What is rCIyp?
Christian Initiation is the process of welcoming individuals into the Catholic Church, the family of God. Young people curious to discover what Jesus and the Christian faith might bring to their lives are invited to embark on the rCIyp (Rite of Christian Initiation of young people), journey.
Following the same four stages of the adult process towards Christian Initiation young people are helped to find and unwrap the gifts of spirituality and faith within them. Along the way they discover God, as revealed to us by Jesus Christ in the Gospels, and embrace the Good News He proclaimed. Ultimately the journey is one through which individuals fall in love with Jesus and choose to become lifelong missionary disciples of Jesus.
Reception of the Sacraments of Initiation demonstrates the heartfelt desire to continue growing in holiness. Through this act, each person commits to living their faith through the ordinary events of daily life, supported by the Holy Spirit and the Catholic community.
Come and See – rCIyp Resource
Created in response to a developing need, the Come and See resource contains a wealth of materials for use with young people embarking on the RCIA journey. Resources have been designed for three different age groups:
9-12 years 12-15 years and 15-18+ years.
In keeping with the principles of RCIA, (See 242-249), the content is similar for all three groups, however, the input and activities are age appropriate. The ages bands are a guide only. Catechist will discern which materials are best suited to the young people they are accompanying on the journey of Christian Initiation.
How long does the rCIyp journey take?
There is no set time-period or number of sessions for the Christian Initiation journey.
Any young person drawn to the person of Jesus and open to the conversion of heart the journey entails, may embark on the rCIyp. Previous exposure to and understanding of the Christian faith may influence the rate of progress, as will the depth of desire to know, and become a disciple of, Jesus. The pace and length of the process is structured to meet the needs of the young people involved. Not all who begin the journey together may necessarily be received into the Church at the same time. Regardless, each will have an impact on the life and faith of their companions.
The Inquiry stage of the journey is especially important for allowing the young people to become comfortable with one another, with the materials and the faith journey process. This period also enables the catechists to assess how best to use the Come and See resources to cater for the needs of the individuals and the group.
rCIyp Come and See Resources
Designed for use with groups, the Come and See resources facilitate exploration, reflection and conversation. They will open minds and hearts to the Spirit of God within them, to the Word of God in the scriptures and to the presence of God around them. The resources are comprehensive and can be adapted to suit any situation.
The Brief Overview provides a little of the background and makeup of the Come and See Resource. Further detail can be found via the links below.
Introduction and Framework
Outlining the rationale, purpose and structure of the resource, the Introduction and Framework is the starting point for Catechists keen to explore the Come and See
The Introductory information is common across the age groups.
Frameworks, detailing the scope and sequence of the Come and See content, is specific to each age group. Colour coding helps to differentiate the four stages of the rCIyp journey both within the Framework and throughout the Come and See resources.
Click on the tab buttons to download the relevant document:
9-12 Introduction 12-15 Introduction 15-18+ Introduction
Source Materials
This folder provides detailed information of sources from which materials have been drawn. Each of these is a valuable resource to explore further.
Click on the tab buttons to download the relevant folder:
9-12 Source Materials 12-15 Source Materials 15-18+ Source Materials
Catechist Notes and Resources
Comprehensive notes are provided for use in each stage of the rCIyp journey. Accompanying these are activity sheets, scripture passages, prayers, links to video clips and songs, information regarding the Rites of Initiation and review sheets.
Samples of resources for all four stages of the journey can be downloaded via the tab buttons for the relevant age group.
A full set of the resources is available on a flash drive. These can be purchased via the Office of Christian Initiation (hyperlink to email) Christian.initiation@perthcatholic.org.au
As new resources become available, they will be posted on this site.
Flash drive purchasers will be notified so they can access and download the new materials.