Happy new year! Hopefully everyone had a joyous Christmas season and a safe start to the new year. Our RCIA committee has been hard at work trying to re-imagine the RCIA process to fit with our current environment and concerns and we think we have a plan that will work well for us!

Going forward, we will only meet once each month - usually at the end of the month. During the month, we will have a variety of videos and other resources for you to browse on your own time and at your own pace. A few introductory tips from our team: 

1. Make reviewing all of the materials a priority - give yourself plenty of time to watch everything, digest it, pray about it, and come up with intentional questions on topics and areas that are not clear to you. 

2. Take Notes! 

3. Lean heavily on our team and your sponsor. We are all still available for emailed, texted, and telephoned questions any day, any time! Feel free to reach out and ask a burning question in the middle of the month that won't wait until we meet - even though its hard to meet in person, we still love talking about all of this stuff! If you can't discuss topics regularly with your sponsor, or if you just want another point of view, let us know and we will help match you with a Mentor to walk alongside you as you discover these topics and materials. 

4. Make the in-person meetings a priority! These will be our opportunity to dive deep into topics that you want to know more about, as well as our chance to explain topics a different way that you just can't wrap your head around - not to mention good food and fellowship (we all need more of that these days!). 

For January, we will explore the Seven Sacraments in more detail. 

Resource videos - 1. Symbolon Session 2, Episodes 1, 2, 4 and 5 (Symbolon is available through FORMED - you have a free subscription through St. Alphonsus - contact us with questions on how to access FORMED if you have not yet!)

2. Bishop Robert Baron's introductory video on the Sacraments which can be found at https://sacraments.wordonfire.org/episode1access. 

Reading Material: 1. The Catechism of the Catholic Church, especially #774-776, #1108, #1117-1129 and #1210. (this might lead you to read other paragraphs also - go for it!!) 

2. A good overview/primer on the Sacraments is available here:  https://rcdow.org.uk/att/files/faith/catechesis/baptism/sacraments.pdf 

Meeting Date: January 31 6pm (after 5pm Mass - so probably closer to 5:45!) in the St. Robert Room. We will, of course, observe all COVID precautions during our meeting (and pray that we're nearing the end of that saga!) All candidates, sponsors, spouses, and catechists are welcome and encouraged to attend!

Here are our other meeting dates for the rest of this season: 

February 28

March 28

April 25

See you there!!

 NOTE: There are several dates around Holy Week and Easter Vigil that remain in-person and required. Check out your original calendar for more information.

St. Alphonsus Liguori Catholic Church