Christian Initiation
“It’s a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don’t keep your feet, there’s no knowing where you might be swept off to.”
The journey of faith is not like most trips. There is not a set starting point, designated route, or predetermined destination. Instead, the journey is about broadening our image of who God can be, about asking questions, about always moving forward toward the heart of God. This Christian Initiation process is walking alongside each individual wherever they may happen to be and collectively exploring the mystery that is the Christian faith. We invite all who seek divine truth to join us in this journey.
Questions and Answers
Alpha is an open and safe environment for individuals seeking answers to the questions of life. Through a series of interactive sessions in a friendly and welcoming atmosphere, our guests have an opportunity to explore life and the Christian faith in a no-strings-attached setting where we break bread together, explore relevant topics, and enjoy the engaging discussion.
Foundations of Faith
All who accept Jesus Christ and the Gospel message are changed. This conversion occurs as they continually put on Christ's mind by learning the foundations of the Christian faith and then experience these traits lived out in the Catholic community through a process of accompaniment and apprenticeship that is the hallmark of Christian life taught in community at St. Ann.
Rites-Rituals-Sacraments
Individuals who have stated a desire to become part of the Catholic Church now go through a period of spiritual deepening and understanding of the spirit working in their life. Becoming Catholic focuses on the teaching of the sacraments, which God provided the Church as signs of his love, and preparation for their participation in the various Rites and Rituals leading to their Initiation.
A PATHWAY FOR THE BAPTIZED
Baptized Christian Seeking to Become Part of the Catholic Church
or
Baptized Catholic Seeking to Complete Their Sacraments
This process is for those baptized and practicing Christians from other denominations who desire to become part of the Catholic Church or Catholics who were baptized but never received all of their Sacraments such as Confirmation. We welcome the baptized to participate in our formation process, leading to full communion with the Catholic Church for Baptized Christians or the completion of Sacraments for the Baptized Catholic. This formation process is accomplished through our community teaching process. This is where individuals become part of a Connect Group and are then accompanied by a parishioner in an apprenticeship learning process that focuses on the Catholic Church's foundational teachings and then observing them lived out within the St. Ann community as they prepare for the reception of their sacraments.
We invite you on a journey of faith with our parish. If you are ready to take a next step, you can schedule a one-on-one Exploring Faith Conversation with a staff member (via Zoom) by clicking on the Schedule a Conversation button below to talk about the process and possible next steps, or you can simply click on the Contact Us button to request additional information.