I am not baptized. How can I find out more abot being baptized? If you ar interested in learning more about the Catholic Church in your area, we invite you to contact anyone on staff at /staff. We will invite you to meet with our RCIA Director who will discuss our RCIA program and the process to become Baptized in the Catholic Church.

Is there a period of preparation? - If you desire to continue and you are not yet baptized, you will be invited to consider a commitment to your local parish in a period of formation and instruction called the catechumenate. During the catechumenate, you will participate in the Liturgy of the Word at Mass each Sunday, learn faith sharing with the Bible, practice works of mercy and love for others and over a period of time come to discover the full meaning of Catholic life and belief.

How do I begin the initiation process? - After you have spent time in the catechumenate, you and your Catholic leaders will determine your readiness for initiation. If you are ready, the next step will be an invitation to celebrate the Rite of Election for the sacraments of Initiation. In this liturgy, the Archbishop calls you to prepare for the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and First Communion. During the season of Lent, the parish community will journey with you in prayer for your initiation.

When would I be baptized? - Baptism is one of the three sacraments of initiation. Every year, the night before Easter, the cluster solemnly celebrates the three sacraments, Baptism, Confirmation and First Communion at the Vigil Mass of Easter. Holy Communion will be the final act of initiation and can be repeated every day.

What happens after baptism? - Following your intitiation after Easter, we will invite you to continue participating in Mass on Sunday, to receive holy Communion regularly, to do faith sharing with the Bible, to do works of charity and mercy, and to be open for concentrated instruction on your experience with the sacraments. You will be among your new Catholic frineds in these works. You will continue to learn about the sacramental life of Catholics by experience.

What if I am baptized in another Christan tradition? - If you come to Church as a baptized person from other Christian faith traditions (for example, Lutheran, Presbyterian, etc.) you might not need to do the total process described above. A conversation with Catholic Church leaders in your area will help to determine what the process will be for you.

Thank you for considering the Catholic Church! We welcome you to join us on Saturday or Sunday. Come and see who we are!