R.C.I.A.

1. R.C.I.A. Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults Saint Mary Our Lady of Grace Presentation by: Melissa Hendrick

2. Opening Prayer- “Daily Reflections” • United States Catholic Council of Bishops • How has God impacted your life this week? -Share examples

3. The Way of Faith • Christ’s death on the cross transforms all other deaths into eventual blessing because we now have eternal life. • In the News: “As many as 14 people have been shot dead in a murderous three-minute shooting rampage inside an upstate New York civic association building that caters to immigrants, according to federal and state authorities. (Binghamton Rampage Leaves 14 Dead, Police Don’t Know Motive)”

4. How does this relate to the readings? At noon darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. And at three o’clock Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which is translated, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”… Jesus gave a loud cry and breathed his last. (Mk 14:1—15:47)

5. Tradition says: • Death is transformed by Christ. Jesus, the Son of God, also himself suffered the death that is part of the human condition. Yet, despite his anguish as he faced death, he accepted it in an act of complete and free submission to his Father’s will. The obedience of Jesus has transformed the curse of death into a blessing. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1009)

6. Discussion: • What relationship do you see between the readings and tradition? • How can you relate what you see in the news to the gospels?

7. Introduction to the Sacraments: • Video link to "The Sacraments" • "The sacraments are outward signs instituted by Christ to give grace. Signs, there are all kinds of signs around us but sacraments are unique as signs because they are signs of the presence and love of God for us and of our desire to come in contact or encounter God." Msgr. Zenz from the "Introduction" video

8. Introduction to “Baptism” • Click to link to Baptism • "When many of us were baptized, say a half century or so ago, the concern was to rush to have a child baptized right away to remove original sin and allow the child to receive sanctifying grace and make him or her a temple of God. Today, we have an appreciation of this sacrament as part of something larger, initiation into the Church." Msgr. Zenz from the "Baptism" video

9. The “Chosen” Ones of God • It is God who chooses. God takes the initiative and claims a person or a people as his own. Yet God’s choice is always witnessed by another. God’s choice is witnessed by the Church, God’s own people. We know whom God has chosen because we can see God’s influence clearly in that person’s life. In that person, we see God at work. • Election begins with God and is witnessed by the Church. To be elected means to be chosen by God to be the way God wants to act in the world now. It is one way God continues to be present in our world, and it is how the Church continues to proclaim God’s faithful presence to his people today.

10. Reflection: • When have you felt chosen? What were you chosen to do? Who testified on your behalf that you were the right choice? How did their testimony make you feel?

11. What we do and how we help each other: • Chosen for BaptismWhen an adult seeks to be baptized, the Church is always looking for signs in that person’s life of God at work. Here are some signs we look for: Does the person listen to God’s word and respond to it? Have they changed their way of life to match the way of life presented in the Gospel? Do they pray with the Church and do the things the Church does? Do they live a spirit of charity in their family and work life? Have they learned to sacrifice themselves for the good of others? When we see these signs in the person’s life, we can affirm that God has chosen them to be baptized.

12. 3 days: Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday • The Easter Triduum or Sacred Triduum are three parts of one celebration of the paschal mystery, the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus. Lent ends on the morning of Holy Thursday. Lent culminates in the Easter Triduum and Easter which is celebrated for 50 days until Pentecost.

13. Holy Thursday or Maundy Thursday (from the word mandatum) • The Triduum celebrations begin on Holy Thursday with the Mass of the Lord's Supper in the evening. • This day commemorates * The Great mandatum or Call to ServiceJohn 13:1-20   The mandatum of Jesus is his command to follow his example (Jesus washes the feet of the disciples), to do as he has done.

14. Holy Thursday • The Institution of The Eucharist   Matthew 26:26-30, Mark 14:22-26, Luke 22:14-23   Jesus institutes the Eucharist, giving his body and blood to his disciples. As we share the consecrated bread and wine, we experience the fullness of Jesus' gift to us of himself. It is important, especially on this night, to receive the host and the cup, in memory of Jesus.

15. Holy Thursday • The Prayer of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane    Matthew 26:36-46, Mark 14:32-42, Luke 22:39-46    After the meal with his disciples, Jesus went to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray. "Could you not watch one hour with me?" he asks his disciples as they fall asleep on him. Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament takes place until midnight when we keep Jesus company. • There is no final blessing or procession to end this Mass because the celebration does not end. The prayer continues in our homes until we are called together again on Good Friday to remember the next part of the story of our salvation.

