Welcome to the RCIA blog!

Every Fall, those of us on Team, start to get antsy. Not because some of us have school starting again or have children preparing to go back to school. And it’s not because we dread the end of sunshine and summer (neither of which we got a lot of this year in Seattle) and not because we are not looking forward to the coming of rain, rain and more rain. We’re antsy because we’re excited.REALLY EXCITED!

Fall means we get to meet a new group of young adults who are willing and ready to explore their faith; we get to share the beauty and love we have about being Catholic; and most importantly we get to spread the word and message of Jesus Christ. So, for those of you thinking about joining the Church or thinking about seeking the Sacraments of Initiation or just want to learn more, we invite you join us. Our first class is this coming Tuesday and we hope to meet you there.

In peace,

Your Newman RCIA/Confirmation/Faith Formation Team

p.s. Below is a letter we include in our packets to welcome the incoming RCIA participants. We love this letter so much (and big thanks to the Padres who have over the years written and re-written it) we want to share it with all of you. We hope you take the time to ask “Who is Jesus” to you and how is the Spirit working in your life.

Who is Jesus?

 In the Acts of the Apostles, St. Paul teaches that in Jesus we encounter the very source of our life: “in Him, we live and move and have our being.”  In the Gospel of John, Jesus makes this bold claim about Himself:  "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” 

In the Book of Revelation, Jesus reiterates his amazing claims, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end."  In the Gospel of John, Jesus again states emphatically, “I am the resurrection and the life.  He who believes in me will live, even though he dies, and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.” Jesus challenges us today.

 In all four Gospels, Jesus asks us: “Who do you say that I am?”

Who is Jesus?

Jesus invites us to “come and see.”  He stands ready to reveal Himself:  “Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with me.” 

From Team:

Welcome! We are glad to meet you and we are honored to walk with you on your journey of faith!  God has always had a plan for your life! His Spirit has been guiding you from the moment of your conception up to this very moment!  Our prayer for you is that you may humbly defer to the workings of the Holy Spirit, that His will may be done in your life! 

For our part, we solemnly pledge to share our faith with love and joy--a faith that we treasure and a faith that has been handed down to us from the holy ones down through the ages.  We pledge to do our best to listen to you, to honor your journey, to be present to you and to make space within our hearts to hold you in love and in prayer.

“Be not afraid!”  Please know that we are not here to pressure you – that’s up to God! All we ask is that you keep an open mind and walk with us on this search for that Truth which is Jesus Christ.