HomeFaithMagazine Spring18.31

Rebirth
Home Faith Magazine - www.SJECIowa.org 6
When the time is right, the RCIA opportunity
presents itself. RCIA participants have full lives
and beginning the program can take both
prayer and compromise to allow
the necessary time.
Kennedy’s RCIA participation centered around her family.
“I knew I had small children so the process was delayed
because I needed the time to be able to put towards this. It’s
a commitment—every Sunday night. Those are big for our
family. Sunday nights are our time for togetherness.”
Last year, Kennedy took two significant steps toward her
goal of beginning RCIA. The first step was sending an e-mail
to learn more about RCIA, saying, “What do I need to do? This
is the right time for me.”
“I decided to
help out this
year because
I got so much
out of it, even
as just a
candidate.”
Sara Holcomb - Sponsor
“I wanted unity
with my family.”
Sheila Kennedy -
Candidate
The second step came in December, when she and her husband
had their marriage validated on their 15-year wedding
anniversary.
“Our son held the rings and our daughter was the flower girl,
she was all excited about that.”
Sara Holcomb is Kennedy’s RCIA sponsor. Like Kennedy,
Holcomb says her time had to be right to initiate her RCIA
conversion. The first time she considered RCIA was eight
years ago when one of her long-time friend’s husband died.
Still in mourning, the friend was having a hard time going to
mass alone.
“I started going to mass with her at St. Theresa [Catholic
Church]. I just loved the intentional aspect of mass and the
recognition of what’s really, truly taking place. Whereas the
church I was going to, you literally come running in at the
last minute, throw your coffee down in your cup holder, and
you’re very distracted and not focused.”
Holcomb grew up in a non-denominational church and while
attending the University of Iowa, she was involved with the
Newman Catholic Student Center because she felt it was
more in touch with younger people than the churches surrounding
campus. But Holcomb didn’t make the choice to go
through RCIA until last year.
Since becoming Catholic, Holcomb says she has experienced
a warmer welcome when visiting other churches than she did
before her conversion. And while her RCIA class is complete,
she says the RCIA group still gets together for barbecues and
activities. That’s partially what motivates her to continue
helping new candidates on their journeys.
“I decided to help out this year because I got so much out of
it, even as just a candidate.”
Jon Ingraham is Ben Koenig’s sponsor and completed
RCIA two years ago. As Ingraham explains, “For whatever
reason I’ve been a lifelong member of Sacred
Heart Church, but I never got confirmed.” Ingraham
goes on to observe that his background is not all that unique,
as many people who have grown up in the Catholic Church
have made the decision to be confirmed later in life.
“When I went though [RCIA], my wife was my sponsor.”
Ingraham points out that at that time, sponsors didn’t attend
classes along with the candidates as he does now with
Koenig.
“So to go through the process as a friend-in-faith and a friend