St. Patrick's - St. Joseph's Catholic Church

For further information, please call the Parish Office @ 575-44-9763***

RCIA meets every Wednesday @ 6:30 p.m. in the Religious Education Bldg.

RCIA stands for the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults and is the process through which one can, inquire/ learn about the Catholic Faith and then join the Church, or complete their Sacraments of Christian Initiation.

The RCIA is for three groups of people:

1. Those who are not baptized.
2. Those who were baptized into another Christian denomination and wish to enter into full communion with the Catholic Church.
3. Baptized Catholics who were never formed in the Catholic faith and have not completed their initiation; that is, who have received neither of the sacraments of Confirmation and/or Eucharist.
   
   

RCIA consists of four periods of formation, which are marked by rituals that celebrate what has been completed and call a person into the next phase. There is no specific length of time for each period. The RCIA is a journey that "takes as long as it takes," according to each individual and "when they are ready." 

1. The Inquiry or Precatechumenate
2. The Catechumenate
3. The Lenten period of Purification and Enlightenment
4. Mystagogy or a time of deeper understanding of the "mysteries"