Whether you stopped attending Church after your First Communion, or you were raised in a different denomination, or even if you’ve never stepped foot inside a place of worship—the Church is here to help you on the next steps of your faith journey. No matter who you are and how you’ve found your way here, you are welcome!
Pope Francis
If you want to learn more about the Catholic faith, simply locate a parish church in your area and contact the parish to set up a meeting with the pastor, who will be happy to answer your questions. You can also attend a Mass at your local parish or at any Catholic church. If you’ve never attended a Catholic Mass or aren’t familiar with the order of service, consult the Missal book in the back of the pews. Many churches also offer pew cards to guide you through the Mass—you can download one here.
After a period of spiritual discernment, you can sign up for the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA) program. RCIA classes usually begin in the autumn and culminate with your full initiation into the Church at the annual Easter Vigil Mass. During the RCIA program, you will be introduced to Catholic beliefs, traditions and liturgical practices.
A Few Words About the Mass
The Mass, or Eucharist, is the central act of divine worship in the Catholic Church, which describes it as “the source and summit of the Christian life.” We believe that when Jesus said at the Last Supper, “Take this and eat—this is my body; take this and drink—this is my blood,” he was offering humanity the gift of his real presence in the form of bread and wine. Catholics believe that Jesus Christ is truly present in the Eucharist—the host consecrated by the priest—that is offered to believers at every Mass. Only Catholics who have been fully initiated into the Church may receive Communion, but you are welcome to join the Communion line to receive a blessing. To request a blessing, simply fold your arms in the shape of an “X” across your chest as you approach the Priest or Eucharistic Minister.
The RCIA Journey, Step by Step
Prior to beginning the RCIA process, an individual comes to some knowledge of Jesus Christ, considers his or her relationship with Jesus Christ and is usually attracted in some way to the Catholic Church. This period is known as the Period of Evangelization and Precatechumenate. For some, this process involves a long period of searching; for others, a shorter time. Often, contact with people of faith and a personal faith experience lead people to inquire about the Catholic Church. After a conversation with a priest, or RCIA director, the person, known as an “inquirer,” may seek acceptance into the Order of Catechumens, through the Rite of Acceptance. During this Rite, the inquirer stands amidst the parish community and states that he or she wants to become a baptized member of the Catholic Church. The parish assembly affirms this desire and the inquirer becomes a Catechumen.
The Period of the Catechumenate can last for as long as several years or for a shorter time. It depends on how the person is growing in faith, what questions they encounter along the way, and how God leads them on this journey. During this time, the Catechumens consider what God is saying to them in the Scriptures, what changes in their life they need to make to respond to God’s inspiration, and what Baptism in the Catholic Church means. When a Catechumen and the priest and the parish team working with him or her believes the person is ready to make a faith commitment to Jesus in the Catholic Church, the next step is the request for baptism and the celebration of the Rite of Election. Even before the Catechumens are baptized, they have a special relationship to the Church.
The Rite of Election includes the enrollment of names of all the Catechumens seeking baptism at the coming Easter Vigil. Typically, on the first Sunday of Lent, the Catechumens, their sponsors and families gather at the cathedral church. The Catechumens publicly express their desire for baptism to the diocesan bishop. Their names are recorded in a book and they are called the Elect.
The days of Lent are the final Period of Purification and Enlightenment leading up to the Easter Vigil. Lent is a period of preparation marked by prayer, study, and spiritual direction for the Elect, and prayers for them by the parish communities. The Celebration of the Sacraments of Initiation takes place during the Easter Vigil Liturgy on Holy Saturday when the Elect receives the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and Holy Eucharist. Now the person is fully initiated into the Catholic Church.
As a newly initiated Catholic, they continue their formation and education continue in the Period of the Post Baptismal Catechesis, which is also called Mystagogy. This period continues at least until Pentecost. During the period the newly baptized members reflect on their experiences at the Easter Vigil and continue to learn more about the Scriptures, the Sacraments, and the teachings of the Catholic Church. In addition they reflect on how they will serve Christ and help in the Church’s mission and outreach activities.