16. Good Friday: • Recalls the death of Jesus on the cross. It is Good Friday because of the good that Jesus did by purchasing redemption for us by his blood. • The Liturgy of this day usually takes place at the traditional death time of Jesus at 3:00 p.m. This is the one day of the year the Church does not celebrate Mass. Communion for today is consecrated at Holy Thursday Mass. • The service begins in silence with no procession or greeting as it is a continuation of what began on Holy Thursday. The priest kneels or more often prostrates himself as a sign of utter humility before God.

17. The Ritual takes place in 3 parts: • Liturgy of the Word    Old Testament reading of Isaiah on the suffering servant and the Passion of Christ from John's Gospel is proclaimed. We listen and remember how Jesus suffered and died for our sins. • After the Passion we are reminded that there are many people in the world who need our prayers, and so in our role as priestly people we pray a more lengthy and elaborate form of the General Intercessions.

18. Good Friday • Veneration of the cross    Then a cross, the symbol of our salvation, is brought forward for us to venerate. It is our opportunity to show our respect for this gift of salvation. People will come forward to venerate by genuflecting, touching, or kissing the cross.

19. Good Friday • Communion     We participate in a simple reception of the Eucharist and then leave church again in silence to continue our prayer and fasting at home and to return on Holy Saturday evening for the Easter Vigil.

20. Holy Saturday • The Easter Triduum begins with the mass of the Lord's Supper on Holy Thursday; it reaches its high point in the Easter Vigil, celebrated on Holy Saturday night. This celebration is a long one; we have a lot to do this evening.

21. The Liturgy is divided into 4 parts: • 1.New Fire and Light of Christ      A fire usually outside the church is brightly burning to remind us that Jesus is our light in the darkness and the new Paschal Candle is blessed and lit from the flames of this fire. All present light a candle from the Paschal Candle and processes into the darkened church. The Easter Proclamation (Exultet) is proclaimed.

22. 2. Vigil reading of the Old Testament and New Testament • These readings call to mind the stories of creation and the working of God in the lives of the Israelites. A minimum of three readings and a maximum of seven readings (see above for the readings) will be used. •        From the Old Testament Readings we go to the singing of the Gloria and the ringing of the bells. Then a New Testament letter is read. •        After which the Alleluia is joyfully sung for the first time since Lent began, to prepare us for the reading of the Gospel. A homily follows.

23. 3. Sacraments of Initiation •   Catechumens (those to be baptized) are initiated into the church with baptism and confirmation. During communion, they will receive the Eucharist for the first time.       We give our prayerful support by praying the Litany of the Saints. We welcome our new members into the church and parish community.

24. 4. Liturgy of the Eucharist • The Mass continues as usual with the Eucharist.

25. Easter Sunday • Every Sunday is an Easter. The first celebration of the Lord's Day was on Easter Sunday when the Lord rose again from the dead, defeating sin and death.

26. Easter Sunday • Alleluia (Praise the Lord) is sung joyously especially on this day. • Mass is as usual except that • * The Sequence is sung or said before the Gospel Acclaimation.

27. Easter Sunday • Christians to the Paschal Victim offer sacrifice and praise.The sheep are ransomed by the Lamb;and Christ, the undefiled,hath sinners to his Father reconciled.Death with life contended; combat strangely ended!Life's own Champion, slain, yet lives to reign.Tell us, Mary, say what thou didst see upon the way.The tomb the Living did enclose;I saw Christ's glory as he rose!The angels there attesting;shroud with grave clothes resting.Christ, my hope, has risen; he goes before you into Galilee.that Christ is truly risen from the dead we know.Victorious king, thy mercy show!Amen. • * Renewal of Baptism Promises is made instead of the Profession of Creed.

28. Closing Prayer/Reflection: • Our God, Here we are, at the beginning of the week which your church calls most holy. For us, your human children, it is in many ways the time when you seem most fully incarnate, feeling as we feel sometimes. Maybe you felt a little proud, a little puffed up, as the crowd cheered as you entered Jerusalem; what human wouldn’t?

29. We wonder if you knew how the story would end, as we do. Our knowledge of Easter is what allows us to bear observing Holy Week year after year. Easter is, maybe, the time when Jesus the human is also most fully God, capable of resurrection from the dead and somehow, mysteriously redeeming us in the process. But to get to that point, we have to go through the trials and frailties of your flesh, just as we do our own every day.

30. God, as we move through this week, give us the gifts of concentration, of focus, and of empathy, as we seek to determine where your astonishing story, which is at once so familiar and yet so incredible, fits with our own narratives. We believe wholeheartedly that your passion and death have significance beyond our comprehension. Allow us to be touched and awestruck by the holy events of this week and to claim them once again for our own lives. Amen.