Sponsors pray over candidates and catechumens during a Rite of Election ceremony at the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Detroit.Detroit — Age often begets wisdom, especially when it’s grounded in God. So it was only natural for Darlene and Ed Rinke, who have been Catholic for decades, to want to help others who are entering the Church to find the fullness of faith that they did.
When Darlene Rinke joined the Catholic Church 50 years ago, “I didn’t have RCIA.”
But today, as parishioners of Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish in Plymouth, Rinke and her husband, Ed Rinke, have become actively involved in the parish’s RCIA program.
“In 2004 we retired, and we asked Bob Smentowski, (who directs the parish’s RCIA program with his wife Marian) if there was anything we could do,” said Ed Rinke.
And since Darlene had not received the type of spiritual formation now typically available to those becoming Catholic, “I wanted to get involved to learn more about my faith.”
This year, the Rinkes are helping to instruct more than 50 people in Our Lady of Good Counsel’s RCIA program.
Ed Rinke said their group involves both catechumens — who are not baptized — as well as candidates and Catholic candidates, who are baptized but may not have been raised in the Church or received first Eucharist or confirmation.
From guiding the RCIA participants in learning about the seven sacraments, to understanding who Jesus is, to helping them develop a relationship with Jesus, the Rinkes say they have grown to appreciate Catholicism more.
“Just hearing everyone’s stories,” said Darlene Rinke. “When you see how they’re struggling and desiring this, and when you see them meet Jesus, it makes your faith grow stronger. We take a lot for granted.”
Her husband agreed: “Their stories of how they came into wanting to know more about the Catholic faith has always been a pleasant surprise.”
The Rinkes have served in the RCIA program for the past 10 years at their parish, and said their program format has remained largely the same, though now the parish priests give talks that the RCIA team used to present.
Darlene Rinke said that through RCIA, “we’ve acquired many families,” as they have grown close with countless RCIA catechumens and candidates over the months of instruction.
“Three years ago we sponsored a woman, and the following year her son who was 26 decided to become Catholic,” she said. “He had never been baptized, so I became his godmother. They’re now a part of our family.”
Ed Rinke said what keeps him involved is that “you fall in love with their stories, their faith, their challenges.”
“It piques our interest in the Catholic faith because sometimes there are questions posed to us that we may not have the answers to,” he said. “It causes us to become more knowledgeable. It really is a faith-stimulating activity.”
This Easter Vigil, the Rinkes are sponsoring a husband and wife coming into the Church, whose three children are also becoming Catholic at the same time.
“We have to show (the participants) what we do to serve the Church, and try to get them involved after becoming Catholic,” said Darlene Rinke.
For Sheila Fidler, a senior who assists with the RCIA program at Our Lady on the River Parish in Marine City, hearing the many stories of how people decided to become Catholic is “just beautiful.”
“So many came in different ways,” said Fidler, who first became involved when her daughter Bridget, Bridget’s husband, Bill, and their son, Max, came into the Church three years ago.
“I wish I’d have done this many years ago and am sad that I missed so much,” said Fidler. “I think it’s very powerful.”
Though technically a cradle Catholic, her father was not Catholic, and her mother sent Fidler and her siblings to church, “but didn’t go with us. We never had a Bible,” she said.
She expressed her gratitude for her newfound love of the Bible: “At age 75 to be so excited about this!”
Patti and Phil Michaelson, also senior parshioners who help with Our Lady of Good Counsel’s RCIA, said they were approached last year about volunteering.
“They gave us a little bit of time to think about it,” said Patti Michaelson, explaining that volunteering with RCIA is a significant time commitment, but worth it.
Phil Michaelson said the candidate he teamed with is “very excited to be able to receive the Eucharist and knows everything there is to know about the Catholic faith. If anything, I learn from him.”
He explained that he was raised Lutheran, and joined the Catholic Church in 2011 after the couple spent some time attending an Orthodox church.
Patti Michaelson, a self-described “revert” to the Catholic faith, said her candidate is just as excited to come into the Church as she was.
“I feel so blessed to be home,” said Patti Michaelson. “The Catholic Church is such a treasure; when you have come back, you really realize what you were missing.”
Phil Michaelson said that because of the Year of Prayer for a New Pentecost recently begun in the Archdiocese of Detroit, Catholics today have even more of a reason to grow deeper in their faith. He encouraged not only non-Catholics and fallen-away Catholics to study the faith, but also practicing Catholics who would like to know more.
“You can’t talk to other people about your faith if you don’t know what you’re talking about,” said Phil Michaelson, referencing 1 Peter 3:15, “Always be prepared to make a defense to anyone who calls you to account for the hope that is in you, yet do it with gentleness and reverence.”
The Michaelsons said they feel Pope Francis has “stirred a lot of hearts and there are incredible things going on.”
“This is just the beginning of an incredible walk with our Lord through his holy Church, his sacred scripture, his Blessed Mother, and the communion of saints,” said Patti Michaelson. “Praise God!”
