RCIA & Adult Formation
Reception of Sacraments: Are you a Catholic adult who hasn't received Confirmation? Our Lady of Refuge offers a special Confirmation Preparation program for all those adults who want to receive this sacrament. In order to find out if you are eligible for this special program, please contact the Office of Religious Education at 562-597-3102 to sign up for a phone interview. Sessions will be Wednesday nights from 7:00 P.M. to 9:00 P.M. beginning in January and running for 13-15 weeks. Space is limited, so don't wait!
Our Lady of Refuge: Ready when you are...
Offering all levels of Adult Faith Formation
including:
Adult Sacrament Preparation,
Adult Confirmation,
and the
Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA)
God calls each of us in many different ways. Some have never been to a church. Others may have attended one church or another and never found what they are looking for. Still others may have attended a Catholic Church for years, but never took the opportunity to become fully initiated. Regardless of where you are in your faith journey, Our Lady of Refuge Adult Faith Formation can help guide you.
Who do we serve?
Our Adult Faith Formation process is designed to serve the following needs:
- those who were never baptized and want to become Catholic
- those baptized in other Christian faiths and want to join the Catholic Church
- those baptized Catholic but have not received Confirmation and First Communion
- those baptized Catholic, received First Communion, but have not received Confirmation.
- those, baptized or not, who just want to learn more about the Catholic Faith
- those Catholics who want to enrich their faith and support the formation process
How long does it take?
Our Adult Faith Formation process is not a series of classes you take in order to graduate as a Catholic. Rather, it is a personalized program designed to meet your needs and accomplish your goals. How long that process takes depends on you and your personal experience. We do not use a "one size fits all" approach. That just doesn't work for adults since they bring a variety of life experience with them when seeking to join the Church or to complete their Sacraments of Initiation. Our formation team, along with our pastor, will work with you to determine what you need and what it will take to get you there.
When do sessions start?
We have a year-round process which allows you to join whenever you are ready. If the Holy Spirit is calling you now, then who are we to say "come back another time." Just come to one of our regular weekly sessions to meet with a member of our team, or contact us to schedule a meeting.
Adult Confirmation:
If you're a Catholic adult who's received Baptism and First Communion, and would like to receive Confirmation, we can help. There are several options available for preparing for this Sacrament, but before we can determine what is the best course of action, you need to contact our team and schedule an appointment.
The Importance of Sunday Mass:
The best way to learn about the Catholic Faith is from other Catholics, and the best place to do this is at Sunday Mass. The Church doors are open to everyone! While non-Catholics are not allowed to receive Holy Communion, they are welcome to receive a blessing from the Eucharistic Minister, and participate in the experience of the Liturgy.
Many non-Catholics can feel intimidated when attending Mass because they don't know what to do... when to kneel, when to stand, what to say. Don't worry... Just be attentive to what's going on around you and follow along. The truth is that many Catholics sometimes are unsure what to do, especially if they are visiting from another parish that may have certain other local customs. Overall, the structure of the Mass is universal... the same for every Catholic Church on earth. It's part of what binds us together as community.
The Importance of a Sponsor:
All candidates for Baptism or Confirmation need to have a Sponsor... someone who is a fully Confirmed Catholic in good standing who can vouch for your sincerity in seeking the Sacraments and can help guide you through the process. If you don't know someone who can be your sponsor, we can help find someone for you.
If you find yourself searching for a better relationship with God
and are interested learning more about the Catholic Church, contact us:
Call the Office of Religious Education at (562) 597-3102
Email: [email protected]
Our Lady of Refuge Adult Faith Formation: Ready when you are...