The Order of Christian Initiation of Adults

Becoming Catholic

OCIA — formerly known as RCIA — is the Church’s gentle, time-tested path for adults who wish to become Catholic. It is not a class to pass but a journey of conversion, walked alongside a community that is waiting to welcome you home.

What OCIA Is

The Order of Christian Initiation of Adults is the process by which adults are formed in the faith and brought into full communion with the Catholic Church. Restored by the Second Vatican Council, it unfolds in stages marked by liturgical rites, so that becoming Catholic is not a private study course but a public journey shared with the whole parish.

In 2024 the U.S. bishops adopted the name “OCIA,” a more faithful translation of the Latin Ordo, in place of the familiar “RCIA.” The process itself is unchanged. It serves two groups: the unbaptized, who will receive Baptism, Confirmation, and the Eucharist together; and those already validly baptized in another tradition, who are received into full communion and confirmed.

The Four Stages

The journey moves through four periods, each opening into the next through a sacred rite.

Inquiry

The Period of Evangelization & Precatechumenate

A no-pressure season of asking questions and getting to know the faith and the community. There is no commitment yet — only honest seeking. You attend informal sessions, meet the parish, and begin to hear the Gospel proclaimed.

Ends with the Rite of Acceptance into the Order of Catechumens, in which inquirers publicly express their intention to follow Christ.

Catechumenate

The Period of Formation

The longest stage — often running through much of a liturgical year. Catechumens are formed in Scripture, the Creed, the sacraments, prayer, and the moral life, and grow into the life and worship of the parish. The unbaptized are called catechumens; the already-baptized (from other Christian traditions) are called candidates.

Ends, for catechumens, with the Rite of Election on the First Sunday of Lent, when the bishop receives their names and declares them among the Elect.

III

Purification & Enlightenment

The Lenten Retreat

Coinciding with Lent, this is a time of intense prayer, reflection, and interior preparation rather than new instruction. The Elect take part in the Scrutinies and are entrusted with the Creed and the Lord's Prayer, purifying their hearts for the sacraments to come.

Culminates at the Easter Vigil, where the Elect receive Baptism, Confirmation, and the Eucharist — the Sacraments of Initiation.

Mystagogy

The Period After Initiation

Through the Easter season, the newly initiated — now called neophytes — reflect on the mysteries they have received and deepen their place in the community. Formation does not end here; it opens into a lifetime of discipleship.

Continues through Pentecost and beyond, as the neophytes take up the full life and mission of the Church.

What to Expect

Most programs meet weekly, often beginning in late summer or fall and leading to the Easter Vigil — though the journey takes as long as each person needs.
You will be welcomed wherever you are. People come with deep faith, none at all, or somewhere in between, and from every background.
You can ask anything. Doubts and hard questions are not obstacles to the process — they are part of it.
Already baptized in another Christian tradition? Your Baptism is recognized; your path is one of reception into full communion, not re-baptism.
Being in OCIA is not a binding promise to be received. You remain free to discern at your own pace, and no one will pressure you.

How to Find an OCIA Program

Nearly every Catholic parish runs an OCIA program or partners with a nearby one. The simplest first step is to contact a local parish directly and ask for the person who coordinates OCIA, or to call the parish office and say, “I’m interested in becoming Catholic.” You will be warmly pointed in the right direction.

Use the Parish Finder to locate a church near you, then reach out. Most programs welcome inquirers at any time of year — you don’t have to wait for a term to begin.

For Sponsors

To sponsor someone is one of the quiet, great works of mercy: to walk a soul toward the font and the altar.

A sponsor is a practicing Catholic who walks beside a candidate as a companion, witness, and friend — not a teacher or examiner.
Attend sessions and Mass together when you can, and simply be available for honest conversation and questions in between.
Pray for the one you accompany by name, every day. This is the heart of the role.
Share your own story freely, including its struggles. Authenticity reassures more than polish.
A sponsor must be a confirmed Catholic in good standing, at least sixteen, who has received the Eucharist; a godparent for the unbaptized carries this role into Baptism itself.

If You Are the One Coming Home

You are not behind. God has been drawing you to this moment your whole life, and His timing is perfect.

You don't need to understand everything before you begin. Faith grows by walking, not by waiting until the path is fully lit.

The questions that feel like obstacles are often the very doors grace is using. Bring them in, don't leave them outside.

However long the road feels, the Easter Vigil comes. Heaven rejoices over one sinner who turns toward home (Luke 15:7).

Ask in confidence

Questions about becoming Catholic?

Ask anything and receive the Church’s own words — quoted, cited, and linked to the source. Tap a question to begin, or write your own.

This tool shares the Church’s teaching — it is not a substitute for your priest, pastor, or spiritual director.

Recommended Resources

A few trusted books and sacramentals to go deeper. These are affiliate links — if you purchase through them, CatholicFides may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you, which helps sustain this work.

Take the first step

You don’t have to be ready. You only have to come. Reach out to a parish this week, and let the journey begin.

Find a Parish