Rebecca Bretherton, from the Diocesan Commission for Evangelisation, said:
“We want to hear your experiences of what helped you to encounter Jesus Christ in His Church. This national survey will gather information and support forward planning by the Church both nationally and here in East Anglia. Please follow the link below to take part.”
Over the past year there has been increasing discussion of what some commentators have described as a “quiet revival” – an encouraging rise in the number of people entering the Catholic Church through RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults), also known as OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults), across England and Wales.
The survey aims to understand this development more clearly. Researchers hope to learn more about those coming into the Church: their backgrounds, what drew them to the Catholic faith, which resources helped them most in their journey, and what challenges they experienced along the way. The findings will help the Church to reflect on how it can better accompany people exploring the faith in the years ahead.
The study is the first comprehensive research project of its kind examining RCIA/OCIA catechumens across England and Wales. It is being led by the World Religions and Education Research Unit at Bishop Lincoln University, in collaboration with St Mary’s Catholic University, Twickenham, and York St John University, working alongside the UK Community of the Word on Fire Institute.
The research team includes Professor Francis Davis (St Mary’s Catholic University, Twickenham and Bishop Lincoln University), Professor Leslie J. Francis (Bishop Lincoln University), and Professor Andrew Village (York St John University).
The survey takes around 10–15 minutes to complete and is completely anonymous. Those preparing to be baptised or confirmed this Easter are warmly encouraged to share their experience.
