Welcome!
We welcome new members to our community. If you are already Catholic, you can fill out our online registration form.
For those interested in becoming Catholic or learning more about the Catholic faith
The RCIA process is for adults and older children (7+) who feel called to join the Catholic Church. Consider joining us for discernment, growth in prayer and a fuller understanding of what it means to be Catholic. Contact Arielle Harms for more information.
The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) is the process designed for adults who—after hearing the mystery of Christ proclaimed—freely seek the living God, and desire to enter the way of faith and conversion as the Holy Spirit opens their hearts.
Who is RCIA for?
The process is for adults and children over 7 who:
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are not baptized and seek to be welcomed into the Catholic Church and its way of life and faith in Jesus Christ through Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist;
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were baptized in another Christian denomination and now seek full communion with the Catholic Church through the sacraments of Confirmation and Eucharist;
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or were baptized Catholic, but who have not been catechized and now desire to complete their initiation through the sacraments of Confirmation and Eucharist.
For children, the program will be adapted according to the age of the child and the needs of the family.
If you are a fully catechized practicing Catholic who desires Confirmation, we invite you to attend special sessions that prepare you for the Sacrament of Confirmation in the Spring. Please contact Arielle Harms for more information on class times and schedules.
RCIA at San Marco
Weekly sessions are designed to help you learn more about the Catholic Faith, learn more about what the Catholic Church teaches and to assist you in developing a relationship with Jesus Christ. In addition to our regular class sessions, those seeking to be received into the Church are gradually integrated into the parish community in a manner similar to the one used in the early centuries of Christianity. After the Rite of Acceptance in November, preparation for the sacraments will also include regular attendance at Sunday Mass together and the Breaking Open the Word session that accompanies it, designed especially for you. Consistent, regular attendance is an important and necessary preparation for receiving the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and First Communion at the Easter Vigil.
What does RCIA involve?
The RCIA is a gradual process that takes place within the community of the faithful. Though the process follows the journey in a way similar to that of the earliest converts to Christianity, it varies according to the many ways that grace works in a person’s life. It is a spiritual journey, marked by celebrations (or rites) during Mass and witnessed by the faith community. These rites mark the participant’s progress in the deepening of faith and continual conversion on the way to full initiation into the Catholic Church. For most people, the process involves a commitment from the Fall through the Easter Season of the next Spring, concluding with Pentecost Sunday. While the RCIA is a process centered on experiencing God in the parish community, we also work to meet individual needs. If, at any time, a person is not ready to take the next step, that decision is respected.