What exactly is RCIA? It is a way to build a relationship with God, the faith, and other parishioners that may have the same questions you do. 

None of us would deny that there are many longings within our own hearts and that from time to time some may even be fulfilled.  But very often, despite all our efforts and life's good fortune, we still feel disconnected.  We continue to search for life's true meaning.  We struggle with loneliness.  We want to feel that we belong.  Our need for acceptance and friendship can be enormous.  So we look around and begin to explore. We find ourselves making acquaintances.  We talk with them and little by little we begin to reveal who we are.  After a while, an acquaintance becomes our friend and then we know exactly with whom we want to spend our time.  This natural and common human experience provides the setting for the first step of the RCIA process.

During the inquiry period, the parishioners of the Catholic family share their own faith stories as they listen to the journeys, questions and hopes of those who have come to inquire about the Church.  Through this exchange, the church shares it's life story - its traditions, people and history.  This sharing and exchange of personal experiences leads the inquirer to discover similarities between his or her own story and the story of Jesus and the Church.  This first step of the RCIA is a time of unhurried reflection and discovery.  Each inquirer is a unique individual who must journey at his or her own pace.

All of us know that personal relationships don't just happen - they grow.  Something peaks our interest during what probably began as an informal or casual encounter, and we find ourselves wanting to spend more time getting to know the other person. As time goes by we find that we want to share more of ourselves, because, well, we just plain feel better when we’re with that person.

In a similar way, in the RCIA process, we may say that inquirers begin to discern in the Catholic tradition an experience of faith that is attractive and personally meaningful, one that takes those first few encounters and is able to use them to build a strong foundation at a personal level and pace.

I am very excited that our Faith Formation Committee has put together a team of people this year to share the faith with you and to assist you in building your relationship. During the year some of the topics that we will be going over are:

• The Four Marks of the Church
• Divine Revelation
• Mary
• The Mass
• The Ten Commandments

Please contact the church office @ 625-0208 or stop by on Sunday’s 9:45-11:15