and celebrate their Baptism, Confirmation, and First Communion at a Mass called the Eastser Vigil ( the Vigil, or night before).