Perhaps your visits to our Church have become more frequent and you are wondering what do we Catholics believe? Or, maybe you were baptized Catholic, but never formally taught about our Catholic faith.

Our Church offers a process called the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) which consists of four stages. The first is "Inquiry" or the Pre-Catechumenate. It’s a time for initial learning about what the Catholic Church teaches and a time for questions.

After people have participated in Inquiry for awhile, they either decide that they wish to continue in the process to become Catholic or they decide that this is not the right time. For those who decide to become Catholic, we mark this important step with a special ritual called "The Rite of Acceptance and Welcoming." This officially marks the beginning of the second stage, which is called "The Catechumenate." During this time, the teachings of the Church are more fully explained, those engaged in the process are accompanied by a sponsor, and they begin to participate in some of the apostolic works of the parish. It is a time of intellectual and practical development in becoming a disciple of Jesus Christ. This period can last anywhere from 6 months to 3 years; it depends on the person, their experience of the Church, and their readiness to receive the sacraments of initiation.

The third stage is called "The Period of Purification and Enlightenment." This stage normally takes place during the Lenten Season. It is marked by a ritual called "The Rite of Election" which takes place at Holy Name Cathedral. During this stage, the "elect" enter more deeply into the spiritual aspects of Catholicism, praying more, meditating and reflecting on what they learned during the Catechumenate, and preparing for the celebration of the sacraments. This stage concludes with the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist celebrated during the Sacred Triduum at the Easter Vigil.

The fourth stage is called "Mystagogy." This is a time to savor all that has happened and to reflect on how one has aligned themselves with the teaching of the Church and how one is living as a true disciple of Jesus. Meetings are usually held once a month for a full year following Easter.