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Description of Process
Summary of recent topics
See calendar for schedule and current topics.
Severe weather policy
For adults, there are two paths for becoming Catholic. One is for those who have never been baptized, and the other is for those who have been validly baptized in another Christian Denomination and who now wish to consider living their baptismal life according to the belief and practice of the Roman Catholic Church.
PATH FOR THOSE WHO HAVE NEVER BEEN BAPTIZED
This path follows what is called the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA). This is the norm for the entire Catholic Church and is the restoration of the way people in the early Church were prepared for full initiation. It begins with a period called “Inquiry” which is a time to look at the main teachings of the Catholic Church, to get to know some of the people and to begin to experience the life and prayer of the local church which is the parish. It is also the time for you to look at your life to see if this is the time for you to move further along the path of committing your life to Jesus in faith and living that faith as a member of the Catholic Church.
If this is your desire, you will begin an extended period of time to deepen your understanding of salvation which is offered to us through Jesus. Participation in Sunday Mass is essential as well as weekly gatherings to help you grow in understanding about living as a committed follower of Jesus according to Catholic belief and practice.
Full membership in the Catholic Church takes place through the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist which are called Sacraments of Initiation. These sacraments are celebrated together each year at the Easter Vigil which begins after dark the night before Easter. They bring us into the life and mission of Jesus as lived by the Church.
The weekly meetings for those who are not baptized and would like to know more about living the Christian life acording to Roman Catholic belief and practice will begin Wednesday, September 15, 2010 from 7:00 to 9:00 PM in the Rectory Dining Room. Contact Sister Mary Catherine for more information.
PATH FOR THOSE VALIDLY BAPTIZED IN ANOTHER CHRISTIAN DENOMINATION
This path varies from from parish to parish. We have a group here that we call Pilgrim's Progress because we are all pilgrims on the journey of faith. This group consists of people who are baptized and are seeking to grow in their in their understanding of what it means to live as a baptized follower of Jesus. Among the participants in the group are those from various Christian Churches who are exploring what it would mean for them to live their baptismal life according to Catholic belief and practice. Others were baptized in the Catholic Church and for a number of reasons were never prepared for First Communion and/or Confirmation. The length of preparation time depends on the extent of their Christian background. When they are ready, they are received into the Full Communion of the Catholic Church at one of the weekend masses by making a Profession of Faith, being Confirmed, and receiving Holy Communion. For those who were baptized in the Catholic Church, their full initiation into the Catholic Church is completed when they are ready.
Some in the group are Catholics who wish to share their faith with others coming to the Church or who have been away from the active practice of their faith for awhile and want to take another look at Catholic belief and practice.
Every one has something to offer whether or not aware of it at the time.
Regular Meetings will begin Monday, September 13, 2010 from 7:00 to 9:00 PM in the St. Joseph Room (Rectory Basement). Contact Sister Mary Catherine for more information.
The following is a sampling of a few of the things we have been talking about.
Jesus: Truly God - Truly Man. He is the Savior of the world. He is the Son of God, conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary.
A disciple of Jesus is one who responds to his call, follows him, assists in spreading his message, and shapes his or her life in imitation of him. Being a disciple of Jesus, is not something we do, but is who we are. It is a total way of life and requires continual nurturing.
St. Paul identifies the Church as the Body of Christ. Ephesians 1:22-23. In one of its definitions, the dictionary defines body as a number of individuals spoken of collectively, usually as united by some common tie, or as organized for some purpose, What is the common tie which unites the members of the Church? What is the purpose of the Church? The answers to these questions give us a vision of the inner life of the Church. For a deeper understanding of the Church, read Ephesians, Chapters 1 through 4.
The Sacraments are channels of God's grace (life and help) coming to us. They are the actions of Jesus within the believing community - the Church. The Seven Sacraments are:
Baptism
Confirmation
Eucharist (Communion)
Anointing of the Sick
Penance (Confession or Reconciliation)
Matrimony (Marriage)
Holy Orders (Ordination of Bishops, priests, and deacons)
The Psalms are a prayerful response to life experiences. The Jewish people prayed the Psalms for many, many generations before the coming of Jesus, he prayed them, generations after him have prayed them, we pray them, and generations after us will pray them. The Book of Psalms is found in the Bible, and thus is the inspired word of God. Some of the prayers relate to community concerns and others to personal concerns. As Catholics, the Psalms form a part of our official public prayer. We pray a Psalm at each Mass as a response to the first Scripture reading. Many of our hymns and songs are based on the Psalms. The Psalms have a significant role in the Liturgy of the Hours, which is prayed at various times over the course of twenty-four hours, in order to dedicate the day to the praise of God. Priests and deacons pray the Liturgy of the Hours as part of their daily prayer, and all the members of the Church are invited to join in spirit to this prayer of praise and thanksgiving as they offer their own daily prayer.
Mary is one of the most loved, honored, and respected persons in the history of Christianity. Her greatness comes from the fact that God chose her to be the mother of his Son, Jesus, who is our Savior and Redeemer. Her life was always connected in some way to Jesus. Thus she serves as a role model for us.
You are welcome to bring a friend or two. If the schedule does not work out for you, we can talk about arranging something that works for you.
If there is a watch or warning for either severe thunderstorms or a tornado for Kalamazoo County that is not cancelled by 6:00 PM we will not meet for the session scheduled for that evening.
For more information contact Sr. Mary Catherine at 343-6256 x108 or srmaryc@tds.net
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