St Paul the Apostle Catholic Church
Lyford Cay, The Bahamas
Catholic Life
Becoming a Catholic
Each year on Holy Saturday during the Easter Vigil, thousands of men and women are received into the Catholic Church. Parishes throughout the world welcome these new members through the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) and at a liturgy bringing men and women into full communion with the Catholic Church.
Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults - RCIA
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Coming into full communion with the Catholic Church describes the process for entrance into the Catholic Church for men and women who are baptized Christians but not Roman Catholics. These individuals make a profession of faith but are not baptized again. To prepare for this reception, the people, who are called "candidates," usually participate in a formation program to help them understand and experience the teachings and practices of the Catholic Church. Some preparation may be with catechumens preparing for baptism, but the preparation for candidates is different since they have already been baptized and committed to Jesus Christ, and many have also been active members of other Christian communities.