Interested in Becoming a Catholic?
Are you interested in becoming a Catholic? Were you previously baptized in the Catholic faith and would like to renew your commitment? Welcome to the RCIA! The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) is for those who have never been baptized and who, in a faith response to the Word of God, ask to be prepared for sacramental initiation in the Church.
There are other types of candidates who present themselves to the church: those partially initiated. They may have been:
- validly baptized Catholics with no subsequent experience of Church;
- validly baptized Catholics, but never received the Sacraments of Eucharist or Confirmation
- baptized and perhaps confirmed in another Christian church, having lived their faith and seeking reception into the Roman Catholic communion.
If you would like to learn more about the RCIA, please contact the Office of Formation Ministries at 985-446-5127.
Steps of RCIA Process
The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) is the process through which adults are fully initiated into the Catholic faith community. This process includes four formation periods: the Period of Inquiry, the Period of Catechumenate, the Period of Purification and Enlightenment, and the Period of Mystagogy. Each period is part of an ongoing conversion journey, which changes the direction of our lives and changes how we translate our lives into meaning.
In a sense, the RCIA is for the whole Church, since it is the process whereby the Church prepares new members for itself. With its dependence on evangelizers, sponsors, and catechumenate team members, it entrusts the task of sharing the faith to each member of the Church. It calls all of us to become a welcoming, faith-filled community, the People of God. (Adapted from the RCIA Team Manual, pp. 3,5)
What Does It Mean to Be an RCIA Sponsor?
A sponsor is one who represents the whole church, as well as a particular church community, in welcoming new members. Such a person is a full and active member of the faith community into which a candidate seeks admission.
The sponsor is not a catechist or an instructor but, rather, a companion for the journey of faith. He or she acts as a sort of navigator who directs the catechumen along the route to full initiation into Christ and his church.
The sponsor shows by his/her life what it means to be a Catholic. The sponsor is also the candidate’s witness to the community when it is time to determine the readiness of the candidate to be fully received into the Catholic Church. The sponsor testifies to the candidate’s conversion in mind, heart, and manner of living.
What does a sponsor do?
A sponsor does many things one might imagine a friend in faith would do. The sponsor tries to make the candidate feel at ease, first by being friendly, helpful, and supportive. A sponsor might offer a ride to the meetings. The sponsor attends as many meetings with the candidate as possible. Sometimes the sponsor might offer to accompany the candidate to Mass, especially if the candidate is uncomfortable or unsure of what to do and has no family member who is Catholic with whom he/she can attend.
There are numerous ways that sponsors might help to make candidates feel welcome in the community: introduce them to other parishioners, invite them to any of the many parish activities, include them in some family activities, and take them with you as you serve in your different ministries (Adapted from handout, “Becoming a Sponsor,” St. George Church).
If you are interested in becoming a sponsor, please contact us at 985-446-5127.