RCIA

RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) is the process given to us by the Church to initiate adults and older children into Christianity as it is lived in the Roman Catholic tradition.

Who is it for?
The ritual text (also known as RCIA) for this process consists of a series of stages of formation and liturgies which ‘map out’ the journey of an unbaptised person (catechumen) who wishes to celebrate the sacraments of initiation (Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist). 
The Rite can also be used, with adaptations, for those who have already been baptised (candidates) and who want to celebrate the sacraments of Confirmation and/or Eucharist and to be received into the full communion of the Catholic Church.

What does it involve?
The Rite does not provide plans for sessions with catechumens or candidates.  Instead, the introductions to the Rite as to a whole, and to the stages and liturgies within it, give us indications as to the style and content of the formation that is offered at particular times of the journey.  Within this, it is the responsibility of the RCIA team in a parish to discern what formation will best meet the individual needs of the catechumens and candidates at this particular stage of their lives.  
The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults speaks of a ‘gradual process that takes place within the community of the faithful’ (para 4), accommodated to the liturgical year.  It recognises that the formation needs of catechumens and candidates will vary, and so envisages a process of formation that will last anything from a few months to several years, rather than a September-Easter programme.

For further information and support
Contact
Nicky Stevens nstevens@portsmouthdiocese.org.uk
Paul Inwood   pinwood@portsmouthdiocese.org.uk

Important dates
Saturday 20th February 2010 - Rite of Election and Call to Continuing Conversion at St. John’s Cathedral, Portsmouth
Sunday 4th April 2010 - Easter Sunday
Saturday 22nd May 2010 - Day for New Catholics with Bishop Crispian

Websites

Introductions to the Rites
http://www.liturgyoffice.org.uk/Resources/Rites/RCIA.pdf

RCIA Network
www.rcia.org.uk
particularly the sharing of ideas and practice in the blog http://www.rcia.org.uk/blog/

Team RCIA
http://teamrcia.com/
Comprehensive collection of resources, many online, exploring different aspects of RCIA  and sharing ideas.

Useful books

Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (essential)

Mary Birmingham, Year-Round Catechumenate, Archdiocese of Chicago: Liturgy Training Publications, 2002

Ron Lewinski, Welcoming the New Catholic, Archdiocese of Chicago: Liturgy Training Publications, 1993

Thomas H. Morris, The RCIA: Transforming the Church, Mahwah NJ: Paulist Press, 1997

Nick Wagner, The Way of Faith: A Field Guide for the RCIA Process, New London CT: Twenty-Third Publications, 2008