How do I become Catholic?

Adults entering the Catholic Church follow a process known as RCIA — the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults.

The RCIA process has four stages:

• Inquiry - The initial period of questions and sharing about the Catholic faith. While there is an interest in finding out about the Catholic faith, there is no commitment to becoming a Catholic in the Inquiry sessions.
• Catechumenate - For those who want to become a member of the Church, this stage is a time of learning about the Catholic faith and life, focusing on a conversion of the heart.
• Purification and Enlightenment - Celebrated during the six weeks of Lent, it is a time of meditation and joining in the universal Church as we prepare for Easter and celebration of the Sacraments of Initiation: Baptism, Confirmation & Eucharist.
• Mystagogy - After reception into the Church at Easter, this is a period of reflecting on how we live the faith we have been called to proclaim, it is a time of deeper study of scripture  and living the Good News of the Gospel message.

 
For further information on becoming Catholic, and the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, contact the Director of Faith Formation, Joan Rose Brown at 919-861-4614 or joan.rose@raldioc.org.