How to Become Catholic!

While many Catholics come into the Catholic Church as infants, following the tradition of the ancient Church, today, many people also choose to become Catholics as children or adults. For more information, please contact Deacon John Shearer.

Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA)

RCIA is an initiation process for persons not baptized, baptized in another denomination or baptized Catholic without completing the other sacraments of initiation, who are interested in entering into full communion with the Catholic community. RCIA begins in October and culminates with Baptism/Confirmation/Eucharist at the Easter Vigil. Weekly meetings resume after Easter. Persons who were baptized in another denomination, who have been fully catechized and are active members of that denomination, may not need a full catechetical process, and may, with the agreement of the pastor, undertake a briefer preparation process appropriate to their needs, and be received into the Catholic Church some time other than the Easter Vigil.

Rite of Christian Initiation of Children (RCIC)

​RCIC is a faith formation and initiation process for children, age seven or older, who are unbaptized, or who have been baptized in some other denomination and wish to become Catholic. It is similar to the RCIA, modified to meet the needs of children. They take part in catechetical formation, either as students at Nativity School, or in the weekly religious education classes. They attend additional formation classes for the RCIC group. They participate in the liturgical rites of initiation during the year along with the adults in the RCIA, with adaptations for the needs and developmental stages of the children. As with the adults in the RCIA, the process culminates in the children's baptism, confirmation and reception of First Eucharist at the Easter Vigil.