Saint John Catholic Church

Come and See
Who is it for?
Answer : Those who want to dig deeper into our faith.
Those who are interes ted in a renewal of our fai th.
Those who are curious about what Cathol ics believe.

LEARN ABOUT THE CATHOLIC FAITH
Welcome! We are happy you are interested in learning about
the Catholic faith. We hope the following answers your initial
questions. To find out more, St. John’s in Russellville will be
holding information gathering. Check our weekly bulletin for
further information. -- WWW.DOLR.ORG

WHERE CAN I LEARN ABOUT CATHOLICISM?
You are always welcome to attend a Sunday Mass (worship
service) at our Catholic church. At St. John’s we have daily
Mass Tuesday-Friday at 8:00 am in our Chapel. Our weekend
Mass schedule is Saturday at 5:00 pm and Sunday at 7:00 and
10:00 am.

WHAT IF I THINK THAT I WANT TO BECOME CATHOLIC?
God calls and we respond. Through the process of Christian
initiation, men and women at all stages of the faith journey
come together in a non-threatening and non-pressured
atmosphere to learn more about the Catholic Church. The
Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults is a process by which men
and women become members of the Catholic Church.
The process takes place within the context of the church
community, and after a suitable period of formation,
culminates in the reception of the sacraments of baptism,
confirmation and Eucharist.
The Catholic Church honors the baptism of those who
have already been baptized with the Trinitarian formula and
it is not necessary for them to be baptized again.
RCIA provides a forum for shared spiritual growth and
a means to explore the Catholic Christian tradition through
Scripture, sacraments, Church teaching and social outreach, all
in the midst of the Catholic faith community. Formation
includes several areas:
Scripture: the stories of God’s people
Teaching: what Catholics believe
Prayer: how we communicate with God
Liturgy: how the community worships
Mission: how we live out what we believe

WHO MAY ATTEND RCIA?
The process of initiation is for adults who...
•Are baptized Christians (in another faith tradition or
Catholic) who want full sacramental membership in the
Roman Catholic Church through confirmation and
Eucharist;
•Are unbaptized and want to become Catholic Christians
through the sacrament of baptism, confirmation and
Eucharist;
•Attend a Catholic Church because of a loved one or
spouse and are not sure if the Catholic Church is for
them, but are willing to ask questions.
•Children who have reached the age of reason may also
participate.

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO BECOME A CATHOLIC?
It takes “as long as it takes.” Becoming a Catholic is ongoing
and is life-long commitment. The process usually takes
approximately a year but may take less or more time
depending on the individual.
Those who wish to begin the process meet once a week
and begin to attend Sunday Mass. Those who are ready to
make the commitment to become members of the Catholic
Church usually do so at the Easter Vigil or at other times
throughout the year.

WHAT IF I CHANGE MY MIND?
By coming to inquire and finding out what is involved one is
not making a commitment. During the first few months one is
free to leave at any time. One may take all the time needed
before making any commitment. There is no pressure and one
should feel free to decide when one is ready to make such a
commitment.

HOW DO I JOIN AN RCIA PROGRAM?
If you want to learn more about becoming Catholic, call
St. John’s in Russellville at 479-967-3699. We will be holding
information gatherings.

WHERE CAN I FIND GOOD RESOURCES THAT EXPLAIN
THE CATHOLIC FAITH?
The Religious Education Office of the Diocese of Littler Rock
recommends the following resources for further study of the
Catholic faith:
Books
“Believing in Jesus: A Popular Overview of the Catholic
Faith” by Leonard Foley, O.F.M. published by St. Anthony
Press
“Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church”
U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops Publishers
“Catholic and Christian: An Explanation of Commonly
Misunderstood Catholic Beliefs” by Alan Schreck
published by Servant Books, Ann Arbor, Mich.
“Why do Catholics ... ? A Guide to Catholic Belief and
Practice” by Sister Charlene Altemose, MSC, published by
Harcourt Religion Publishers

A summary of the RCIA process

Inquiry: the initial period before you decide to enter the Catholic Church. You're asking questions and checking it out, but aren't yet ready to commit.
Catechumenate: those who decide to enter the Church and are being trained for a life in Christ are called catechumens, an ancient name from the early Church. In this stage, you're developing your faith and are being "catechized" — learning catechism, or the basic points about Catholic faith and life.
Purification and preparation: The Church will help you focus and intensify your faith as you prepare you to commit your life to Christ and be received into the Church at Easter. The time frame for this stage is during Lent.
You're received into the Church during the Easter Vigil Mass, where you'll receive the sacraments of initiation: baptism, confirmation, and Eucharist. (If you've already been baptized, you won't be baptized again.)
Mystagogy: after reception into the Church at Easter, this period lets you reflect and learn more about the mysteries of the Mass and the Sacraments that you now participate in fully.

Stages of the RCIA process

RCIA stage 1: Is this right for me?
In the inquiry stage, you're just finding out about Jesus, Christianity, and the Catholic Church.

Your main task here is to explore and develop your faith enough so you can make an informed initial decision about entering the Catholic Church. The final decision won't come for a long time, when you actually enter the Church at Easter and receive the sacraments of initiation.

RCIA stage 2: Learning about the Faith
In the catechumenate, your faith has begun to develop. Now you need to learn and grow more.

You focus on catechesis in this stage: learning about the faith, how to live as a Christian, and developing your interior life.

Your job now is to come into closer contact with the Living God and learn more about the Catholic Faith.

RCIA stage 3: Getting ready for rebirth
This period of purification and enlightenment is the final stage before receiving the Easter sacraments of initiation into the Church: baptism, confirmation, and Eucharist. (Those already baptized with a valid baptism in another Christian church aren't baptized again. You may be required to document your baptism.)

This stage of intense reflection calls you to deeper conversion in preparation for your renewal at Easter. This is what the season of Lent is for, but it has a special intensity for you this year as you're entering the Church and receiving the sacraments of initiation.

The Church uses three profound and beautiful passages from the Gospel of John to focus this preparation effort.

RCIA stage 4: Reflecting on the mysteries of the Mass
This stage of mystagogy during Easter is for continued reflection on the sacraments you have received at Easter, especially the Eucharist.

Specific catechesis on the Mass, the Sacraments, and especially the Eucharist are the focus of this stage.

The Mass and the Eucharist are the "source and summit" of the Christian life in the Catholic Church, and this period is designed to help you understand, appreciate, and live more deeply this center of Catholicism.

Becoming Catholic takes some effort on your part but it's well worth your time and effort. The Saint John Catholic Church RCIA program has dedicated volunteers and sponsors that will assist you in your journey.