Tom Fagan is a St. Monica parishioner who is devoting this period of his life to being a missionary in Tanzania. Tom send Christmas greetings from Tanzania and you are able to view his Christmas Newsletter 2011-12 Letter here.
This is the second in a series of articles designed to help Parishioners take part in the process we call “RCIA” or “Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults.” RCIA is a foundational part of Catholic Church life: please read these articles and take on your own role in the RCIA. The first article focused on Paragraph #1 of the RCIA and our call to proclaim Christ so that all may come to know and follow him.
Paragraph # 1 of the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults states the purpose of the RCIA in a few words…
“The rite of Christian initiation presented here is designed for adults who after hearing the mystery of Christ proclaimed, consciously and freely seek the living God and enter the way of faith and conversion as the Holy Spirit opens their hearts. By God’s help they will be strengthened spiritually during their preparation and at the proper time will receive the sacraments fruitfully.”
“Adults who…consciously and freely seek the living God and enter the way of faith and conversion as the Holy Spirit opens their hearts.”
RCIA is for those adults who wish to be formed in the Christian faith for the first time. These adults may never have experienced baptism; others may be baptized. What adults in the RCIA have in common is their need and their desire for conversion to Christ. Conversion doesn’t happen as a result of a set program: there is no timetable for conversion and no person can make conversion happen – it is the work of the Holy Spirit in the heart of each person that brings about conversion. Conversion itself is more than a matter of turning one’s back on all that is bad or evil in one’s life, though this is certainly an aspect of conversion; conversion is the process by which we leave behind our former way of life to join ourselves to Christ Jesus, becoming his disciples.
At St. Monica the RCIA Team has long had a motto, “In support of journeys, not outcomes.” This motto is the Team’s way of affirming every person who comes to RCIA seeking the Lord, seeking faith. The first step in RCIA is the Period of Inquiry – and it is just what the name suggests: it is the time for “inquirers” to hear about Christ for the first time, and to ask questions about the Catholic faith. Some persons may need to ask questions and inquire for a very long time, others may need only a short time: some persons will feel called to go further and actually become Catholic, others may feel called to break all ties completely. No matter what the outcome is, we support those who seek faith, and we support their own personal timetable – the work of the Spirit within their hearts. This honest sifting and sorting of what is in the heart of each person is important in RCIA; discernment is key.
If and when an inquirer feels called to become Catholic, there is a discernment of readiness for the first major Rite of the RCIA, the Rite of Acceptance into the Order of Catechumens (for those who have not been baptized) or the Rite of Welcome for Baptized but Uncatechized Adults. This Rite marks the movement into a new Period of the RCIA. Information on that Period, the Catechumenate Period, will be included in next week’s Bulletin.
This week Parishioners are encouraged to invite someone to Inquiry at St. Monica. Who do you know who may be drawn to Christ? Let them know they can come and learn more about the way of Catholic faith – with no obligation or cost! RCIA brochures will be on the Narthex table throughout the month of August – take one and give it away.
For more information, visit our RCIA page under Ministries.
Dear Parishioners,
Many people have asked why I did not properly introduce myself to you during our Masses. While I realize that Sunday Mass is typically when a newly assigned priest would do so, I am a new priest, which means that I am full of ideals that have yet to encounter reality. In other words, because we priests only get to see and interact with most parishioners on Sundays only, I did not want to waste that time with you by filling it with my words. Ideally, homily time is a time where we all encounter God’s living Word especially as it interacts in our daily lives. So, I thought I would instead give you my background via the bulletin. So here it goes….
I was born and raised on the Southside of Indianapolis. I have only one younger brother (who I admire and look up to almost more than anyone else in this world). Our Lord gave him a wonderful wife, and they now have two kids (1 and 2 years old) with a 3rd one on the way in October. I really cannot say enough about the depth of pride I take their young family. They are a tremendous source of strength, inspiration and Grace in my life.
I am also blessed to have two amazing parents who have been fantastic examples for me in many ways, but particularly in the ways of faith, love, generosity, and loyalty. They have always been a rock of support for me, especially in my decision to follow God’s call to the priesthood. If I ever do something right and good, please thank them and not me.
I grew up in Our Lady of the Greenwoodparish, where my parents gave me the gift of a Catholic education. I actually began my schooling in the public school system, but switched to Our Lady’s school in the 6th grade. I then went on to and graduated fromRoncalliHigh School in 2002. Upon graduation, I followed where I felt the Lord had been leading me for so many years: St. John Vianney College Seminary. This seminary is located at theUniversity ofSt. Thomas up inSt. Paul,MN. Pope Benedict once said that seminary, while being a place that is set apart for discerning a call to priesthood, is particularly a place where a man goes to intensely fall in love with Jesus Christ. That is exactly what happened, but I will leave my call to the seminary and the proceeding years for another column.
After graduation in 2006, the Archbishop asked me to continue my studies at St. Meinrad Seminary, which is also where Fr. Todd and Fr. Jeremy studied theology. If you have not been there, I would highly recommend a visit. It is a particularly beautiful place to visit in the Fall and Spring times. I graduated from St. Meinrad this past May and after nine years of seminary, I was (finally) ordained a priest this past June 4th by Bishop Coyne.
My hobbies (right now) include spending time outdoors down in BrownCounty. I enjoy watching movies and reading a little each day. Currently, I am re-reading Elie Wiesel’s, Night. I do a bit of writing and am dabbling in graphic art, but I am really itching to get back into ice hockey. I literally have reoccurring dreams about once p/month of this game that I grew up playing (that’s normal, right?), so please let me know if you are aware of any men’s hockey leagues up here. Apparently, I am getting pretty desperate.
Editor’s note: Fr. Boehm’s name is pronounced like Bame.
