Maybe an article, a friend, or the Mass itself has convinced you. Now you're asking the question the crowd asked St. Peter on Pentecost: "What are we to do?" This is your answer.
Short answer: Call your local Catholic parish and ask about OCIA, the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults. It's free, and the parish will walk you through every step. Until you are received into the Church, come to Mass and pray with us, but don't receive Communion or go to confession yet. Those sacraments are the goal of the journey, and you'll receive them when you enter the Church.
Key verses on entering the Church
- "What are we to do, my brothers?" (Acts 2:37)
- "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins" (Acts 2:38)
- "Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand persons were added that day." (Acts 2:41)
- "They devoted themselves to the teaching of the apostles and to the communal life, to the breaking of the bread and to the prayers." (Acts 2:42)
- "upon this rock I will build my church" (Matthew 16:18)
Scripture quotations are from the New American Bible, Revised Edition (NABRE), © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington, D.C. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Why Become Catholic?
Christ did not leave us a book and a set of opinions. He founded one Church on St. Peter and the apostles (Matthew 16:18) and sent her to "make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit" (Matthew 28:19). That Church is the Catholic Church. "It is through Christ's Catholic Church alone, which is the universal help toward salvation, that the fullness of the means of salvation can be obtained" (CCC 816).
The first Christians showed what entering that Church looks like. On Pentecost, those who believed were baptized and "added" to the Church, and then they "devoted themselves to the teaching of the apostles and to the communal life, to the breaking of the bread and to the prayers" (Acts 2:41–42). Apostolic teaching, communion, the Eucharist, and prayer: that is still the life of the Catholic Church. (See Who Founded Your Church?)
Your Path Depends on Where You're Starting
1. If you have never been baptized
You will become a catechumen. After a period of learning and prayer, you'll receive all three sacraments of initiation, Baptism, Confirmation, and the Eucharist, usually at the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday night. Baptism is "the gateway to the sacraments" (canon 849): every sin you have ever committed is washed away, and you begin a new life in Christ.
2. If you were baptized as a Protestant
You will be a candidate. Your baptism, if it was done with water in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, is real, and the Church will not repeat it. Canon law forbids even conditional rebaptism unless there is "a serious reason" to doubt that your baptism was valid (canon 869 §2). After formation, you'll make a profession of the Catholic faith and be received into full communion, then receive Confirmation and your First Communion. Your parish will also prepare you for your first confession before you are received.
3. If you are Eastern Orthodox or Oriental Orthodox
Your path is usually shorter and simpler. Your Church has true sacraments, so you are not rebaptized or reconfirmed. You are received into full communion with the Catholic Church, normally through a profession of faith, after preparation with the priest. You also keep your own Eastern liturgical tradition: you normally belong to the Eastern Catholic Church that shares it, even if you attend a Latin-rite parish, and the priest will explain the details. Call the parish and ask to speak with the priest.
4. If you were baptized Catholic but never finished, or you left
You never stopped being Catholic. If you were baptized but never confirmed or never received First Communion, ask your parish about completing your initiation. If you left the Church, the door home is confession: call the parish, make an appointment with a priest, and come back.
Before You Are Received: Why You Wait for Communion and Confession
Everyone is welcome at Mass. But if you are not yet Catholic, do not receive Holy Communion or go to confession yet. This is not a rejection. It is how the Church protects what these sacraments mean, and it protects you.
- The sacraments belong to the Church's communion. Canon law states that "Catholic ministers administer the sacraments licitly to Catholic members of the Christian faithful alone," who "likewise receive them licitly from Catholic ministers alone" (canon 844 §1). Receiving Communion says, "I am in full communion with this Church and believe all she believes." Until you are received, that statement isn't yet true.
- The Eucharist is Christ's Body and Blood. St. Paul warns, "whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily will have to answer for the body and blood of the Lord," and "anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body, eats and drinks judgment on himself" (1 Corinthians 11:27, 29).
- Baptism comes first. "A person who has not received baptism cannot be admitted validly to the other sacraments" (canon 842 §1). If you are unbaptized, Baptism itself will wash away all your sins. You don't need confession first.
What you can do at Mass now: sit, stand, and kneel with the congregation, pray the prayers, listen to the readings, and make a spiritual communion in your heart, asking Jesus to come to you and bring you home. Many parishes also invite those not receiving Communion to come forward with arms crossed for a blessing; follow your parish's custom.
