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Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA)
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COMING EVENTS
RCIA Rite of Election
Sacred Heart Cathedral Hamilton
Sunday 26 February 2012
2.30pm
RCIA Mass of Celebration
Sacred Heart Cathedral Hamilton
Sunday 13 May 2012
9.30am
Network News - November 2011
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What
is the RCIA?
The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) is a process where adults and
older children who are interested in the Catholic faith may develop their relationship
with God as they spend time with a Catholic community in prayer and dialogue; where
they learn about the teachings of the Catholic faith and may decide to become members
of the Catholic Community. Parish RCIA Teams are the companions who share this faith
journey.
Our Origins
The Diocesan RCIA Team was established in 1997 to support and co-ordinate Parish
RCIA Teams in a few simple ways. The Team welcomes requests by parishes for information
and assistance with planning.
The inaugural team members were Angela Conroy RSJ, Ray Mulhearn, Loretto Lynch,
Janet Ryan OP and Patricia Boland RSJ (who was then Diocesan Adult Faith Development
Ministry Coordinator). Kathy Johnston (Kotara South Parish) and Pauline Levido (Cessnock
Parish) completed terms of membership in late 2003.
Our Aims
• To raise awareness of the meaning and importance of the Rite of Christian
Initiation to the mission of the Church
• To promote, encourage and support Parish RCIA Teams and their initiatives,
especially the importance of follow-up of Catechuments and Candidates
• To provide resources, advice and formation to Parish Teams
• To maintain links with the appropriate State and National BodiesStatutes
of the Diocesan RCIA Team.
Our Strategies
• Maintaining links with Parish RCIA contacts
• Promoting adult education and formation for Parish RCIA Teams and encouraging
Parish Teams, Candidates and Catechumens to participate together in faith sharing
programs
• Publicising RCIA activities in our diocesan newspaper Aurora
• Maintaining resource material at diocesan level for use at parish
and regional level
What We Do
• Coordinate the celebration of the Rite of Election and provide hospitality
(First Sunday of Lent)
• Organise annual in-service day for Parish RCIA Teams issues
• Plan annual RCIA Mass celebrated by Bishop Michael Malone (between Easter
and Pentecost)
• Organise annual RCIA retreat day
• Meet regularly to plan
Rite of Election
The Rite of Election is always celebrated on the First Sunday of Lent, and
marks the beginning of the period of final, more intense preparation for the sacraments
of initiation.
Our Achievements
We organised the 2003 "Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults"
Conference for NSW-ACT. Held at St John's Centre, Morpeth from Friday September
12 until Sunday September 14, 119 delegates represented the Armidale, Bathurst,
Broken Bay, Canberra-Goulburn, Lismore, Parramatta, Sydney, Wollongong and Maitland-Newcastle
dioceses.The conference theme was New Wine into Fresh Wineskins, and the
focus was the theology and practicalities of building welcoming communities and
involving every parishioner in the ongoing faith life of those who are welcomed
into our faith. Bishop Michael Malone, in his address to the delegates, noted that
the friendliness, faithfulness and fervour evident at the conference was testimony
to how life-giving and joyful the RCIA process could be for every parish community.
Our Members
• Patricia Hollingsworth (Kotara Parish)
• Loretto Lynch (Chairperson, East Maitland Parish)
• Sr Patricia Boland RSJ (Mayfield Parish)
• Sr Louise McDonell RSJ (Forster/Tuncurry Parish)
• Natalie Hamson (East Maitland Parish)
• Sr Kathyrn McCabe RSJ (Forster/Tuncurry Parish)
• Elizabeth Thomas (East Maitland Parish)The Team welcomes requests by parishes
for information and assistance with planning.
Contact Us
To contact the Diocesan RCIA team:
Loretto Lynch
Home: (02) 4933 7425
Email: loretto.lynch@exemail.com.au
Australian Catechumenate Network (ACN) - www.ozcatechumenate.org.
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