St. Joseph Parish

Becoming A Catholic
Are you a non-Catholic who wonders what Catholic Christianity is all about?
Have you ever wanted to know what it is that your Catholic spouse believes, or what your child is learning in Catholic religious education? Would you like to know how...

Catholicism views God, people, and the world in which we live?
What the importance of scripture and prayer is for Catholics?
How to make a moral decision based on Catholic values?

If you have such questions and are a non-Catholic interested in following Christ in the Catholic tradition, please consider RCIA.
RCIA: What Is It?
Is it:
A. The Roman Catholic Intelligence Agency
B. Roman Catholic? I Am!
C. Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults
If you chose A or B, try again. If you chose C and would like to know more about this, read on:
The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults is a process in which a person learns about the basic tenets of spirituality and the particular beliefs and practices of the Catholic Church.
What do you mean: a process?
As with anything else alive and worthwhile, growth takes time! A person doesn't wake up one morning and suddenly decide, "Today I will become a Catholic." Rather, when a person begins to consider taking a look at the Catholic religion, the first step is to listen to this inner nudge and then contact the parish nearby and speak to the person who administers this program.
The Steps Are:
Inquiry: Introductory sessions give the inquirer a chance to ask questions about faith. During this time, the inquirer is challenged to look at issues of spirituality, such as:

Who is God?
What is prayer?
What is the place of scripture in our life?

This time includes meeting with the RCIA team and the others who are also seeking more information about the Catholic religion. A bond begins to form among the group.
After this initial period, the inquirers are asked if they wish to continue their study of the faith. Those who choose to continue experience the Rite of Acceptance or Welcome at which they state their desire to learn more about Jesus Christ. They receive the Scriptures and the promise of prayerful support from the parish community.
Instructions and formation continue until the beginning of Lent. Those who are asking to be fully accepted into the Church at Easter experience the Rite of Election or Call to Continuing Conversion. During the season of Lent, prayer and discernment leads the members of the group to decide if God is truly calling them to the Catholic faith and if they find in this faith the means they seek in order to live a life consistent with their beliefs.
The Celebration of the Sacraments of Initiation (Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist) takes place at the Easter Vigil service. This is the highlight of the journey! The new Catholics become full members of the Church!
A period of Mystagogy follows, as the new Catholics continue to become more and more familiar and comfortable with the Church. They examine ways in which they can individually express their part in the ministry of the Church.
The RCIA process is a journey of transformation, of instruction, of faith development, and of personal growth.
If you feel called to inquire about the Catholic faith, please consider the RCIA process for yourself. For further information, contact Peggy Haupt (Director of Religious Education) at 578-2744 or the Pastoral Center at 341-6609.