How Do I Become Catholic? What Happens in RCIA?

You Are Not the First

Every year, many thousands of adults around the world become Catholic. Some have never been baptised. Some grew up in another Christian church. Some were baptised Catholic as babies but never went further. They come for all sorts of reasons: a Catholic spouse, a friend’s example, a book, a funeral, a long search for truth, or a quiet sense that God is calling.

If you are one of them, the first thing to know is this: you do not need to have everything worked out. You do not need to believe every teaching perfectly before you start asking. The Church has a well-worn path for people exactly where you are.

The First Step: Talk to a Parish

The simplest first step is to contact your local Catholic parish. Ring the parish office or speak to the priest after Mass, and say something like: “I’m interested in becoming Catholic. What do I do?”

You will usually be put in touch with the parish team that runs the RCIA, the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults. (In some countries it is now called OCIA, the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults. It is the same thing.) If your parish does not run its own programme, it will connect you with a nearby parish that does.

You can also simply start going to Mass. You are welcome at every Mass, even before you are Catholic. You will not be able to receive Communion yet, but you can come forward with your arms crossed over your chest to receive a blessing, or remain in your seat.

What Is RCIA?

RCIA is the Church’s process for welcoming adults into the faith. It is not a course you pass or fail. It is a journey of formation in four broad stages, marked by liturgical rites along the way.

1. Enquiry

This is an open, no-commitment stage. You meet with the RCIA team, ask questions, and begin to learn what the Church believes. There is no pressure. Some people stay in this stage for weeks, others for months.

2. The Catechumenate

When you decide you want to continue, you are welcomed at Mass in the Rite of Acceptance (for the unbaptised) or the Rite of Welcome (for those already baptised). From then on, if you are unbaptised, you are a catechumen, officially part of the Church’s family, though not yet baptised.

This is the longest stage. You meet regularly, often weekly, to learn the faith: the Creed, the sacraments, prayer, the moral life and the Scriptures. Many groups attend Sunday Mass together and then gather to reflect on the readings.

3. Purification and Enlightenment

This stage usually coincides with Lent. It begins on the first Sunday of Lent with the Rite of Election, often celebrated by the bishop at the cathedral, where those preparing for Baptism are formally chosen for the sacraments at Easter.

Lent becomes a time of prayer and preparation. On several Sundays, the parish prays special prayers called the scrutinies over those preparing for Baptism.

4. The Sacraments and Beyond

At the Easter Vigil, on the night of Holy Saturday, you receive the sacraments of initiation:

Baptism, if you are not already baptised;
Confirmation, anointing with the oil of chrism;
First Holy Communion.

The Easter Vigil is the most beautiful liturgy of the year, beginning in darkness with the lighting of the Easter fire and the Paschal candle. Being received into the Church on that night is something people remember for the rest of their lives.

After Easter comes a final stage, mystagogy, in which new Catholics reflect on the sacraments they have received and settle into parish life.

How Long Does It Take?

There is no fixed length. Many parishes follow a cycle that begins in the second half of the year and ends at Easter, roughly eight or nine months. But the Church says the timing should depend on each person’s readiness, not a calendar. Someone unbaptised might take a year or more; someone already well formed in another Christian tradition might take less.

What If I’m Already Baptised?

If you have been validly baptised in another Christian church, you will not be baptised again. Baptism can only be received once. You will instead make a profession of faith and be received into full communion with the Catholic Church, then confirmed and receive Communion. This is explained in I’m Already a Baptised Christian — What Changes When I Become Catholic?

What If My Marriage Situation Is Complicated?

This is one of the most common worries. If you or your spouse have been married before, the Church may need to look at the earlier marriage before you can receive the sacraments. This can take some time. Do not let it stop you from starting. Raise it honestly with the priest early on, so that any process can begin while you are learning about the faith. (See Can a Catholic Get Divorced?)

Choosing a Saint’s Name

At Confirmation, many people choose the name of a saint as their Confirmation name. It is a way of taking a patron who will pray for you and whose example you want to follow. It is a custom, not a requirement, and it does not change your legal name.

What If I Have Doubts?

Almost everyone does. RCIA is precisely the place to bring them. A good RCIA team will welcome hard questions and help you find honest answers. Becoming Catholic is not about having no questions. It is about trusting that Christ is found in His Church, and wanting to follow Him there.

Take the Step

If you have been thinking about this for a while, the best advice is simple: ring the parish this week. The Church has been waiting for you longer than you have been thinking about her.