St. Gabriel Catholic Church at 3016 Providence Road, Charlotte, NC 28211 US - RCIA

The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults is the Catholic Church's way of nurturing the conversions of it's future members.  There is no obligation on the part  of those who enter the RCIA process to ultimately become Catholic.  Those who participate in the 9-month long program are asked to attend the weekly sessions, attend Mass weekly, participate in the Dismissal Group discussion following the homily, participate in the Rites of Welcome and Election, and to read the adult catechism material that is provided to all involved in the program.  Most importantly, all candidates are asked to reflect on:

                     God's call in their lives.
                     The stories of God's love in scripture
                     The need of an active prayer life
                     The importance of making moral choices
                     The basic Catholic beliefs

Anyone interested in the RCIA program at St. Gabriel Catholic Church should contact the Director of Religious Education, Susan Krasniewski, by calling 704-362-5047, ext. 210.  She can also be reached via e-mail at skrasniewski@stgabrielchurch.org .  Prior to contacting Susan, please read through the following, which may answer some of your questions.

Several questions are often asked about the RCIA process...

1. Do I need to come to every meeting?  It is important for parcipants to attend regularly.  Obviously, there will be times when people must miss a meeting due to illness, travel, business, or other eregencies.  But it is impotant to remember that this is a commitment.  When participants must be absent, they should let the director know.  If a participant has frequent absences from RCIA meetings, it will be difficult to stay abreast of what is discussed.  Recurring absences also cause participants from joining in with one of the most important elements of the faith journey:  the fellowship provided by their fellow travelers in the program.
2. What is a sponsor?  A sponsor should be a practicing Catholic whom the candidate can consider as a model or mentor.  It should be someoen with whom the candidate feels comfortable discussing matters of faith and sharing his/her faith journey.  The sponsor should try to attend RCIA sessions with the candidate in order to lend support and provide direction, and to be open to questions or concerns.  A spouse can serve as a sponsor, but should not be the only one for a candidate since part of a sponsor's role is to be an objective Catholic role model.  Being able to share the faith journey with someone who is not so closely related has many benefits.
3. What are godparents?  Godparents are practicing Catholics who are willingn to model and share their Catholic faith with those who are not yet baptized.  The godparent--like the sponsor--lends support, provides direction and answers questions.  In addition, the godparent is a mento who is willing to continue the relationship after the baptism to  bolster the new Catholic on his/her continuing faith journey.
4. What if I don't know any Catholic well enough to ask the person to be my sponsor or godparent?  Members of our community are available as sponsors and godparents.  This should not discourage anyone from participating.  Pairing candidates with a suitable sponsor, if necessary, is one of the jobs of the RCIA team.
5. Who are the RCIA team members?  The RCIA team is comprised of parishioners who are practicing Catholics with the desire and knowledge to convey the teachings of the church to the candidates.  These individuals make the commitment to come to the sessions, facilitate small group discussions and provide direction to the candidates.  They are mentors who provide instruction, answer questions, and interview the candidates at various stages of the program.  They also provide input for the RCAI program with the director and clergy. 
6. Why does the RCIA process take so long?  It is important for people to know and understand the doctrines and beliefs of the Catholic Church, to participate in liturgy, to develop a prayer life and to learn how to live the gospel.  Making this faith journey and discerning whether this is the right path for you should not be rushed.
7. Will there be time for fellowship or is it all instruction?  The RCIA process consists of presentations, small group discussions, sponsor-participant sharing, prayer services and social gatherings.  These and other activities provide many opportunities for fellowship with other participants and members of the greater church community.
8. Should I go through the Rites of Welcome and Election if I am not sure about continuing the RCIA program?  The important thing is to let the spirit of God guide you.  If you feel that you are making progress in your journey and feel comfortable, then you should go through the rites.  Having doubts does not mean that you should not continue.  There will be plenty of opportunities to discuss these concerns with RCIA team members, the sponsors and other participants before these rites are celebrated.  Once again, participants are under no obligation to move forward through the process until they are completely comfortable with all aspects.
9. What if I don't understand the material?  Team members, clergy, the director and sponsors are available to explain whatever you don't understand.  Any question you might have should be asked.  It is likely that someone else has the same question, but has been reluctant to ask it.
10. Do people ever come into the church at other times of the year?   Sometimes, individuals who have done a great deal of study and discernment are ready to come into the church earlier that Easter.  Some people must wait to be brought into the church until they have receive an annulment, and they will join at times other than Easter.
11. Why does having a previous marriage prevent people from coming into the church?  Why is an annulment of the marriage necessary?  Catholics must be free to marry in the Catholic Church.  If a previous marriage ended in divorce but no annulment was obtained, then the person cannot remarry in the Catholic Church.  An annulment does not mean tha the marriage did not exist, but that it was not sacramentally valid in the eyes of the church.  There are a variety of circumstances that could cause a marriage to be invalid, but people in these circumstances should contact one of the deacons or priests here at St. Gabriel to discuss their particular situation and decide whether or not to seek an annulment.
12. What is convalidation and who needs it?  Convalidation is the sacramentalizing of a marriage.  A Caholic is required to marry in a Catholic ceremony or to receive a dispensation to marriy in another church. If a Catholic marries in the church of another Christian faith without applying to the Catholic Church for approval prior to the wedding, then the marriage needs to be convalidated.  With convalidation, the couple will have the marriage sanctified--made a sacrament, which bestows many blessing and graces.