Bringing Souls Home to Mother Church Through the RCIA Process

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A Letter From Our Pastor: Growing Closer To The Lord Jesus As We Prepare For Easter

Through the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA) process at our parish, God's grace works wonders. Searching souls come “home” to the loving embrace of Mother Church, inquisitive minds are enlightened with the truth, and hearts are uplifted by the traditions of our sacred faith.

This is precisely what happened with Stacy Humbert, and now she is busy serving our parish as our Director of Evangelization and Mission, as well as RCIA Director.

“I went through RCIA several years ago, so I have walked the journey, and I have a heart for it!” Stacy says. “When I was in RCIA, I noticed many beautiful things and encountered Jesus profoundly, which is why I now work for the Church and Jesus' mission. I became inspired to take people deeper into their faith and learn about ways we can accompany each person more intentionally along the path of discipleship. Therefore, I am passionate about the RCIA process and hopeful about where our parish is headed in leading people into a lifechanging relationship with Jesus and His Church.”

RCIA sessions normally take place from September through the spring, on Tuesdays from 6:30 to 8 p.m., in the Parish Hall. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, our parish has also been offering an online component for those who cannot attend in-person.

“If an individual or family is interested in RCIA, we welcome them at any time throughout the year,” Stacy says. “We either plug them in where we are, or we walk with them one-on-one.”

Thankfully, the RCIA process is warmly open to anyone and everyone who wants to learn what it means to be truly Catholic.

“We welcome anyone to attend RCIA,” Stacy says. “We just meet people where they are at and determine what they need throughout the RCIA journey. Typically, those who come to RCIA are people who are discerning becoming Catholic or those who are curious about the faith, but not quite ready to consider becoming Catholic, as well as some parishioners who simply want to learn more about the Catholic faith.”

The RCIA process covers a rich variety of topics — discovering Christ; Mary; the saints; heaven, hell, and purgatory; discipleship; and the sacraments.

“We conclude with reflections on what it means to follow Christ — using the second part of the ChristLife series — to help soon-to-be new Catholics see how to live as disciples of Jesus in the world today,” Stacy says. “This opens us up to further study on prayer, the importance of Scripture and the Sacraments, how to live as a Catholic witness, the reality of the spiritual battle, and the need to share one's faith with others.”

RCIA members participate in various major and minor rites, which coincide with three essential stages — the Period of Evangelization or Precatechumenate, which leads up to the Rite of Acceptance (for the unbaptized) or the Rite of Welcoming (for the unbaptized); the Period of the Catechumenate which is followed by the Rite of Election (for the unbaptized) or the Call to Continuing Conversion (for the baptized); and lastly, the Period of Purification and Enlightenment, which concludes with the Sacraments of Initiation (for the unbaptized) and Full Communion (for the baptized), typically at the Easter Vigil.

Overall, the process is enriching, helping each RCIA participant to encounter the mercy of Our Lord, feel the tender concern of Our Blessed Mother, and crack open the bountiful treasure chest of Catholicism.

“Our goal as a parish is not to simply offer formative experiences that are informational, but rather, we want everything we offer to be transformational,” Stacy says. “We want to lead each person — each soul — into a genuine encounter with our Lord Jesus Christ. We want to help them learn what it means to live as a disciple, and embrace their call to join the mission Jesus gave the Church to 'go make disciples!'”

In the end, those who help out with RCIA find it rewarding to bring souls home to their spiritual mother on earth — the one, holy, Catholic, and apostolic Church.

“The Church is the Body of Christ, and it is made of people, but it is also the fullness of the Christian faith,” Stacy says. “The Catholic Church is not perfect as an institution because that would be impossible for a 'hospital full of sinners,' but Jesus founded the Church for a reason. She is the vessel to carry us home to heaven, filling us up and preparing us along the way.”

More team members are needed to help in this beautiful mission of God's love. For further information, please contact Stacy Humbert at stacy@sfxstillwater.org, or Evangelization and Office Assistant Karen Bisges at karen@sfxstillwater.org, or simply call the parish office at 405-372-6886.