Becoming Catholic

All of us are on a spiritual journey, all are at different mileposes on that journey.  Since the very earliest days of the Catholic Church, there has been a process of accepting men, women and children--entire families--into the Church.

This process, which we today call the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults/Chilren (RCIA/RCIC) follows the mission commanded by Jesus Christ:  "Go therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28).

What is the RICA?

The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults is the way people are initiated into the Christian way of life, specifically in the Roman Catholic tradition.  It is a journey of discovery, where participants come to know Jesus Christ.  It is a process of awakening to each individual to freely decide if the Catholic Church can be the place to call our Spiritual Home.  The RCIA is a focused experience of the ever-deepening journey into the life of faith, which is the task of a lifetime.

Who is RCIA for?

RCIA is for adults who have never been baptized, those who have been baptized in another Christian denomination, and even those baptized as a Catholic who were unable to continue learning about the faith.

What about a child or teenager?

The RCIC is the program of faith journey designed for children, ages 8 through 8th grade.  Children participate in our Parish Religious Education Program (PREP) September through January, when RCIC begins.  High school aged children participate with the adult program.

So, what do we do on this journey?

We pray, we learn about prayer and how to pray.  We learn about God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.  We come to know that God loves us, is with us, and will always be with us.  We enter into a journey of discovery into the sacramental and prayer life of the Church--most especially the Mass.  We learn about Scripture;  in fact, the Bible is our primary "text book."  We learn how to "be" Catholic as we discover the moral and prayer life of the Church.  We develop relationships, within our group, but also within the parish and the community.

How much does the program cost?

Nothing.  All expenses are provided by the parish.

Who do I call for more information or to get started?

Contact Deacon Greg at (859) 689-5010, ext 223.  You can also use this Registration form.

What past participants have said:

"RCIA helped me with my spiritual journey by understanding where I was coming from. I was helped to understand how much God loves me and how much this parish community cares."

"The RCIA helped me to clear up a lot of misconceptions and stereotypes about Catholics."

"Reconciliation was keeping me away from this program; but I loved the experience.  What a gift this sacrament truly is!"

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!  This is exactly what I needed in my life!"

"I came because of family pressure.  I stayed and became Catholic because I wanted to.  It was the best decision I've made in my life!

Becoming Catholic:  Msgr. Charles Pope