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The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (often abbreviated RCIA) is the process through which interested adults are gradually introduced to the Roman Catholic faith and way of life. Children who were not baptized as infants are also initiated through this process.
In addition, the RCIA is a process which includes a number of stages punctuated by liturgical rites with special prayer in the presence of the worshiping community. These liturgical rites aid the potential convert towards the final rite, which normally takes place at the Easter Vigil when they will become full members of the Roman Catholic Church. This final rite includes the reception of the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Eucharist. The entire RCIA process takes a number of months, but normally no less than a minimum of one complete liturgical year, depending on each individual’s Christian background. |