RITE OF CHRISTIAN INITIATION OF ADULTS
Any adult interested in becoming Catholic should contact the rectory at (309) 691-3602 to sign
up for the RCIA program. The program is conducted by the priests and deacons of the parish
with the assistance of some parish volunteers. There is no charge for this program and all
materials provided for the course are free. Anyone is welcome to come and sit in on any class.
When: Classes begin after Labor Day and conclude at Easter.
Days: Monday evenings
Times: 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm
Place: In the school library
During the course of the RCIA program, we will review all the essential elements of the
Catholic Faith. We will look at the four pillars in the Catechism of the Catholic Church:
The Creed (what we believe), The Sacraments (how we worship), the Ten Commandments
(how we live), and the Our Father (how we pray).
Those who join the RCIA program are called catechumens if they are not yet baptized and
candidates if they have already received Christian baptism in another faith. Those who have
been baptized will be asked to produce a baptismal certificate if this is possible.
There are three major stages in the RCIA program. First, during the season of Advent
(during the month of December), the non-baptized will be formally enrolled in the catechumenate.
Second, on the first Sunday of Lent (around February or March), the catechumens and candidates attend
a ceremony at the Cathedral with our Bishop. The catechumens are welcomed in the
Rite of Election and the candidates are welcomed in the Call to Continuing Conversion.
Finally, at the Easter Vigil, the catechumens and baptized and the candidates are received into the Church.
These new Catholics then receive confirmation and their first Holy Communion.
Those who enter the Church at the Easter Vigil must select a sponsor to help them during their preparations.
The sponsor must be an adult, baptized, confirmed, practicing Catholic. Those who enter the Church must also
select a saint name. They will be addressed by the name of their selected saint when they are confirmed.
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