Announcing: Hollywood RCIA

We are in the process of organizing our annual RCIA (that's Rite of Christian Initiation, but the bulk of our attendees are already Christians and are on their way to becoming Catholics) program for entertainment industry people, and we need help to make the program known to anyone you might know in the business whom God might be calling into the Catholic Church.

We start October 6th at Family Theater and will continue meeting on Saturday mornings until Pentecost. The program is specially geared to people in the business. We are trying to fill a gap that exists in current parish programs, by creating a program that constantly references the discipleship demands of being an artist and professional in Hollywood. (If candidates decide to become Catholic at the conclusion of the program, we work with their local parish to have them formally enter the Church.) The program, styled as more seminar/discussion than lecture, utilizes the Catechism of the Catholic Church and ecclesial documents, but also literary works like Brideshead Revisited, The Power and the Glory, and Silence (Shushaka Endo). We already have five candidates for the Fall, but would like three or four more so we have a good discussion group.

Who is right for the program? Basically, the first part of the program (from October to February) would be enriching for anyone with some spiritual curiosity and desire to deepen their understanding of theology. We find that many folks from non-Catholic Christian backgrounds, while knowing parts of Scripture very well, have not really studied any theology, so this first part of the program fills a void for them. From February to Pentecost, we focus more explicitly on the sacraments, liturgy and specifics of the Catholic theology and culture.

So, the ideal person to invite would be anyone who is seeking a spiritual home and a deeper understanding of Christianity and the Church. Others would be people in the business who are in the process of marrying - or, well, falling in love - with a Catholic. Also, we always have Catholic observers in the class who benefit from attending the classes as a refresher (or introduction...sigh...) for their faith.

Here's what we need from you:

1) Pray about your circle of contacts, gulp deeply, and then mention the program to whomever has been kind of asking you questions about God for the last few years. Give them my email: brnicolosi@aol.com and we'll take it from there.

2) Forward this on to other Catholics in the business.

3) We need some financial help for the program. Those of you who have attended the program in the past know that we take the class on retreat every year at Serra in Malibu. We provide them Bibles, catechisms, some other texts and prayerbooks. The program requires quite a bit of coordination, and we would like to offer some one of our helpers a small stipend for their service. We need about three thousand dollars basically. If you would like to help with the expenses, send a donation to Family Theater, with "For Hollywood RCIA" in the memo line:

Family Theater Productions
Attn: Hollywood RCIA Program
7201 Sunset Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90046

4) Our wonderfully generous Clayton Emmer, who has been coordinating the program for several years, is having to step down this year. If any of you would like to help us out - fulfilling many spiritual works of mercy! - please do send me a message.

5) Please take a moment right now to pray for everyone receiving this message, and for those who will be part of our RCIA program this year.

Thanks so much. God bless you, and all your works for the Kingdom.