This ministry is similar to the initiation for adults.  It began about eight years ago specifically to education children in grades two through high school seeking to become Roman Catholic.

The purpose of RCIC is to prepare young people to be received completely into the Church at Eastertime.  Classes are held weekly starting in the fall of each year when PREP classes begin, continuing until the student is fully prepared into the Church.  

An added blessing comes because of the participation of parents.  Because they are required to be involved in the instruction, parents understand what the children are taught.  This leads to the opening of a spiritual dialogue between the young person and his or her parent, thus enabling them to continue to share their faith after the formal teaching has been completed.

At the conclusion of RCIC instruction, the young person is ready to receive the Christian Sacraments of Initiation at the Easter Vigil Mass, during which they are welcomed by our entire faith community.

Helen Mighton, who conducts our RCIC class, says that parents often seem to benefit because of the information they personally receive.  It has happened that when a non-Catholic parent works with the child in this ministry, the parent begins to understand the teaching of the Church.  The result is the parent's conversion to Catholicism.  Helen spoke of the joy she feels as she sees former RCIC students and their parents participating in the Mass as a family.

Should you become aware of any young person who may wish to enroll in next fall's RCIC classes, please share in this stewardship of time and talent by encouraging the family to learn the details of this program.  Ask them to contact our Director of Religious Education, Marianne Kane at (610) 444-2214.