Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA)

The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults is a process of becoming fully initiated into the Catholic Faith.

It is a “Rite” in the sense that the ceremony of initiation into the Catholic Church is designed to happen during liturgies, in the context of the Celebration of the Holy Eucharist with the parish faith community.

This initiation consists of three sacraments: Baptism, Eucharist and Confirmation.

The Holy Mother Church reserves a special moment during the Great Easter Vigil (the Saturday before Easter) to celebrate these sacraments of initiation.

The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults is a journey of

• Realizing that God gives us 'faith' and we receive it as a free gift from Him
• Learning to grow in the Catholic faith
• Receiving The Holy Scriptures as the revealed Word of God, given to each person leading them to answer the call from God to be Holy
• Believing that God calls each person and leads him or her on his/her spiritual journey to come to know the truth: That He is our creator and we are his creation, his prized possession and therefore
•         - To know God
•         - To love God
•         - To serve our God
• Guiding each person to reflect and discern the intervention of God in their lives
• Learning to communicate with God in prayer
• Nurturing the Faith in God with devotional exercises
• Seeking through scriptural reflections and faith stories of Biblical personalities
• Integrating and growing into the local parish community of faith
• Participating in the Parish weekend communal celebration of liturgies
• Living out as ‘salt of the earth and the light of world’.

The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) and Christian Initiation of Children (CIC) process is in session at the All Souls Parish all year round. Registration Forms or Enrollment Forms are available in English and Spanish.

Sacraments of Initiation

Baptism

Confirmation

Holy Eucharist

For Adults, the Rite of Christian Initiation is an elaborate and yet an enriching process consisting of:

• Evangelization - During this initial part of formation potential members are invited to learn about the faith. This period ends with the Rite of Acceptance into the Order of Catechumens.
• Catechumenate - They receive formal instruction learning about the Sacred Scriptures, the Tradition, the Early Church Fathers and the early Church life, the Sacraments, the Teachings of the Catholic Church, various rites, devotions and celebrations of the Catholic Church, etc. They are introduced to the faith community. This period ends with the Rite of Election.
• Scrutinies and Enlightenment - This stage in formation coincides with the Lenten season. During this season of reflection each person in this formation is encouraged to reflect on the Word of God. The Lenten Sunday Readings are specially designed to help the whole faith community to reflect on life of Jesus Christ: our Savior and redeemer.
• Celebration of the Sacraments of Initiation - usually is integrated into the Easter Vigil, by which the Elect are initiated through the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and the Eucharist.
• Mystagogia - This is the final step in efforts made and fostered towards  a fuller integration of the newly initiated into the local believing and worshiping community in a given Parish.  This post Baptismal Catechesis challenge them to study, understand  and discern their calling to various ministries in the  local worshipping community.

While on this journey of Faith, the Church celebrates the following rites related to the above stages of formation:

•  Rite of Acceptance - celebrated sometime in the months of September-October each year.

Lenten Rites:  Preparing and Celebrating  the 90 Days from the beginning of the Lenten season till the Solemnity of the Pentecost.  During the season of Lent, we enter into a period or phase of Purification and Enlightenment, and during the Easter season, it is the phase or period of Post-Baptismal Catechesis.

• Rite of Election and Enrollment of Names - this rite is celebrated on the First Sunday of Lent by which the Church formally ratifies the Catechumens' readiness for the Sacraments of Initiation, and the Catechumens, now the elect, express their will and desire to receive these sacraments. 
• Enrollment of Names: Initially the celebration of this rite begins at the local Parish level at one of the morning Masses on the First Sunday of Lent.  The local Parish rejoices with the Catechumens, pledges their prayerful support for them and sends them forth to be presented before the Archbishop in the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption, in San Francisco.  This Rite of Election and Call to continuing Conversion is celebrated with all the Catechumens in the Archdiocese.  The Candidates accompany to support and pray for them.
• Scrutinies - are conducted during the second half of the Lenten season.
•          Presentation of the Creed: 
•          Presentation of the Lord's Prayer:
• Easter Vigil - the high point in the culmination of this process comes with the celebration of the  Sacraments of Initiation:

 Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist at the Easter Vigil (Holy Saturday Night).

• Mystagogy: The newly initiated experience being fully a part of the Catholic Community.   They receive prertinent catechesis, are encouraged to reflect upon answering the call to serve in whatever ministry one finds one is called to serve, and particularly, by participation with all the faithful in the Sunday Eucharistic Celebration.

Who is the RCIA process for?

• If you are 18 or over and have finished High School, and want to be a Catholic, but have not been baptized
• If you are a baptized Christian of another Christian tradition and would like to become a Catholic
• If you are a baptized Catholic and have not made your First Communion and/or Confirmation and would wish to do so,
• If you are fully initiated and want to learn more and refresh your undertsanding of the Sacraments, devotions, prayers, teachings of the Church and faith life. 
• If one has been away from practising one's Catholic faith and wish to come back, may also consider this journey as a help to strenghten one's resolve and be strong in one's faith.

We have a distinct terminology in use for those entering the R.C.I.A.:

CATECHUMENS:

The adults entering the process who seek to be Baptized, receive the First Holy Eucharist and Confirmation, or to be fully initiated, they are called Catechumens.

CANDIDATES:

These are adults who have been baptized but did not receive one or the other sacraments mentioned above, therefore, they are called Candidates.

• If they have not celebrated their First Holy Communion, and have been dilingently prepared to receive this Sacrament during this conversion journey of the R.C.I.A., then it is appropriate for them, at this Great Vigil of Easter to receive their First Holy Communion.
• However, if they have not received the Sacrament of Confirmation, and have been diligently prepared to receive the Sacrament while having been in this journey of conversion and faith, then it is fitting that they be sent to the Archbishop to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation on the Solemnity of the Pentecost.

FULL  COMMUNION  OF  CATHOLIC  CHURCH:

This process is offered for those  who are born and baptized in a separate ecclesial Community, and now after a long and diligent search, wish to be received in full communion of the Catholic Church. 

• This liturgical rite can be celebrated at the Easter Vigil. 
• It highlights  the Eucharistic Communion. 
• The person admitted in full communion recites the Nicene Creed. 
• If the person has not received the Sacrament of Confirmation, the celebrant lays hands on the candidate's head and administers the sacrament, annointing the person with the Oil of the Sacred Chrism.
• And then the person receives the Holy Eucharist, professing faith in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Sacrament.

Who is the CIC process for?

If you have a child of Kindergarten age and who has not been baptized…. and you wish to have the child to be baptized and join the Catholic Church, then this may be the process you would be looking for your child. You may please call the Pastor and make the initial appointment to enter this process for your child.

How does one begin going about this:

1. All Catechumens and Candidates are required to meet with the Pastor or Director of Religious Education Program for an initial interview prior to the admission into the process. Such interviews are found to be very effective in order to begin and engage in an exchange of ideas and to know one’s expectations.
2. Catechumens (who are not yet Baptized, but seek to be Baptized and fully initiated into the Catholic Church) are expected to bring along a copy of their birth certificate.
3. The Candidates (who have been Baptized, but did not receive either the First Eucharist or Confirmation or both) are expected to bring along the Certificates of the Sacraments they have received.
4. The Catechumens and Candidates are expected to fill in the Enrollment Form (English or Spanish) and submit it with the required above mentioned applicable documentation at the time of the Initial Interview.

Please call the Pastor at the Parish office at 650-871-8944 ext. 103 for an initial interview.