Alpha | RCIA | Sunday School | LWC | Parents Team

Knowing God and Becoming His People

What is RCIA?

We’ve all heard about “RCIA” in some way or another but till this day, not many, much less Catholics, know what the acronym stands for. Well, to enlighten you, RCIA is Rites of Christian Initiation for Adults. And it is a process planned into stages marked by liturgical rites, by which an adult is initiated into the Roman Catholic community. Although this normally takes one year, we recognise that every individual has a different level of faith and understanding of Catholicism. Thus, some may require a longer period of time.

However the RCIA also welcomes born Catholics who wish to deepen or refresh their knowledge of the faith (we all need a gentle push forward sometimes!)

The RCIA journey normally begins in May and the highlight of the process will be the baptism of the candidate on Easter Vigil the following year, whereby he or she will be accepted as a full member into the Roman Catholic community. Baptism is by no means the end of the RCIA journey. It is the first step on a lifelong journey of intellectual, emotional and spiritual conversion.

The Who’s Who of the RCIA at the Assumption

The RCIA ministry at the parish of Assumption PJ has a team of dedicated members to guide and help new candidates in their search for faith and conversion. Under the guidance of Sr. Jane Koh, FMM and Fr Philips Muthu, our parish priest, the RCIA ministry provides a framework for the spiritual growth of the candidates in the Catholic faith community.

Every week, the ministry comprising RCIA facilitators and instructors like Ben, Trevlyn, Terrance and Christine along with others, share their knowledge and experiences with people who have accepted the invitation to take part in the program.

Don’t worry - candidates do not walk alone during this journey. You may already have a sponsor or one is chosen from the parish community to act as spiritual companion, providing personal support, an ear for the issues you may have, and sharing their experience of Christian life or helping you feel "at home" with the Catholic religious practice, which may be strange to the newcomer.

Session Structure and Content

This 15-month program is guided by a course curricular aimed at taking the RCIA member on a journey. One that begins with an exploration of the existence of God, and ending with the acceptance of God and how the individual can live out his or her faith through good deeds and service. The central focus of this program is on knowing and understanding Jesus better so members of the program will be guided through the Scriptures. Each session also allows for a sharing and discussion via group breakout sessions.

Meanwhile, past 'graduates' also meet on occasion to help the new members of the RCIA program share their experiences with one another, and thus, deepen their faith.

Session Information

To accommodate members who have a job, sessions currently take place every Tuesday from 7:45pm till about 9.30pm. But sometimes due to lively discussions, they may stretch till about 10pm.