Back to the main RCIA page

Are you thinking about becoming Catholic? Christ the King is always in the process of inviting, preparing, and initiating those who express their desire to share in our communion. The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) is the process by which adults prepare for the sacraments of initiation -- baptism, confirmation, and Eucharist -- and become full members of the Catholic Church.

To talk to someone about the RCIA at Christ the King church, contact Jon Stotts at jon.stotts@ctk-nashville.org or 615-777-8910.

 

I’m thinking about becoming Catholic. What’s my first step? 
Nothing will give you a better sense of Catholic belief and practice than attending our Sunday liturgy, where we gather to hear the word of God proclaimed to us, to be nourished at the table of the Lord, and to accept our communal mission to be Christ to the world. Go to Sunday Mass for at least a few weeks in a row, and then take some time to reflect on your experience. What is most compelling for you about Catholic worship?
 
I’ve been going to Mass for awhile now, and I’m interested. What’s next? 
It sounds like it’s time for you to share your story with us. Each Sunday from 10AM-11AM we host inquiry meetings for folks interested in joining the Catholic Church. These are informal meetings with a team of parishioners trained to listen to your story, field your questions, and orient you to the process of becoming Catholic. Once you’ve participated in a handful of inquiry sessions, we’ll have a better sense of who you are and what you might need in terms of your religious and spiritual formation.
 
This sounds good. How do I set up a time to attend an inquiry session? 
Inquiry takes place from 10AM-11AM most Sundays. Just call or shoot an email to Jon Stotts, Christ the King’s director of adult faith formation: 615.777.8910 | jon.stotts@ctk-nashville.org. He’ll let the inquiry team know when you’re coming and send you directions.

I would like to join right now. Can I start coming to classes?

Here at Christ the King, inquirers are invited to begin formation as group two to three times a year. The formation process has a clear beginning with the rite of welcoming. After the rite of welcoming, candidates begin meeting regularly to explore the contents of the Creed, the sacraments, the moral teaching of the Church, and the life of prayer.  As part of this process, candidates get to know one another as they prepare to profess the Catholic faith, celebrate the sacrament of reconciliation, and receive the Eucharist. The process comes to an end with candidates' reception into the Church.

Because each cycle has its own particular lifecycle, it is not our custom to invite others to join midway through the process. 

I'm not sure that I want to be Catholic yet, but I do want to learn more about the Catholic Church. Can I just sit in on the Wednesday night RCIA classes?

Not ordinarily, no. Here's why.

First, our Wednesday night formation sessions aren't meant to help people decide whether to become Catholic or not. These sessions are specifically designed to help a group of people who have already made up their minds about becoming Catholic gain a better appreciation and awareness of Catholic faith and practice. Because these sessions involve a degree of sharing and vulnerability, it's important that all the participants share a common commitment. 

Second, coming to a decision about becoming Catholic is a highly personal and often gradual experience. We believe that it's important to honor this phase of the journey by giving folks as much time as necessary to grow accustomed to the Catholic way of life, to develop curiosity about our beliefs and practices, and to learn through their experience of the liturgy whether this might be a good fit for you. The process of working through reservations and obstacles takes time. For this reason, we're happy to provide space in our inquiry sessions for you to share your story and ask anything you like. You can also meet with Jon Stotts or our clergy if you're in need of additional resources -- like books to read, things to watch, and questions to ask yourself.

Think of RCIA formation as analagous to premarital preparation. It just wouldn't make sense to go through premarital prep with someone you weren't pretty sure you wanted to marry. Likewise, it doesn't make sense to go through our particular RCIA formation if you're not pretty sure you want to be Catholic.
 
How long does it take to become Catholic? 

It depends. While Catholics affirm the need for a lifelong and ongoing conversion to Christ, we also recognize that there are some basic habits of belief and practice that will enable you to participate mindfully and enthusiastically as a fully initiated Catholic. Your faith journey so far might have prepared you for what it means to become Catholic, and it’s our responsibility (and honor) to take you the rest of the way by means of the RCIA. We’ll do our best to provide a formation process that addresses your previous religious formation while inviting you to participate with others on a similar formation journey.
 
That sounds vague. How long will it take? 

For those who are baptized and coming from other Christian faith traditions, we’ve developed a process of formation that normally takes place over a 4-5 month cycle. When there are a sufficient number of inquirers who are ready to move into the next phase, we schedule a Rite of Welcoming and its accompanying retreat. This begins the next formation cycle.

The fall RCIA cycle is currently underway. The 2023 spring formation cycle is already full. If you think you might be ready to participate in a formation cycle in the fall of 2023, please reach out soon.
 
For those who are seeking baptism, there RCIA process normally requires a full liturgical year. Because it is our practice to baptize adults each year at the Easter vigil, this means that the unbaptized should begin the process of inquiry in the late spring or early summer if they wish to be considered for baptism the following year. (For example, someone who wishes to be baptized at the 2023 Easter vigil should reach out no later than May 2022.)