Rare exceptions. Canon law allows exceptions in danger of death and for Orthodox Christians who ask on their own and are properly disposed (canon 844 §§3–4). If either applies to you, speak with the priest.
What OCIA Looks Like
OCIA (formerly called RCIA in the United States) is the Church's ancient path for welcoming adults. It usually runs in stages:
- Inquiry. No commitment. You ask questions, attend Mass, and learn who Jesus is and what the Church teaches.
- Catechumenate. You formally enter the journey, are signed with the Cross, and study the faith more deeply: Scripture, the Creed, the sacraments, prayer, and the moral life.
- Purification and Enlightenment. During Lent, you prepare spiritually through prayer and special rites, with the whole parish praying for you.
- Reception. Unbaptized catechumens are baptized, confirmed, and receive First Communion, usually at the Easter Vigil. Baptized candidates are received into full communion, often during the year at a Sunday Mass or at the Easter Vigil, depending on the parish.
- Mystagogy. After you enter, you keep learning and find your place in the life of the parish.
How long does it take? For someone with no Christian background, the U.S. bishops say at least a year, and longer if needed. Baptized Christians who already know the faith may need less time. Your parish will help you discern.
You'll have a sponsor: a practicing Catholic who walks with you, prays for you, and stands with you when you are received.
Objections Answered
(a) "I'm already saved. Why do I need to join a church?"
At its strongest: Salvation is by grace through faith in Christ, not by membership in an institution. If I trust Jesus, what more could a church add?
Answer: Every person who is saved is saved by Christ. But Christ saves through the Church He founded: "all salvation comes from Christ the Head through the Church which is his Body" (CCC 846). The apostles never treated joining the Church as optional. When the crowd at Pentecost believed, they were baptized and "added" to the Church that same day (Acts 2:41). And the Church teaches plainly that "they could not be saved who, knowing that the Catholic Church was founded as necessary by God through Christ, would refuse either to enter it or to remain in it" (CCC 846). If you now see that, the next step is not optional; it is obedience.
(b) "I don't agree with everything yet."
At its strongest: I'm convinced on some things but still struggle with others. Isn't it dishonest to start?
Answer: OCIA exists for exactly this. The inquiry period carries no commitment; it is a time to ask hard questions. You will be asked to profess the Catholic faith only when you are received, not on the first night. Bring your questions. (See our answers to common objections.)
(c) "My family will be upset."
At its strongest: Becoming Catholic may hurt people I love, especially if I was raised in another church.
Answer: That cost is real, and the Church does not ask you to love your family less. Bring them with you to Mass, to an OCIA session, or to talk with the priest. Many of the people who are hardest on a convert at first later follow him home.
Your Next Step
Come to Mass this Sunday at your local Catholic church. You can find one near you at MassTimes.org. Then call the parish office and say, "I'd like to become Catholic. Can you tell me about OCIA?" If you are Orthodox, ask to speak with the priest about entering full communion. They will take it from there.
Not ready to call yet? Get our free pocket guide below and keep learning. And pray: "Lord Jesus, lead me into Your Church."
FAQ
Does it cost anything to become Catholic? No. OCIA is offered free by parishes. Some may ask a small fee for books or materials.
Will I be rebaptized? Not if you were validly baptized with water in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The Church does not repeat a valid baptism (canon 869 §2). Baptisms "in Jesus' name only" are a different case; see Must You Be Baptized "in Jesus' Name Only"?
Can I receive Communion before I'm received into the Church? No, except in rare cases such as danger of death. Come to Mass, pray, and make a spiritual communion until the day you receive Christ in the Eucharist for the first time.
Can I go to confession before I'm Catholic? Not yet. If you're unbaptized, Baptism will forgive all your sins. If you're a baptized Christian, your parish will prepare you for your first confession before you are received. You can always speak with a priest for counsel and a blessing.
What if I've been divorced and remarried? Tell the priest at the start. Your situation may need to be looked at before you are received, and the parish will walk you through it. (See Isn't an Annulment Just Catholic Divorce?)
Can I start any time of year? Yes. Call the parish whenever you're ready. Many parishes welcome inquirers year-round.
Sources
Scripture (NABRE, bible.usccb.org): Matthew 16:18; Matthew 28:19; Acts 2:37–42; 1 Corinthians 11:27–29.
Catechism of the Catholic Church (vatican.va): 816, 846.
Code of Canon Law (vatican.va): cann. 842 §1, 844, 849, 869 §2.
OCIA: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, "Christian Initiation of Adults".