Becoming Catholic
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How Can I Become a Catholic?
"They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire...and all of them were filled with the Holy Spirit..." (Acts 2:4)
I've never joined a church before, but I'd like to. I've heard about the Catholic Church and would like to know more. What do I need to do to become a Catholic?
The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) is specifically designed for persons who are not baptized. When an unbaptized person expresses a desire to become a member of the Catholic Church an intense, searching and formative journey begins. If you are considering becoming Catholic please call the pastor or the parish office for information on how to begin. Those phone numbers are on the homepage.
There are five stages which are part of the RCIA journey:
- Pre-catechumenate – This stage is meant primarily as a time to question and observe. It can be any length of time from several months to many years, depending on the readiness of the individual. This stage ends with the Rite of Acceptance.
- Catechumenate – This stage is probably most familiar to the congregation, because this is the time when the catechumens are dismissed during Mass after the reading of the gospel to have their own sessions, led by an adult parishioner, in which they learn about the Catholic faith and share their experiences of how God is working in their lives. It is also a time for questioning and for discernment. The Rite of Election completes this stage.
- Period of Purification and Enlightenment – This occurs during Lent (a 40-day period that begins with Ash Wednesday and ends on Holy Thursday—.just before Easter It is not a time for instruction, but a time for deepening prayer and reflection in preparation for the big moment that is described next.
- Celebration of the Sacraments of Initiation – At the Easter Vigil catechumens receive the three sacraments of initiation—Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist.
- Mystagogia – As a “follow-up” to their Easter Vigil experience, Mystagogia helps the new Christians reflect on and share this experience, and also realize that being a Catholic Christian is a lifelong journey that never really ends.
For additional information, please contact:
Bridget Goertzen, Director of Religious Education
Phone: 907-586-1317 ♦ Email: [email protected].
I'm already a baptized Christian. What do I need to do to become a Catholic?
When a person asks about joining the Catholic Church we first try to find out about their past experiences of being formed in their faith. Some have had rich experiences in formal classes or have even attended a faith-based school, while others have had very little training in what it means to be Christian. Based on what their faith experiences have been, a decision is made together with the person about what would be best for him/her. The Liturgical Committee of the Bishops Conference has stated that “discernment should be made regarding the length of catechetical formation required for each individual candidate for reception into the full communion of the Catholic Church.”
In some cases—if someone has been both baptized and confirmed in another church and has a strong and informed foundation in their Christian faith—that person can be received into the Church by a simple Act of Profession of Faith. A period of preparation and contemplation precedes the day on which it will happen—with the actual time period needed to do so being dependant on the individual's current knowledge and/or any further growth in understanding of Catholic beliefs and practices that may be needed.
For a person who needs or wants more formation in their growth in faith, sessions are held at announced times during the year on various topics of doctrine and spirituality. It is recommended that reception into the Church for baptized persons, which usually includes Confirmation, be done at a time other than the Easter Vigil.
We rejoice with each person who wants to continue his/her faith journey by membership in our Catholic community, and we welcome them into our midst.For more information, please call the Parish Office.at 907-586-1513.