Students to be Initiated into Catholic Church

Each year, Campus Ministries, with permission from the Bishop of the Scranton Diocese, prepares students who wish to be fully initiated into the Catholic Church. This includes students who are not baptized (catechumens), students who are baptized but have not been confirmed nor have celebrated their first Eucharist (Full Communion Candidates), and Catholic students who have not celebrated the sacrament of Confirmation (Confirmation Candidates).

The RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults) process starts for each individual whenever they are ready to come forward and culminates with the celebration of the initiation sacraments when "readiness" is discerned (usually during the Easter season). Because University life flows with an academic calendar, most people begin the process at the beginning of the Fall semester and celebrate the sacraments toward the end of the Spring semester. Candidates meet weekly with the RCIA student team, their sponsors and the campus minister coordinator of RCIA.

This year, four students are currently in the final stages of preparation and are anticipating the celebration of the sacraments on April 8 at the 4:30 PM Mass in Madonna della Strada Chapel. This year's candidates are:

Cassandra J. Card - Confirmation candidate
Brigid S. McMullen - sponsor

Katherine M. Allen - Confirmation candidate
Victoria M. Gazzillo - sponsor

Quinn A. Williams - Full Communion Candidate
Christopher P. Gallant - sponsor

Rembrandt S. Tumanday - Confirmation candidate
Julia M. DalCeredo - sponsor

Members of the RCIA team are Luis Melgar, Uzoma Agbasionye, Nina Fiorio, Kyle Hill and Molly Elkins.

Fred Mercadante, Campus Minister for Retreats and Sacramental Formation coordinates the process and directs the team. Fr. Rick Malloy, S.J. will administer the sacraments on April 8.