The Diocesan RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) Office encourages and enables parishes to live and proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ by inviting, welcoming, and forming new members for initiation into the Catholic Church.  Our mission is to strengthen the church in our Diocese by assisting parishes in passing on our Catholic faith through the implementation of the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults.

When the Houma-Thibodaux Diocese was formed in 1977, the "interim" or provisional translation into English of the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults had already been approved by the Bishops of the United States and the Holy See.

Sr. Paula Richard, O. P., Director of Religious Education at the time of the founding of the Houma-Thibodaux Diocese, offered training workshops for RCIA catechists.  In 1988, the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults became mandatory in the dioceses of the United States.  Bishop Boudreaux appointed a task force to implement the Rite into the Diocese.  Members appointed were:  Msgr. William Koninkx, Vicar General; Dr. Marian Schwab, Director of Religious Education and Lay Ministry Training; Fr. Dale Charpentier, Director of the Office of Worship; Fr. Wilmer Todd, Director of Continuing Formation of Priests; and Mrs. Mary Folse as RCIA Coordinator.

The Office of RCIA was eventually placed under the Office of Worship with Joan Cole serving as a part-time Consultant for Worship and RCIA.  Subsequent Diocesan RCIA Directors have been:  Sr. Sally Bourgeois, MSC; Fr. Glenn LeCompte; Sr. Kathleen Stakelum, MSC; Lou and Joel Conner; and presently, Deacon Dennis and Carolyn Dupre.

The RCIA Office offers support and training the help "renew" parish RCIA coordinators and teams.

A significant responsibility of the Ofifce of RCIA is to plan, in collaboration with the Director of the Office of Worship, the annual Rite of Election of Catechumens (those who will be baptized and confirmed into the Catholic Church at the Easter Vigil); and The Rite of the Call to Continuing Conversion of Candidates Who Are Preparing for Confirmation into the Full Communion of the Catholic Church.

The Diocesan RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) Office encourages and enables parishes to live and proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ by inviting, welcoming, and forming new members for initiation into the Catholic Church.  Our mission is to strengthen the church in our Diocese by assisting parishes in passing on our Catholic faith through the implementation of the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults.

When the Houma-Thibodaux Diocese was formed in 1977, the "interim" or provisional translation into English of the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults had already been approved by the Bishops of the United States and the Holy See.

Sr. Paula Richard, O. P., Director of Religious Education at the time of the founding of the Houma-Thibodaux Diocese, offered training workshops for RCIA catechists.  In 1988, the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults became mandatory in the dioceses of the United States.  Bishop Boudreaux appointed a task force to implement the Rite into the Diocese.  Members appointed were:  Msgr. William Koninkx, Vicar General; Dr. Marian Schwab, Director of Religious Education and Lay Ministry Training; Fr. Dale Charpentier, Director of the Office of Worship; Fr. Wilmer Todd, Director of Continuing Formation of Priests; and Mrs. Mary Folse as RCIA Coordinator.

The Office of RCIA was eventually placed under the Office of Worship with Joan Cole serving as a part-time Consultant for Worship and RCIA.  Subsequent Diocesan RCIA Directors have been:  Sr. Sally Bourgeois, MSC; Fr. Glenn LeCompte; Sr. Kathleen Stakelum, MSC; Lou and Joel Conner; and presently, Deacon Dennis and Carolyn Dupre.

The RCIA Office offers support and training the help "renew" parish RCIA coordinators and teams.

A significant responsibility of the Ofifce of RCIA is to plan, in collaboration with the Director of the Office of Worship, the annual Rite of Election of Catechumens (those who will be baptized and confirmed into the Catholic Church at the Easter Vigil); and The Rite of the Call to Continuing Conversion of Candidates Who Are Preparing for Confirmation into the Full Communion of the Catholic Church.