Adult Faith Formation
Baptism of Adults: RCIA
Sponsor Couple Program for Marriage Preparation
Small Faith-Sharing Groups for Adults

Adult Faith Formation

Purpose: To further adult faith development, an ongoing process that is nourished by sacramental life and parish faith formation programs.

The Adult Faith Formation Program Will...
1. Provide adult learning and prayer experiences, lecture-discussions, and classes on topics, such as: Scripture, Catholicism, Morality, Social Justice, Marriage, Divorce, and Family Issues or Concerns.
2. Assist the Church in its mission on behalf of justice, mercy and peace because of its reliance on informed and motivated Catholics.

Volunteers are needed to...
1. Act as small-group facilitators for short-term classes, or as assistants for lectures.
2. Provide publicity and hospitality for such programs.

Contact: Richard Berndt or 410-272-6944

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Baptism of Adults: RCIA

Purpose: to provide an instructional, liturgical, and spiritual process by which the Church can bring new members into its communal life through Baptism, and/or the Profession of Faith.  This process, known as the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA), is an ongoing program within parish life designed to welcome new members (16 years of age or older) into the Catholic Church and at the same time to lead every Catholic to deeper belief
and renewal of his/her Christian faith.

The RCIA Program Will...
Prepare the unbaptized or the baptized but uncatechized adult for full membership into sacramental life through a four-step process that includes:
1. Pre-catechumenate: getting acquainted and inquiring into Catholic Church rites and rituals.
2. Catechumenate: making a decision after several months to become a member of the Church, followed by the Enlightenment Period - entering into the Lenten journey of the parish community.
3. Celebration of the Sacraments: receiving Baptism, Confirmation, and the Eucharist, usually at the Easter Vigil.
4. Post-Initiation/Mystagogia: pursuing ongoing conversion to the Gospel of Christ within the faith community.

Sponsor Couple Program for Marriage Preparation

Purpose: To assist engaged couples in discovering within their relationships those significant areas of strength and uniqueness upon which to build a lasting, loving Catholic marriage.  In the sponsor Couple Program for marriage preparation, one experienced and Archdiocesan-trained couple meets in their home with one engaged couple for several sessions to tailor marriage preparation to the needs of an engaged couple.

The Sponsor Couple Program for Marriage Preparation Will...
1. Offer a personalized ongoing ministry by its sponsor couples to those entering a new experience of parish and faith life through the sacrament of Matrimony.
2. Assist engaged couples in practical ways to assess thier own relationships, nurture their faith, strengthen their commitment, and view marriage as a real apostolate within and for the Church.

Volunteers are needed to...
Become trained as sponsoring couples willing to provide their home as a facility for conducting sessions on marriage preparation.

Small Faith-Sharing Groups for Adults

Purpose: to act as a catalyst by which individuals pursue a closer relationship with Christ and the congregation becomes more unified.  Based upon the Renew Process, we emphasize that each individual has specific gifts from God and should use those gifts to live out their faith in concrete ways
for the people of God.

Small Faith-Sharing Groups for Adults Will...
Help people in the faith community develop their personal and spiritual growth in five ways:
1. Knowledge of scripture.
2. Familiarity with different tyes of prayer.
3. comfort with the call to mission (how a person looks at scripture and applies it to everyday life.)
4. Basic leadeship and pastoral skills for lay ministry.
5. Basic faith sharing and community building, expecially by participation in small groups.

Volunteers are needed to...
1. Pray for the success of small faith-sharing groupls.
2. Serve as small faith-sharing group leaders.
3. Serve on committees for the parish.
4. Provide technical support (data entry, artists, telephone callers, and clerical assistants.)