Think you might want to follow Christ as a Roman Catholic?
We’re delighted to welcome you into the Church’s process, called the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults and abbreviated RCIA, and accompany you along the way. If you’ve never been baptized there are four stages of growth in Christian living: falling in love with Jesus and His Church, learning how to follow him, entering into a final phase of spiritual preparation to meet Jesus in the sacraments, and then spending the next months encountering Jesus in the Mass, listening to his call upon your life, and finding your footing as a Christian.
If you are already baptized, the steps are adapted to your existing faith journey. But don’t worry, we are here to accompany you along the way, together encountering Christ and experiencing the joys of Christian living.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
“We are each of us like a small mirror in which God searches for His reflection.”
~ St. John Vianney
RCIA is an acronym that stands for the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults. The acronym is used to designate the process prescribed by the Church, in the ritual text of the same name, through which adults who have never been baptized are prepared for baptism, confirmation and eucharist. That same ritual book provides adapted processes for children over the age of seven who have never been baptized, and for Christians who were baptized in another Christian denomination who which to follow Jesus in the Roman Catholic Church, as well as approaches for some of the many situations people find themselves in.
The process is designed for adults (which the Church says for purposes of preparing for initiation is any person over the age of seven) who has never been baptized. As noted above, it also has processes for adults who were baptized in other Christian denominations who wish to come into full communion with the Catholic Church, adults who were baptized Catholic and need to complete their sacramental initiation and adults in special circumstances. Each parish determines how it handles these circumstances within the parameters established by the ritual text.
The process is intended to be individualized as much as possible, so that one size does not fit all. That said, the Church in the United States says that an unbaptized adult should be accompanied for at least one full year before they are initiated so that they have a chance to encounter Jesus’ entire story: birth, life, passion, death, resurrection, ascension and coming of the Spirit. Others need varying lengths of preparation, and the Church intends the process to be adapted according to the needs of each person.
Simply said, participants agree to begin a lifelong journey with Jesus Christ, lived within a particular parish. That journey has intellectual, spiritual and practical parts to it. Participants are expected to learn with others and individually, to participate in parish activities that build the Kingdom Jesus came to establish, and to engage in and experiment with various spiritual practices. All of these activities are intended to help participants build a lifelong relationship with Christ and to establish relationships with fellow Catholic Christians. Why? So that the participant becomes a disciple intentionally following Jesus, with some tools to continue the journey.
Each participant is expected to attend Mass weekly at St. Agnes Catholic Church and to engage in scheduled events that total somewhere around another 2 hours per week. Additionally, participants will eventually desire to spend more time in prayer, reading the Scriptures, engaging in works of charity and justice and spending time in the company of other Christians. The time devoted to those activities will vary by individual but should be figured into the time commitment. The distance you live from the parish should also be figured into the time commitment.
Yes! If you determine after some time in our company that the Catholic way of following Jesus is not for you, you may just let us know. You will have companions journeying with you, plenty of time to talk 1-1 with them, to pray and to carefully consider this life-changing commitment.
Curious but Undecided
What if I can’t decide? Maybe this will help…
A video entitled “Why I follow Jesus”
Maybe this resonates with you.
Looking for an intellectual argument for Catholic Christianity? Try this:
“5 Reasons to be Catholic” with Brandon Vogt.
Perhaps this touches your soul:
“How Great Thou Art” performed by a capella group Home Free
Another song to reach your soul:
“The Lord’s Prayer” performed by Jackie Evancho