This page is for those interested in becoming Catholic.
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About Catholicism
“Jesus Christ loves you; he gave his life to save you; and now he is living at your side every day to enlighten, strengthen and free you.” - Joy of the Gospel, 164
Jesus Christ is the Son of God, sent to mankind by the Father, so that we may all have everlasting life. We believe that Jesus walked here on earth, just like you and me. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and was born of the Virgin Mary in a humble manger in Bethlehem. We believe in the Incarnation - that God was made man without ceasing to be God. Thus, He is true God and true man. This man is Jesus Christ. Through Him we are called to be heirs of the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus is the second person of the Holy Trinity: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
God created the heavens and the earth, and all who live in it. As His sons and daughters, we were created to be in relationship with Him forever in paradise. However, through the fault of our first parents, Adam and Eve, sin entered and broke our relationship with God. This created a great divide between us, a barrier that we can never fix on our own. Because of this, God sent His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to reconcile us to Him. Jesus was condemned to suffer for our sake -- leading to His death on the cross. His death bore our sin and shame and through this one act of love He fixed the broken relationship between us and the Father. We believe that Jesus died and went to the grave, and that in three days He rose again in glory. Through His death and resurrection, He conquered sin. His victory over death is our hope and our salvation. However, it does not end there. The Good News is about hope and the invitation that follows it. It is an invitation to get to know the person of Jesus Christ, in whom we place our trust. It is an invitation to say yes to Him and to encounter the Church.
During His time on earth, Jesus moved the hearts of many followers. He especially transformed 12 Apostles that He called by name and gave them authority to take care of the Church that He started on Earth. Jesus promised His believers that when He returns to Heaven, He will send for us an advocate. On Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came down to the early Church giving courage to the apostles to become fearless and courageous witnesses to Christ. On this day, the Church was born. The Holy Spirit broke down ethnic and linguistic barriers and united the Church, making us into a universal family. We are called the Catholic Church because, in Greek, the term katholikos (καθολικός) means “universal”.
Over 2,000 years later, the Catholic Church is now a family of over 1.2 billion people around the world. We are made up of people from all walks of life, called to different vocations, but with a simple mission: to love God and to love others.
Testimonies
Everyone’s story is unique. Hear the stories of these men and women and how they came to know Jesus and fully live out their Catholic faith.
“Everything about Catholicism rang really true to me.” – Emma Larson
Sign up to listen to many conversion stories on FORMED!
Frequently Asked Questions
Contact a parish near you
One of the best ways is to contact a Catholic parish near you to let them know that you are interested in finding out more about the Catholic Faith. You will be invited to inquire into what “being Catholic” is all about: who we are, what we believe, how we live our lives, how we pray, and more.
Explore the faith
The Bible is the best place to start. Read or listen to the Gospel of Matthew.
Start with these resources to explore more:
You can explore an overview of Catholic teaching in the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
Watch: What does the Catholic Church teach about everything?
You can purchase a copy of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the official summary of our Faith, available at most major bookstores, or you can view it online in full or as a Compendium from the Vatican Resource Library.
We believe that God calls individuals to live the Good News Jesus proclaimed and to become his disciples as members of the Catholic Church. If you want to become Catholic, you will participate in a process called the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (sometimes called RCIA or simply Christian initiation). In RCIA, you will learn about the teachings of Jesus as the Catholic Church has handed them on and put these teachings into practice by living as part of the Catholic community, serving others and praying.
If you have not been baptized, the Christian initiation process prepares you to become a Catholic Christian by celebrating what we call the sacraments of Christian initiation: Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist or Holy Communion.
If you have been baptized in another Christian tradition, the initiation process prepares you to enter into full communion with the Catholic Church by celebrating the sacraments of Confirmation and Eucharist or Holy Communion.
If you have been baptized as an infant, but have not received further formal instruction in the Catholic Faith nor the sacraments of Confirmation or the Eucharist, RCIA is indeed for you.
If you are a fully initiated Catholic who wishes to deepen your faith, speak to your local parish about the possibility of participating.
Becoming Catholic is a life-long commitment. However, the Christian initiation process typically lasts for several months or longer in order to prepare to take this step.
Participants in the initiation process generally meet once or twice each week, including part of the Mass on Sunday, but each parish initiation schedule varies.
The initiation of individuals who are ready to make the commitment to become new members of the Catholic Church may take place at Easter (in March or April) or at other times throughout the year.
You do not make any commitment or obligation by inquiring about Catholicism or beginning the Christian initiation process. We want you to take the time you need as you think about becoming Catholic and we respect your decision to stop or to say, “not right now” at any time.
While we love being Catholic and hope that others will want to become Catholic also, we do not exert pressure on anyone to do so. Our hope would be that at the very least, you would come to a greater appreciation of Catholic beliefs and practices.
Find a Catholic church near your home or work with our Parish Finder.
Thank you for you interest in discovering or rediscovering The Catholic Faith. We hope you have found helpful resources to learn more. As you continue on your journey, we encourage you to say the following prayer:
God, help me to see your presence and hear your voice in the world around me. Guide me on my journey and lead me to you. Amen.
Interested in Becoming Catholic?
Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) is the first step for adults who want to discover Jesus Christ and be fully joined to the Catholic Church through the sacraments of initiation: Baptism, Holy Communion and Confirmation.
Contact
If you’re ready to reach out to a church near you about becoming Catholic, find one here.
If you have questions or would like to speak with one of our coordinators, please contact us.
Louisa Gietz
Coordinator, Ministries and Outreach Office
(604) 683-0281 ext. 224
[email protected]