RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation)

The RCIA is the process through which the Catholic Church welcomes new members. The RCIA is a faith journey for adults who wish to receive the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and First Eucharist.

For all those interested in joining the Catholic Church, gatherings are held on Saturday mornings from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Please call the parish office at 664-8481 for more information.

How does one become a Catholic? There are many different ways. Some people were born into a Catholic family, were baptized as infants, received a religious education and gradually shared in the sacraments of the Church.

Other people come to the Church as adults. Some of them have already been baptized as Christians; others have not. They may be married or engaged to a Catholic. The people who come to the Church as adults often are searching for something they feel is missing in their lives.

The Church wants to welcome all adults who are interested in finding out more about the Catholic faith. The process that the Church offers is called RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults). RCIA is a faith journey and, like any journey, the RCIA has several parts.

Stage One: INQUIRY

Inquiry helps a person to know if being a Catholic Christian is right for them. Inquiry is a time of welcome, asking questions, and sharing experiences. There is no formal commitment to the Church at this point.

When an inquirer is ready to make a formal commitment to the Church, a Rite of Acceptance is celebrated at a Sunday Mass. This Rite marks the beginning of the second stage of the journey.

The work of the catechumenate is to make the Gospel message more central in our lives. There is scripture study, formal teaching on the Roman Catholic faith and practice, and a continuation of the prayer and faith sharing begun in Inquiry.

On the First Sunday of Lent, those adults ready to receive the sacraments at Easter come together at St. Mary’s Cathedral with Archbishop Salvatore Cordelione to celebrate the Rite of Election. The Rite of Election marks the beginning of the final stage of preparation for receiving the sacraments at Easter.

During Lent, those adults preparing to receive the sacraments at Easter enter into a retreat period. Together with the entire Church, they prepare through prayer and reflection of the Lenten gospels for their baptism or reception in the Roman Catholic Church.

The preparation period ends with the reception of the sacraments of Initiation, Baptism, Confirmation, and First Eucharist at the Easter Vigil.

In the final stage of the RCIA journey, the newly initiated continue to meet on the Sundays of Easter to explore what it means to live the Catholic faith in the world.

Come and see… We invite and welcome everyone to this journey.

If you would like to join us, please call the parish office at 664-8481 or email Rev. Mr. Rory Desmond, Deacon at rory.desmond@stcecilia.com.

The State of California requires you to obtain a Marriage License from the County in which you reside. San Francisco residents can obtain the license from the Marriage License Bureau, City Hall, Suite 168, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, SF. Phone: (415) 554-4950. Processing hours: Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.