What is RCIA/adult faith formation? Who is it for?

WISE WORDS FRON THE HOLY FATHER, POPE FRANCIS
We have heard what the deacon Philip did: he begins to evangelize the cities of Samaria, and there are numerous signs of liberation and healing that accompany the proclamation of the Word. At this point the Holy Spirit marks a new stage in the journey of the Gospel: He drives Philip to meet a stranger with a heart open to God. Philip gets up and leaves in haste and, on a deserted and dangerous road, meets a senior official of the Queen of Ethiopia, the administrator of her treasures. This man, a eunuch, having been in Jerusalem for worship, is returning to his country. He was a Jewish proselyte from Ethiopia. Sitting in a carriage, he reads the scroll of the prophet Isaiah, the fourth song of the “servant of the Lord”.
Philip approaches the carriage and asks him, “Do you understand what you are reading?” (Acts 8: 30). The Ethiopian replied, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” (Acts 8: 31). That powerful man recognizes that he needs to be guided to understand the Word of God. He was an important banker, a minister of the economy; he had all the power of money, but he knew that without explanation he could not understand, he was humble.
And this dialogue between Philip and the Ethiopian makes us reflect also on the fact that it is not enough to read the Scripture; it is also necessary to understand its meaning, to find the “juice” beneath the “rind”, to draw from the Spirit Who inspires the reading. As Benedict XVI said at the beginning of the Synod on the Word of God, “exegesis, the true reading of Holy Scripture, is not only a literary phenomenon ... It is the movement of my existence” (Meditation, 6 October 2008). Entering into the Word of God is being willing to overcome one’s own limits so as to encounter God and conform oneself to Christ, Who is the living Word of the Father.
Who, therefore, is the protagonist of what the Ethiopian official was reading? Philip offers his interlocutor the key to understanding: that meek suffering servant, who does not react to evil with evil and who, although considered failed and sterile and finally removed, frees the people from iniquity and bears fruit for God, is precisely that Christ whom Philip and the whole Church proclaim! Who with the Pasch redeemed us all. Finally, the Ethiopian recognizes Christ and asks for Baptism, and professes faith in the Lord Jesus. This is a beautiful tale, but what drove Philip to go to the desert to meet this man? Who drove Philip to approach the carriage? It is the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the agent of evangelization. “Father, I am going to evangelize” – “Yes, will you do?” – “Ah, I will proclaim the Gospel and say who Jesus is, I will try to convince people that Jesus is God”. My dear, this is not evangelization, if there is no Holy Spirit there is no evangelization. This can be proselytism, publicity… But evangelization is letting oneself be guided by the Holy Spirit, so it is He Who drives you to proclaim, to proclaim by witness, also by martyrdom, also with the word.
After making the Ethiopian to meet the Risen One – the Ethiopian meets the risen Jesus because he understands that prophecy – Philip disappears, the Spirit takes him and sends him to do something else. I said that the agent of evangelization is the Holy Spirit, and what is the sign that you, a Christian, are an evangelizer? Joy. Also in martyrdom. And Philip, full of joy, went somewhere else to preach the Gospel.
May the Spirit turn the baptized into men and women who proclaim the Gospel to attract others not to themselves, but to Christ; who know how to make room for God's action; who know how to make others free and responsible before the Lord.

It is a class on Becoming Fully Catholic. The letters stand for the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA). RCIA is a journey in faith for:

• the unchurched
• the unbaptized
• baptized Christians seeking a new way
• Catholics who wish to learn about their faith as an adult and not rely on a child's faith formation.

The RCIA process will help you to know the Good News of the Gospel more fully and to follow Jesus more closely in your daily life.

You will be free to explore issues important to you and to decide for yourself if you are ready to commit yourself to Christianity in the Catholic Church.

This year will look very much different than in previous years. Pope Francis (article to the left) tells of accompanying, teaching, mentoring, guiding one on one. That is our goal for this year. Each person who is interested in the program will meet with Fr. Scott as to have his or her own guide. If you are in need of Sacraments and have no one in mind to act as your sponsor, one will be provided for you.

If interested, call  Anne Brennan at 301-249-9199 ext 1 or email Anne - office@stedwardbowie.com

• 1st Step: Getting acquainted. Period of Inquiry.

• 2nd Step: Making a decision. Period of the Catechumenate.

• 3rd Step: Deepening the commitment. The Lenten Experience.

• 4th Step: Reception into full communion in the Catholic Church.

If you are interested or if you know someone who has expressed an interest in our Faith or in coming back to the Church or even learning about the Church as an adult, please call or email Anne Brennan at 301-249-9199 ext. 1.