The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults is a programme for non-baptised adults who want to become full members of the Catholic Church.
We also include in our programme baptised Christians who are not in full communion with the Catholic Church and baptised Catholics who have received the Sacrament of Confirmation.
The programme is open to anyone, of any denomination or none, whether or not they are baptised Christians who want to explore what it means to be a Catholic.
What the programme involves
A team of volunteers from St Alban’s Parish form the team which runs a series of weekly sessions beginning in September each year, running until after Easter.
The ‘Enquiry Period’ runs from September to Christmas helping enquirers to develop and strengthen a relationship with God; to understand what is important to all Christians and find out more about what Catholics specifically believe.
Enquirers are then invited to commit to whether they want to continue to the next stage.
Preparation for Baptism and/or Confirmation
From January to Easter the programme considers the Mass, Sacraments and Prayer in greater detail including Scripture reflections.
Anyone wishing to go forward is prepared for formal acknowledgement within the Parish and the Diocese including a Day of Prayer with Bishop Mark Davies and The Rite of Election at Shrewsbury Cathedral.
Meetings are held on Tuesday evenings from 7.30pm to 9pm from late September, until Pentecost in May (contact Denise for venue). We start with a ‘Come and See’ visit to the church led by Fr Peter. It is very informal and anyone in the Parish, or anyone else, are welcome to attend.
If you are feeling unsure about whether the programme is right for you, feel free to contact Fr. Peter Burke at St Alban’s (01625 423 446) or Denise Volpato (07891 075 775) as well as chatting to Catholic friends and relations and praying about your decision.