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Adult Confirmation ...a very grown-up (and rewarding) experience |  |
Many adult Catholics have distant memories of their confirmation experience. Traditionally, it takes place sometime during the adolescent years. I can remember carefully choosing a patron saint in seventh grade, selecting a sponsor, and feeling privileged (and a little pressured) knowing that, “Confirmation means you’re an adult in the church, now.”
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| Tom Smith-Myott |
RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) is a comprehensive nine-month program that provides adults an opportunity to be initiated into the life of the Catholic Church.
Specifically, RCIA is designed for those who have never been baptized, for those baptized Protestant, and for those baptized Catholic as infants, but who have not any other faith formation growing up.
Often, the RCIA candidates share in the sacraments of baptism and confirmation. In addition to the RCIA program, St. Joan’s also offers a shorter course solely for the purpose of preparing for and receiving the sacrament of confirmation.
“We make sure the candidates know what they’re committing to, so they can make an informed decision. We spend time answering the questions they bring with them,” said Tom.
“It is a holistic process that includes community building, ritual, education, and social activities. In other words … learning by doing what a church community does.”
Not a Typical Classroom Setting
Several RCIA candidates and other adults were confirmed at St. Joan’s in late May. While each had different reasons for choosing to be confirmed and completing RCIA, they all agreed it was a great experience.
“I guess my favorite part was that it wasn’t a classroom setting … it was an interactive setting. I was able to get all of my questions answered, “ said Nick Ratelis of the RCIA program. “The first day you walk in and they tell you to write down any question you have about the Catholic Church - and don’t hold back. I thought to myself, ‘Where do I begin?’”
“Tom Smith-Myott was a wonderful teacher, “ added Tannis Mullenmaster. “I was relieved to lay-to-rest some of my former misconceptions about the Catholic religion.” These candidates also agreed that, as adults, the confirmation experience held much more meaning for them.
“As an adult, you appreciate and understand what you’re discussing,” said John Parish. “ When you choose the process, it means a lot more to you.”
For those who sign up for RCIA and hope to get some advice from Tom, he replies, “I don’t give advice. I ask: what's leading you to consider becoming Catholic? How has God been present and working in your life up until now? What questions and concerns do you bring with you?”
| Every Journey a Unique Journey |
| Jo Manley While her family practiced Catholicism, (she was baptized Catholic as an infant,) Jo Manley spent most of her teenage and young-adult years playing an active role in the Lutheran Church. (Several of her girlfriends were active in their Lutheran Churches, and she felt at home there.) However, after returning home after college, Jo began to feel something was missing from her faith. She started attending the Catholic Church, St. Leonard’s, with her mother. And at age 23, she decided she wanted to be confirmed in the Catholic Church. She admits that she had some apprehensions about going through the process as an adult. “I didn’t want to feel shameful about why I hadn’t been confirmed before, “ she said. “But it wasn’t like that at all. It was really open, comfortable and relaxed. Everything was explained very well.” |
| John Parish “Religion wasn’t part of my life, “ said John Parish. “But I always appreciated the social awareness aspects of the Catholic Church, especially at St. Joan of Arc.” His partner and Confirmation Sponsor, Chris Borek, introduced John to St. Joan’s. He explained that as committed life-partners, RCIA allowed them to strengthen their ties with one another -- and with St. Joan’s church community. “I’d say the driving force behind our decision was to be more connected with the St. Joan of Arc community,” Chris said. |
| Nick Ratelis After feeling jaded and disappointed by the Catholic Church after her divorce, Nick Ratelis’ mother decided to let her son chose his own faith path. For Nick it was, at times, a frustrating position. “I didn’t know anything about anything,” he said. “Especially about any religious customs and traditions.” Now fast-forward a couple decades. Nick is engaged to be married and struggling to find a meaningful faith identity. His fiancée, Erin, (now, his wife) was raised Catholic -- so Nick figured it was a good time to learn more about it. They had tried an RCIA program at another church, but they were disappointed with the format that clearly discouraged challenging questions. “But we went to St. Joan’s and really loved it. It was a perfect fit for us…for our journey.” |
| Tannis Mullenmaster “I was a lover of all cultures,” said Tannis Mullenmaster. “Just as I wanted to taste of different foods, I wanted to 'taste' different religions . In a way, I was a nomad.” She said that she felt instantly at home at St. Joan of Arc, especially after reading the letter from the Dalai Lama on our website. “My heart swelled with joy -- and I cried. Unification of a common cause, PEACE.” She describes her faith as a mix of Eastern Religion and Christianity. “My beliefs and I have found a home. I am so proud that I was confirmed at SJA!” |
For more information about adult confirmation at St. Joan’s, search this website for more articles and/or contact Tom at: tsmith.myott@stjoan.com.
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