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QUIK-CLICK GUIDE TO THIS
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What is the Rite of Christian
Reception?
Who Participates in the RCRA?
How is the RCRA Organized?
What is the Role of Sponsors in the RCRA?
What You Should Expect in the RCRA?
About Marriage and the RCRA
What is the Role of Discernment in the RCRA?
Current
Schedule
Registration
Contact
Information About the
Rite of
Christian Reception
of Adults (RCRA)
in the Catholic Parishes in
Waterloo
What is the Rite of Christian Reception?
The Rite of Christian Reception is an experience of personal formation, spiritual growth
and conversion for Christian adults who are interested in jpining the Catholic Church.
The Rite of Reception is
an adaptation of the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA).
It is a shorter period of
discernment and preparation which concentrates on the
distinctive characteristics, rituals and teachings of the
Catholic Church.
Individuals participating in the Rite of
Christian Reception meet weekly, generally for a period of about
eight weeks. The Rite of Reception is available several
times during the calendar year and usually concludes with a
profession of faith and celebration of First Eucharist and/or
Confirmation during a Sunday Mass in the local parish.
Participants in the Rite of Reception are
assigned a guide, a member of the Catholic faith
community who will accompany them on their journey through the
reception process.
Who Participates in the RCRA?
The Rite of Christian Reception of Adults is designed for adults
who have been baptized in another mainline Christian
denomination, have been fully catechized in that tradition, and
have been practicing regularly in that Christian tradition.
The Rite of Christian Reception presumes that candidates have
experienced a conversion into the Christian faith, and are
comfortable participating in a Christian faith community.
Click
here for the
current RCRA Schedule
How is RCRA organized?
Catechetical Sessions
The RCRA consists of eight catechetical sessions designed to
help candidates understand what is distinctive and special about
the Catholic Christian tradition.
The catechetical sessions are designed to address
the particular needs, questions and concerns of each
participant. There is an opportunity for questions and
discussion, often in small groups or one-on-one.
The process will always respect the privacy and
personal comfort level of each participant. Issues and
concerns which cannot be discussed in the general session can be
addressed in private with a sponsor or a member of the parish
staff.
At the same
time, candidates in the Rite of Christian Reception of Adults
should be participating as much as they are comfortable in the
spiritual and social life the parish faith community, with the
assistance of a Parish Sponsor or Family Companion.
Breaking Open the Word
RCRA participants may also participate in Breaking
Open the Word, which takes place each week during or after
Sunday Mass in the local parish. Breaking Open the Word
is a continuing opportunity to discuss the Sunday scripture
readings and the participants’ personal journey of faith.
What
is the Role of Sponsors?
Sponsors play an important role in the initiation process. They
remind us that we are engaged in a process of conversion, which
involves human persons, and we are being initiated into a
faith community of human persons. RCRA sponsors
represent the faith community; they insure that no human person
walks the journey of conversion on their own. introduces the candidate to other
members of the faith community, and invites the candidate to
participate in community activities.
Every individual who celebrates a sacrament of initiation in the
Catholic Church chooses a Sacramental Sponsor.
RCRA Sponsors may serve as Sacramental Sponsors if they meet the
criteria outlined below; however, candidates do not have to
choose their RCRA Sponsor as their Sacramental Sponsor.
Sacramental Sponsors must meet the following criteria:
• Must be at least 16 years old.
• Must be a baptized Catholic who has also celebrated the
Sacrament of
Confirmation.
• Should be participating as fully as possible in the spiritual
and sacramental life
of the Catholic church.
• Should be an individual the candidate admires and respects as
a good role
model of Christian living.
• May be of either gender.
• May be a relative or friend, but may not be the candidate’s
birth-parent.
• As a general rule should not be the candidate’s spouse or
fiance.
• May be the candidate’s Baptism Sponsor (Godparent) if the
candidate was
baptized as a Catholic.
