The RCIA program provides several stages of faith formation for individuals who are seeking baptism in the Catholic Church, and those who have been baptized in other Christian traditions who wish to explore the Catholic faith as a way to live their faith and deepen their relationship with Christ.

This time of preparation, prior to initiation into the Church, includes formation in liturgy, prayer, doctrine, service, Christian morality, and traditions of the Church within a community of people seeking deeper faith.

All stages of the RCIA—Inquiry, Catechumenate, Enlightenment, and Mystagogia—meet weekly on Thursday evenings from 7:30 to 9 p.m. in the Ministry Center Library. Those desiring to become Catholic will move through the various stages in their preparation. The time for preparation varies depending upon the person's baptismal status, previous religious instruction, and other factors. For most people it is at least a one year commitment.

Individuals may begin the Catechumenate process at any time during the year. The first stage of the process, the pre-catechumenate, is a time to explore questions about the Church and to begin to form an appreciation for the liturgy and Scripture readings heard at Sunday mass. This takes place in a small group setting in a casual conversational style.

A person seeking to learn about the Church may remain in this period of preparation for as long as desired, but the opportunity to transition into the more formal instruction of the Catechumenate is offered typically three times per year, when those individuals who feel they are prepared to move forward are called to celebrate the Rites of Acceptance and Welcome.

For information as to when the next Rite of Acceptance and Welcome is scheduled, please contact Charlene Dumitru at the Office of Adult Faith Formation at (714) 637-4360 ext. 114 or cdumitru@stnorbertchurch.org.

Baptism for School Age Children

Parents of unbaptized children between 7 and 14 years old are invited to enroll the children in preparation classes which will begin in September. Classes will be held on Thursday evenings from 6 p.m. to 7:15 p.m. An unbaptized child in this age group will attend weekly sessions for two years, and will then receive all the Sacraments of Initiation: Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist, in one celebration. These preparation classes will emphasize the importance of shared faith in the family, so parents will be expected to attend the weekly sessions with their child. If you are interested in enrolling your child in these classes to prepare for sacraments, please call Charlene at 637-4360 x114.