Our Lady of Lourdes,
Raytown
Rite of Christian Initiation for
Adults
Welcome.
The RCIA is the first step for those considering membership
in the Catholic Church and for those who are currently Catholic and seeking a
deeper understanding of the Church and its traditions because it enables the
individual to learn about the Church as it lives, prays, serves and worships in
today’s world.
Those who are not Catholic and are entering the Church
begin the process as either a catechumen or a candidate. The word catechumen
refers to a person who has never been baptized. A person who has already been
baptized in another Christian denomination, either Protestant or Eastern
Orthodox, is called a candidate.
At Our Lady of Lourdes, the RCIA class
process begins in September and lasts through the Easter Vigil. We meet weekly
on Wednesday nights from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. The RCIA process includes these stages:
- The inquiry period, from September
through November, consists of presentations that explain the process and
answer questions about the Roman Catholic Church. This is a time for
inquirers to decide whether they wish to continue with the process.
- The Catechumenate
(instruction period) begins on the First Sunday in Advent; inquirers are
formally welcomed by the parish community and enter a period of more
structured preparation the includes listening to presentations and joining
in discussions based on scripture readings and other topics of importance,
such as the Sacraments, the meaning of the Mass, Catholic morality and
social actions.
- On the First Sunday in Lent, the parish
celebrates the Rite of Sending. At this time, the parish sends the names of
the candidates to the Bishop. Our Bishop, on the part of the entire Catholic
Church, accepts the candidates as the "elect" who will be received into the
Church at Easter. At this time the Church enters the Lenten period in
preparation for Christ's death and resurrection. For the candidates this is
a period of spiritual enlightenment and preparation. There are three other
special rites, called Scrutiny Sundays, during this period.
- At the Church's greatest feast, the
Vigil of Easter, the "elect" will receive the sacraments of initiation:
Baptism, Confirmation and First Communion.
- During the fifty day period between
Easter and Pentecost, the new members of the Church community begin a time
of reflection and begin to live out their sacramental call to service.
The Our Lady of Lourdes RCIA Team welcomes all who seek a
deeper relationship with the Lord. For more information about the RCIA program
or to register for the program, please contact RCIA Team Leader Richard Gross at
816.679-8974 or at
webmaster@ollraytown.com.
Our Lady of
Lourdes Parish
8812 East Gregory
Raytown, MO 64133
816.353-2380
Parish office hours are 8:30 am to 3:30 pm Monday
through Thursday and 8:30 am to noon on Friday.
