Becoming a Catholic

Are you interested in becoming a Catholic, or finding out more about Catholicism? Corpus Christi Church warmly welcomes invites you to our RCIA programme.

In the not-too-distant past, adults who wanted to become Roman Catholics attended a few months of 'convert instruction' and were quietly baptised in a private ceremony by the Parish Priest. It was a totally private process that involved only a priest and the inquirer.

One of the great gifts of the Second Vatican Council in the 1960s was a renewed process of forming and initiating adults called the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA).

The RCIA restores to the modern world the process used by the ancient Church in initiating members. Early Christians realised that initiation is a process that proceeds through certain stages and involves the entire faith community. Here, at Corpus Christi, inquirers meet weekly for eight to nine months with a team of people from our parish. It is a journey of faith for all, team and inquirers, when we accompany one another as we learn about the Catholic faith and share our own experience of living out the message of Christ in our daily lives.

RCIA is open to anyone, Christian or non-Christian, who genuinely seeks to explore the possibility of joining the Catholic Christian faith community. Practising and non-practicing Catholics (R.C. = Resting Catholics!) are also welcome to come along.

Naturally, RCIA includes a substantial amount of instruction in the teachings of the Church. But first and foremost, RCIA is a process of conversion; it is about changing one's heart and transforming the spirit. Along the way, inquirers participate in a number of ceremonies in which the Catholic community gradually affirms them for full membership. These ceremonies include the Rite of Acceptance/Welcoming, the Rite of Election and the three Scrutinies. Inititation reaches its climax at the Easter Vigil with entry into full membership of the Catholic Church through the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist. We continue this journey together with the new Catholics until Pentecost.

If you are interested in inquiring into the Catholic Church, please contact the Parish Priest, Monsignor Gabriel Leyden or Jean Davies, the coordinator of the programme, tel: 629572. Further information about the Catholic Church is available on the life4seekers website