Becoming Catholic

BECOMING CATHOLIC

Bishop Raica received Candidates for Confirmation
in the Rite of Welcoming at Prince of Peace, spring 2021.

Becoming Catholic is a Prince of Peace adult formation program which may lead to initiation into the Catholic Church. After successfully completing the program, adults are Confirmed and come into full communion with the Catholic Church. We warmly welcome those who already feel called to become Catholic, and those who are interested in learning more about the Catholic faith but who have not decided whether to join the Catholic Church. It is also an opportunity for confirmed Catholics–or anyone–to learn more about the Catholic faith. All are welcome.

More is required of participants than attending classes. During the formation period, participants read and view materials we provide, spend time in prayer and reflection, and journal weekly. On Sunday mornings, 9:40am-10:45am, we meet to discuss assignments, have conversations, pose questions, and share information about the faith. The core program is typically about 14 weeks long, typically includes about 12 in-person meetings, and is currently offered three times per year, January-April or May, and September-December. (With sufficient demand, we sometimes offer a summer session.) Those with little or no prior Christian affiliation and/or education may continue their formation beyond the 14-week period through a customized program of self-study. The timing for being received into the Church differs from person to person, and we will discuss this further in class. In some cases, this process does not lead to acceptance into the Church because of special requirements of the Church.

Anyone interested in the program should read the details below. If you have questions, contact program coordinator Dr. Dale Wisely. You can view our brochure here.

“Becoming Catholic” is a blended study program. Participants, on their own time, read and view materials we create and provide. This includes a book that presents the fundamentals of Catholicism (We are currently using Fr. Oscar Lukefahr’s We Believe: A Survey of the Catholic Faith). Participants, during each week, spend time in prayer and reflection, and journal weekly, sending their entries to our team. Journal entries are typically 150-300 words.

On Sundays, 9:40am-10:45am, participants meet with our team. These live meetings allow us to teach and learn, discuss assignments, have conversations, and pose questions.

REGISTERING AND PARTICIPATING

Interested persons, or those with questions, should email the program coordinator Dr. Dale Wisely. For those ready to register, the online registration form may be found here.

Once you are registered, a team member will get in touch with you. When appropriate, the formation team will offer some customization of the program, based upon your history of involvement in Christian worship.

Requirements:

All participants must commit to attending Sunday morning meetings and to take responsibility for study, prayer, and reflection, and sending the team weekly journal entries, on their own time, each week of the program. (We understand that absences from these Sunday meetings will sometimes occur.) Our team is aware that some individuals have difficulties reading, studying, and writing due to learning differences. We are committed to working with such individuals so that they may complete the program. If these difficulties exist for anyone enrolling in the program, please contact coordinator Dr. Dale Wisely to confidentially discuss and develop an alternate method of participating.

Participate in parish life at Prince of Peace. Mass attendance is essential and those who are not already attending Mass should begin once enrolled in the program (in advance of starting the program.) Members of our team would be happy to meet with you at Mass and sit with you if you would like. We want you to feel welcome!

Complete a 14-week formation period. Requirements include, but are not limited to
- Completing weekly assignments (reading, videos, online materials)
- Writing a weekly journal entry as evidence of engagement (we provide alternatives for candidates who struggle to write.)
- Spending time weekly in prayer and reflection
- Attending Sunday morning meetings. (When class meetings are missed, we can typically arrange a make-up.)
- Request, in writing, their desire to receive the Sacraments of Initiation

Sample topics in our 14-week series:

Introduction, Orientation, the Creed
Scripture and Teaching Tradition
The Sacraments of the Church
Catholic Morality and Contemporary Issues in Catholicism
Participation in Parish Life
Catholic Traditions (Mary, prayer traditions)

FALL 2022

Sunday morning meeting times are 9:40am-10:45am except when noted otherwise.

September 11 - Note this is a 2-hour session
September 18 - Attend 8:30am Mass together, followed by meeting 9:40am-10:45am
September 25
October 2
October 9
October 16
October 23
October 30
November 6
November 13
November 20
(No meeting November 27)
December 4 - Questions, Answers, & Unanswered Questions
December 11 - Retreat 12:30pm-3:30pm, no morning meeting