Letter from the Archbishop of Melbourne

Dear Friends,

Every year the Lord abundantly blesses his Church with new members. The majority of these people are baptised into membership of the Church soon after they are born and will be “brought up Catholic” – that is, grow up in an environment where the Church is always a part of their lives.

But there are also other people who hear the call of God later in their lives and find themselves drawn towards the Church. The stories these people tell are in some ways the most interesting and when they come to the point of seeking admission as a full member of the Catholic Church, they undergo the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA), which is also called the Catechumenate.

The RCIA is an integral part of the life of the Church and the normal way of preparing adults for the Sacraments of Initiation. It is a life giving and revitalising experience not only for the individual, but for the parish which welcomes them. For all concerned, the RCIA is a wonderful journey to conversion. It is a powerful experience of the living Church.

If you are enquiring, or if you have decided that you would like to join the Catholic Church, then talk to somebody about the RCIA. The one true God invites us to come and see the good things he has promised. The RCIA is the way we accept this invitation.

+ Denis J. Hart,
Archbishop of Melbourne