RCIA Team
Overview
RCIA parish team members are part of a team, along with the OLPH pastor, who work along with the parish community to guide and direct both non-baptized adults and adults baptized into other Christian traditions in the life of the Roman Catholic Church as they seek the sacraments of initiation into the Christian Community or reception into the Catholic Church.
Mandatory Activities/Responsibilities
- Become familiar with both the rite of initiation of uncatechized adults for baptism, confirmation and Eucharist and with the rite of reception of baptized Christians into full communion with the Catholic Church
- Receive appropriate training in order to understand the process and dynamics of RCIA
- Participate in RCIA Team meetings
- Fulfill the responsibilities of the particular role assigned on the team, e.g. Catechist, prayer leader, hospitality coordinator, etc.
- Attend the liturgy at which dismissals are to take place when you are involved in that Sunday morning session
Skills, Experience and Qualifications
- Fully initiated Roman Catholic in good standing with the Church
- Good listener
- Willing to journey with a person through the process of initiation
- Able to work with a team
- A good understanding of the responsibilities of an RCIA team member
- Willingness to share one's own faith with the people involved
- Willing to continue to read and study in order to learn more about one's faith
- Willing to acknowledge that there are things that you don't know and be willing to do what needs to be done to find out appropriate answers
- Be willing to work within the framework and process designed by the parish for preparing and welcoming others into the faith
Personal Traits and Qualities
- Must be a person of faith
- Must be willing and able to talk about and explore their faith life and the teachings of the church
- Must be willing to think critically about the church and what we believe as Catholics
- Comfortable with other peoples questions, doubts and confusion
- Not needing to "defend God or the Church" from questions or critique
- Willing to discuss and explore all aspects of the faith life of a Catholic
Orientation and Training
- Read resource material about RCIA
- Participate in Archdiocesan formation programs for RCIA team members
- Read the RCIA text
- Work with the parish team to develop a greater knowledge of the process of RCIA
Participant Group
- The faith community of OLPH and the other members of the RCIA team
- Those interested in becoming Christian or joining the Roman Catholic Church
Support, Supervision and Evaluation
- RCIA team members will support each other
- Support also comes from the Archdiocesan Office of Religious Education and the North American Forum on the Catechumenate
- Supervision comes from the RCIA Coordinator and the parish pastor
- Evaluations take place at the end of your ministry appointment
Length of Ministry Appointment
- Three years with an option to renew
Benefits and Working Conditions
- The privilege of assisting catecumens and candidates as they respond to God's call to follow the way of Christ
- The opportunity to work closely on a team with other parishioners
- The opportunity to experience what it means to be "church" in a very personal way
- A better understanding of your own faith
- A better understanding of what it really means to be a Catholic
- The development of your organizational skills
- Learning to share your faith with greater comfort and confidence
- A profound experience of the working of the Spirit in the lives of all those others involved in the process
- All meetings take place at the church and all the facilities and resources of the parish are available to the team
- Current resource material is provided by the parish
Screening Measures
- This is a Medium Risk Ministry
- The Ministry Position Description Form needs to be completed for a medium risk position
- Three References are required
- An interview with the Screening Committee is needed
- The completion of the Ministry Covenant Form is also required
Contact
Parish Office at (416) 489-1540, Ext 221 or office@olphtoronto.com.