Adult Faith Formation
New Series!
Overcoming Our True Enemy: Spiritual Warfare and St. Ignatius' Discernment of Spirits
Thursday mornings, October 30 - December 11, 9:45 AM - 11:00 AM
In an age of political violence, divisive rhetoric and constant attacks on the human person, we need to revisit the Christian understanding of what and who our true enemy is: sin and the devil. Our tradition is clear, directly from Our Lord Himself and His Apostles, that our struggle is "not against flesh and blood", but hateful spiritual powers that wreak havoc on human hearts and minds, leading us to accusation, "scattering" ("diabolic" comes from the Greek word meaning "to scatter"), lies and isolation. Join us on Thursday mornings for some practical wisdom from our tradition on overcoming the "enemy of human nature" and discerning the voice of the Holy Spirit at work in our hearts.
Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA)
For those adults desiring to receive the sacraments and enter the Church, we are always welcoming new inquirers! This process is educational, but not just academically so. Becoming a Catholic Christian is not just a matter of learning doctrines and consenting to them intellectually. It is about encountering and entering into life in Jesus Christ and His Body, the Church. It is about embarking on a new way of life, taking on a new perspective (an eternal one!), learning to pray, how we read Scripture, how we serve the poor and our neighbor, and becoming an integrated member of the community, the family of God.
All parishioners are always welcome to attend OCIA sessions, which we call "Exploring Catholicism" (see below). This is a great way to be formed more in our faith, a faith we learned about as children. We also encourage parishioners to serve on the OCIA team in some capacity (hospitality, as teacher, mentor, prayer partner etc).
The initial set of 13 "Exploring Catholicism" sessions occur on Sunday mornings after the 9:00 AM Mass at IC in Newburyport, but our team is flexible and can accommodate schedules during the week if this does not work.
If you are interested in becoming Catholic or want to be involved in the process, please reach out to Aaron Giard, Director of Lifelong Faith Formation, at agiard@hriccatholic.org or call (978) 462-2724 x405. We also welcome drop-ins!
"Exploring Catholicism"
Sundays after the 9:00 AM Mass at IC (~10:00 AM - 11:30 AM)
IC Parish Hall, 3rd Floor, Rm 305
Know Someone Who’s Curious?
Maybe it’s your neighbor. Your adult child. A friend at work. Someone asking big questions – or just quietly searching.
Let them know about “Exploring Catholicism,” our weekly drop-in conversation for anyone curious about the Catholic faith. It happens every Sunday after the 9:00 AM Mass (10:00–11:30 AM) in Room 305 of the IC Pastoral Center, unless otherwise noted.
No commitments, no sign-ups – just open doors. Sometimes the best way to evangelize is simply to share the invitation.
Oct 26 – Why Belonging Matters: The Church as a Spiritual Family
Nov 02 – Church Tour: “Saints, Sanctity and the Symbols of IC Church” @ 12:45 - 2:15 PM in IC Church
Nov 09 – What Happens When I Die? (And Why it Matters Now)
Nov 16 – Church Tour: “20 Elements of a Catholic Church” @ 12:45 - 2:15 PM in IC Church
For questions or to learn more, contact: Aaron Giard, OCIA Director, (978) 462-2724, agiard@hriccatholic.org
