A Journey of Faith

Whatever your reason is for visiting this page, we are all on a journey through life and we all seek the same things. We all hunger for more. We all desire truth - no one wants to be lied to or deceived. We all want beauty - we long to encounter beauty in the grandeur of creation from the universe down to each individual person. Finally, we all seek goodness - we constantly strive to improve ourselves and the world around us.

As Catholics, we are on this same journey with you. Through the guidance of the Church, we look to God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as the source of all truth, beauty, and goodness.  We look to the Most Holy Trinity for the answers to life's most difficult questions. We believe in God the Father, the loving creator of everything in this world. We believe that He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, into the world. We believe that Jesus died, was buried, and rose again from the dead. We believe that He left His Church - the Catholic Church, to evangelize all the corners of the world and bring others to truth, beauty, and goodness.

Those are bold claims. We profess them proudly, yet humbly. We would love to share those beliefs with you. What we want most of all is to fulfill Jesus' desire and help you get to Heaven, where all the faithful will be with God for all eternity.

Yet, for those who are not Catholic, how does one become Catholic?  We have a process called the Rite of Christian Initiation, commonly referred to as R.C.I.A. It is through this process that we introduce Christianity: the moral life, the devotional life, our beliefs, and teachings. And, if you elect to do so, you will enter into the Catholic Church at our Easter Vigil mass, the night before Easter.

The Process of RCIA

The process by which someone becomes Catholic is often called "The Rite of Christian Initiation" (R.C.I.A.).  Please contact the parish if you are interested and we will assist you every step of the way.

Period of Inquiry

At this stage of the process, you will be able to ask questions, seek clarification, and learn more about our faith. There is no obligation to  proceed beyond this point, and everyone is free to choose whether or  not they want to continue. This is when the Church is able to gather  more information about your particular situation. For example, they will determine if you have already been Baptized and if there are any obstacles that will need to be overcome before you are able to enter the Church. Once the information is gathered and a plan is set for any obstacles, if you desire, then you will move on to the period of the catechumenate.

Catechumenate

At this stage, you will be known as a "Catechumen" - an unbaptized person preparing to enter the Church - or a "Candidate" - someone who is already Baptized but will be entering into the fullness of the Church. At this point, the process becomes more structured as you will enter into a deeper reflection of the Catholic faith through attending classes that will guide you through the teachings of the Church. Typically, this will begin in the Fall and end with Easter.

Easter Vigil

At the Easter Vigil Mass, you will enter into full communion with the Catholic Church. This Mass is the epitome of the entire liturgical year  and it is the most beautiful Mass of the year! It is centered around the  most fundamental aspects of our Faith - the Resurrection of Jesus  Christ. At this Mass, if you have not been Baptized, you will be  baptized, washing away the stain of Original Sin and conforming you to  Christ.  All Catechumens and Candidates will be Confirmed, sealed with  the Holy Spirit. Finally, you will receive the Body, Blood, Soul, and  Divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ in the Eucharist. Now we rejoice  together! As you will be a full member of the Catholic Church, one of  our newest parishioners,  and able to fully participate in the life of  our Church.