Here are some questions a candidate might consider when
choosing a
sponsor or
companion:
•
Is this a person of faith? Is he or she actively involved in
the spiritual and
sacramental life of the Catholic faith
community?
• Is this a person whose life is a good example of the Christian
values and virtues
which you will try to imitate?
• Are prayer, service, and commitment a real part of this
person’s everyday life?
• Has this person grown in his or her own faith over the years?
Has he or she
struggled to understand the effort, maturity,
commitment and doubt which an
adult commitment to Jesus Christ
entails?
• Is this person able and willing to share his or her faith
experience with me? Am
I able and willing to share my faith
experience with this person?
• Is this person able and willing to help me feel welcome in the
Catholic faith
community and help me grow in my participation in
the Catholic Church?
• Is this person reliable and trustworthy? Can I depend on him
or her to fulfill the
responsibilities of a sponsor or companion
and to respect my privacy and
confidentiality?
What Should You Expect if You Participate in the RCRA?
If you participate in the RCRA process you should
expect to grow in your understanding of the Catholic faith and
to deepen your own personal spiritual life, even if you choose
not to become Catholic.
You should also expect:
• to be treated with respect, understanding and confidentiality.
• to have your questions, concerns, doubts and fears
respectfully considered and
fully addressed.
• to have any previous religious or spiritual experience
carefully respected.
• to never be surprised by any aspect of the RCRA process, and
to be fully
informed about expectations and opportunities for
participation in the Catholic
aith community.
• to make your own free choice about participation in the RCRA
and/or
membership in the Catholic Church.
• to be guided, encouraged and supported in discerning your
decision, and
explaining your choice to family and friends.
• to be warmly and sincerely welcomed by members of the Catholic
faith
community.
About Marriage and
the RCRA
According to Catholic teaching,
an individual is
not free to marry unless any previous marriage has been
annulled. In most cases, this also applies to any previous
marriage of a non-Catholic partner.
Individuals who have divorced and remarried may
enter the RCRA process, but must have their previous
marriage annulled and their second marriage validated before
they celebrate initiation in the Catholic Church.
Individuals who have divorced but not remarried
may enter the RCRA process and celebrate initiation in
the Catholic Church. They must have their previous
marriage annulled before entering a second marriage.
An "annulment" (or Declaration of Nullity)
by a church tribunal declares that a particular marriage did not
meet the Church's criteria for a full, permanent sacramental
marriage because one or both partners were unable to understand
or unwilling to fulfil the requirements for such a marriage
relationship.
Click here
for more information about a Decree of Invalidity
You should clarify your marital status with
the pastoral staff before you begin participation in the RCRA.
What is the Role of Discernment in
the RCRA?
Life is full of decisions. And there is never a guarantee that
the decisions we make will for sure be the right decisions.
However, we can be open to a posture of decision-making that
reflects a God-focus. We can enter into a process of
discernment, which is a particularly appropriate kind of
decision-making for an individual participating in the Rite of
Christian Reception.
Click here for more
information about the role of discernment in the RCRA process.
• • •
Registration
•
By phone: call
319-234-9912
•
By email:
DBQ208s3@arch.pvt.k12.ia.us
•
Online:
Click here to register online
• • •
Current RCRA Schedule
Click
here for the current RCRA Schedule
• • •
For More Information
Members of the Catholic parishes in Waterloo will
welcome your questions. Our pastors and parish staff are
eager to discuss your interest in the Catholic Church and to
answer any questions or concerns you may have about joining the Catholic Church.
For information about the Rite of Christian
Reception of Adults
contact one of these Catholic Parishes in
Waterloo:
Blessed Sacrament Community
319-233-6179
Queen of Peace Parish
319-266-3655
Sacred Heart Parish
319-234-8394
St. Edward Parish
319-233-8060
or contact:
Director of Adult
Faith Formation
320 Mulberry St., Waterloo IA 50703 • Phone:
319-234-9912
email: DBQ208s3@arch.pvt.k12.ia.us
Posted 01.08
•
Last Update 08.19.09 |