| The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCA) is the path individuals follow toward full initiation in the Catholic Church. Paragraphs #4 and #9 of the ritual book talk about the role of the local parish community in this process. Do people take this seriously?; In order to find out, the US Bishops commissioned a three-year study Journey to the Fullness of Life in 1999. Research included surveys of diocesan personnel, parish initiation ministers, individuals who went through the RCIA, as well as RCIA "dropouts." However, they did not consult with ordinary parishioners in the pews who are referenced in the paragraph mentioned above. It was the intention of this project to fill that gap in research at least in the context of Holy Cross Parish in Vero Beach, Florida.; We adapted Gilbert Ostdiek's three pronged method of liturgical study: Experience the Liturgy, Reflect on it and Apply it to one's life. We also utilized Dr. Leonard Sweet's paradigm of effective postmodern worship which he calls EPIC. As such this project contends that initiation rites are Experiential, Participatory, rich in Imagry, and inherently Connective to the community.; To begin, an eight member Lay Advisory Committee was chosen to develop a survey tool to measure the EPIC-ness of seven distinct RCIA rites celebrated at the parish. The researcher spoke with parishioners who attended these rites and collected narratives and stories about their experiences following the Ostdiek method. The combination of these two research methods yielded an overwhelmingly positive response to the rites and revealed strong connective bonds that arose between those initiated and the parishioners.; Other chapters include: Ecclesiology of Vatican II, description of Holy Cross Parish, theology of the assembly, anthropology of initiation, history of initiation, structure of the RCIA as well as the project itself and the results. In keeping with Sweet's postmodern approach, and with Paul Tillich's theology of culture, there are numerous references to contemporary culture as found in film, song, art and quantum physics. Collectively, all of this shows that when it comes to "building the kingdom together," some assembly IS required. |
