Jesus formed his disciples by making known to them the various dimensions of the Kingdom of God.... Christ's method of formation was accomplished by diverse yet inter-related tasks. His example is the most fruitful inspiration for effective catechesis today because it is integral to formation in the Christian faith. Faith must be known , celebrated, lived and expressed in prayer. So catechesis comprises six fundamental tasks, each of which is related to an aspect of faith in Christ....
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Faith formation promotes knowledge of the faith.
The initial proclamation of the Gospel introduces hearers to Christ for the first time and invites conversion to him. By the action of the Holy Spirit, such an encounter engenders in the hearers a desire to know about Christ, his life, and the content of his message.Faith formation responds to this desire by giving the believers a knowledge of the content of God's self-revelation, which is found in Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition, and by introducing them to the meaning of the Creed. Creeds and doctrinal formulas that state the Church's belief are expressions of the Church's living tradition, which from the time of the apostles has developed "in the Church with the help of the Holy Spirit."
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2.Faith formation promotes knowledge of the meaning of the Liturgy and the Sacraments.
Since Christ is present in the sacraments, the believer comes to know Christ in the liturgical celebrations of the Church and is drawn into communion with him. Christ's saving action in the Paschal Mystery is celebrated in the sacraments, especially the Eucharist, where the closest communion with Jesus on earth is possible as Catholics are able to receive his living Flesh and his Precious Blood in Holy Communion. Faith formation should promote "an active, conscious, genuine participation in the liturgy of the Church, not merely by explaining the meaning of the ceremonies, but also by forming the minds of the faithful for prayer, for thanksgiving, for repentance, for praying with confidence, for a community spirit, and for understanding correctly the meaning of the Creeds." Sacramental catechesis prepares for the initial celebration of the sacraments and promotes enrichment following their reception.
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3. Faith formation promotes moral formation in Jesus Christ.
Jesus' moral teaching is an integral part of his message. Faith formation* must transmit both the content of Christ's moral teachings as well as their implications for Christian living. Moral catechesis aims to conform the believer to Christ--to bring about personal transformation and conversion. It should encourage the faithful to give witnesses--both in their private lives and in the public arena--to Christ's teaching in everyday life. Such testimony demonstrates the social consequences of the demands of the Gospel.
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4. Faith formation teaches the Christian how to pray with Christ.
Conversion to Christ and communion with him lead the faithful to adopt his disposition of prayer and reflection. Jesus' entire life, death and Resurrection were an offering to to his Father. His prayer was always directed toward his Father. Faith formation* should invite the believer to join Christ in the Our Father. Prayer should be the ordinary environment for all faith formation so that the knowledge and practice of the Christian life may be understood and celebrated in its proper context.
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5.Faith formation prepares the Christian to live in community and to participate actively in the Life and mission of the Church.
Faith formation encourages an apprenticeship in Christian living that is based on Christ's teachings about community life. It should encourage a spirit of simplicity and humility, a special concern for the poor, particular care for the alienated, a sense of fraternal correction, common prayer, mutual forgiveness, and a fraternal love that embraces all these attitudes. Faith formation encourages the disciples of Jesus to make their daily conduct a shining and convincing testimony to the Gospel. Preparation for community life has an ecumenical dimension as well.... It should always provide a clear exposition of all that the Church teaches and at the same time should foster a "true desire for unity".... Faith formation will have an ecumenical dimension as it prepares the faithful to live in contact with persons of other Christian traditions, "affirming their Catholic identity while respecting the faith of others."
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6. Faith formation promotes a missionary spirit that prepares the faithful to be present as Christians in society.
Faith formation seeks to help the disciples of Christ to be present in society precisely as believing Christians who are are able and willing to bear witness to their faith in words and deeds. In fostering this spirit of evangelization, faith formation* nourishes the evangelical attitudes of Jesus Christ in the faithful: to be poor in spirit, to be compassionate, to be meek, to hear the cry of injustice, to be merciful, to be pure of heart, to make peace, and to accept rejection and persecution. Faith formation* recognizes that other religious traditions reflect the "seeds of the Word" that can constitute a true "preparation for the Gospel." It encourages adherents of the world's religions to share what they hold in common, never minimizing the real differences between and among them....
These six tasks of faith formation constitute a unified whole by which faith formation seeks to achieve its objective: the formation of disciples of Jesus Christ. All these tasks are necessary in order to attain the full development of the Christian faith. Each task, from its own perspective, realizes the object of catechesis, and all the tasks are interdependent....
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. National Directory for Catechesis. 2005. #20.
The Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (R.C.I.A) is an adult program that educates people interested in becoming Catholic and a great way for Catholics to learn more about their faith at an adult level.
If you been thinking about or have questions about becoming a Catholic? Do you want to know more about your faith? Would you like to invite a friend or relative to consider becoming a Catholic? Please contact our parish office
RCIA is for any adult who is not baptized, any adult who was baptized in another Christian faith tradition, or any baptized Catholic who has not received their First Communion and/or First Penance. RCIA prepares these adults for full communion into the Catholic Church.
You are invited to find out what R.C.I.A. means and how one becomes a member of the Catholic Church. “There is One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism.” – Ephesians 4:5
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The RCIA is for:
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Unbaptized…persons at the age of reason (aged 7 and older) for whom the RCIA gradually uncovers the story of God’s saving power for all; the mystery of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection; and the workings of the Holy Spirit as revealed in the sacramental life, beliefs and spiritual practices of the Catholic Church. Within the setting of the parish community and in accordance with the Church’s liturgical year, “this process of formation includes four stages as well as rituals that mark these stages.” (National Directory for Catechesis, 35) These persons are called catechumens.
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Baptized in Another Christian Tradition… those persons at the age of reason and older catechized (instructed) and uncatechized (not instructed) in another faith tradition other than Catholic who are seeking full communion with the Roman Catholic Church (Confirmation and Eucharist). These persons are called candidates.
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Baptized but uncatechized Catholic Adults…persons who were baptized as infants in the Catholic Church, but who never received any instruction or formation in the Catholic faith. These adults will be prepared to celebrate the Sacraments of Reconciliation, Confirmation and Eucharist.
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