Faith Life
Faith Life
“I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.”
C.S. Lewis
We have the privilege at St. Ignatius to welcome many guests who may be thinking about becoming Catholic, and the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) is the ordinary way the Church reaches out to adults who inquire into the Catholic faith. Since the beginning of the Church itself, adults have been welcomed to it through Baptism after a period of instruction, prayer, and reflection. We at St. Ignatius are continuing this tradition.
If you feel drawn to the Catholic faith, we invite you to join us! Participants inquire into the Catholic faith, come to know Jesus through the Gospels, pray and prepare for the Easter Sacraments. This process is also open to Catholic adults who have not received the Sacraments of First Communion or Confirmation.
The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults includes formation, prayer and liturgical rites and is a vital part of the parish and the universal Church. There are several stages in the process and each phase recognizes that every Christian life is, in fact, a journey. Although the conversion journey begins formally when the RCIA inquirers and parish team first begin meeting, the real conversion journey begins earlier from the heart. God calls us by name. The appeal of Christ’s fundamental message is ongoing and is experienced by a diverse group.
To explore this path further, please email [email protected] or call the Parish House at 212-288-3588.
Sarah TintleAttending RCIA at St Ignatius Loyola allowed me to delve more deeply into the teachings of the Catholic Church, increased my exposure to the variety of ministries and programs that St Ignatius offers, and expanded my community. These experiences deepened my faith and opened doors for me to actively engage in meaningful relationships through committees such as Family Ministry and the Ignatian Social Justice network.
Jean Santopatre, Pastoral Associate and award-winning photojournalist, shares her Reflections feature each month, selecting an image or short video from her extensive personal photo archive and gathering reading excerpts from theologians, spiritual authors, monks, priests, poets, songwriters, and Pope Francis that speak to themes ranging from gratitude, grace, resilience, encouragement, hope, care of creation, and social justice.
View Past Reflections
Women’s Voices: Lenten Reflection Series 2023
Women’s Voices: Advent Reflection Series 2022
Women’s Voices: Lenten Reflection Series 2022
Women’s Voices: Advent Reflection Series 2021
"A Short Word" Podcast
A regular podcast exploring our individual spirituality and faith lives in turbulent times, hosted by Pastoral Associate Brian Pinter
Pope Leo and Leadership
Pope Leo XIV, the first American to serve in this ministry, is role modeling a kind of leadership and masculinity that is desperately needed.
Reflections on Purgatory
Purgatory is not a place of punishment, but a stage of loving; a time and space where we do the work of forgiving, reconciling, letting go.
Tending Our Mental Health as Spiritual Practice
Much like our physical health, our mental health needs care and tending. We explore a few avenues of mental health self-care and how this work promotes spiritual vitality.
FORMED: The Catholic Faith, on demand
FORMED is often called “The Catholic Netflix” because it offers high-quality, Catholic-friendly content—on demand— from more than 60 organizations to help parishes, families and individuals explore their faith anywhere. Register for FORMED and gain free access to thousands of movies, children’s programs, e-books, audio, parish programs and studies direct to your browser, mobile or connected device.