The structure and duration of your RCIA experience depends on your religious and spiritual background. Backgrounds vary widely, but you will generally fall into one of two categories:

Catechumens

• Catechumens are those who never been baptized and seek to join the Catholic Church through baptism, confirmation, and Eucharist.
• We celebrate the intitiation of catechumens once a year at the Easter vigil.
• Unbaptized persons must begin the process of discernment at least one full year before they are initiated. (E.g. preparation for 2022 baptism begins by early summer 2021.) 

Candidates for Full Reception

• Candidates for full reception are those who have been baptized in another Christian tradition and seek full communion with the Catholic Church.
• Because we honor the dignity of all Christian baptism, baptized candidates usually do not require the same lengthy period of formation that characterizes the preparation of the unbaptized.
• Christ the King recieves baptized candidates from other Christian traditions into full communion with the Church two to three times a year. Formation typically takes 4-5 months, not including time spent inquiring. The next cycle will begin in January 2023.

• Sometimes people who were baptized in the Catholic Church never complete their initiation through the sacraments of Eucharist and/or Confirmation. Such adults are already Catholic and usually don't need to go through the RCIA process.
• Each year, during the Easter season, the bishop celebrates Confirmation with such adults. 
• Preparation for this Confirmation ritual usually begins each January. If you would like to participate in adult confirmation classes, contact Jon Stotts.

The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) is the process by which adults prepare for the sacraments of initiation -- baptism, confirmation, and Eucharist -- and become full members of the Catholic Church.

The process of becoming Catholic proceeds in four stages. Passage from one stage to the next is marked by a specific rite, a ceremony that is part of the public prayer (liturgy) of the Church. In order, these stages are:

1. Inquiry

2. Catechumenate

3. Purification and Enlightenment

4. Mystagogy

INQUIRY

Those who are discerning whether or not to become Catholic are in the stage of Inquiry. Since inquiry begins when you first start wondering about the Catholic Church, you might have been here for awhile. This is the time to begin attending Sunday Mass regularly, to get to know some Catholics, and to familiarize yourself with our faith and practice. 

It's important not to rush this stage. We encourage all inquirers to take their time to discern whether becoming Catholic is the best thing for them to undertake at the present moment. Some helpful signs that you might find yourself happy in the Catholic Church include the following:

• You feel drawn to the person, works, and teachings of Jesus Christ.
• Attending Mass each Sunday has become a foundational and nonnegotiable part of your week, and you find yourself nourished and strengthened by participating in our common worship.
• You turn regularly to God in prayer.
• You have a sense of how becoming Catholic might affect your personal, family, social, and work relationships.
• You have no serious reservations about affirming the major points of Catholic teaching and practice in your words and your actions.

To help you with this, we offer weekly Sunday inquiry sessions. These sessions provide a space for you to ask questions, to hear from others who are on similar journeys, and to get used to sharing your own faith experience. These sessions also help us get to know you, which becomes important as we chart the best way forward for you. 

Our Sunday inquiry sessions currently take place from 10am-11am on Sunday morning in the Cursillo Room. These sessions only take place when when we know inquirers will be present, so if you would like to attend an inquiry session, please contact Jon Stotts at jon.stotts@ctk-nashville.org or 615.777.8910. 

CATECHUMENATE

• have provided documented evidence of baptism (unless unbaptized).
• have no serious reservations about Catholic teaching and practice.
• have been matched with a suitable sponsor who will accompany them for the duration of their formation.

RCIA formation sessions for catechumens and candidates take place on Wednesday evenings from 7:00pm-8:30pm. These sessions offer a space for prayer, faith sharing, and catechetical instruction.  In addition, all are encouraged to participate in parish activities and ministries as an apprenticeship in the Catholic way of life.
 

PURIFICATION AND ENLIGHTENMENT 

MYSTAGOGY

The catechumenate is an extended period during which the candidates are given suitable pastoral formation and guidance, aimed at training them in the Christian life (RCIA 75)

The Four RCIA Trainings
There are four kinds of formation, or training, that take place during your time in the RCIA:

1. Catechetical training -- understanding what the Church teaches, and more importantly, deepening your wonder at the mystery of how God is saving the world in Christ
2. Spiritual training -- living the Christian life more deeply through regular prayer, personal authenticity, and loving service to others
3. Liturgical training – learning how to participate in the community’s acts of prayer and worship
4. Apostolic training – working actively with others to spread the Gospel and build up the Church

Note that only some of these trainings take place on Sundays. For the rest, we invite you to rely on the help of your sponsor, the wider resources of the Church, and your own growing awareness of God’s guidance in your life. 

RCIA Formation Sessions

• Formation sessions take place in person on Wednesday evenings from 7:00-8:30pm for all catechumens, candidates, sponsors (spouses are welcome too). This is where much of your catechetical training takes place.
• Optional opportunities for additional formation may be offered at the parish (i.e. a practical session on how to go to confession; a discussion of natural family planning with other parishioners).
• Weekly emails will provide information about the next formation session, including the assigned reading, catechist, additional resources, and upcoming RCIA and parish events.

• To support you in prayer
• To provide a sponsor to accompany you on your journey
• To offer you opportunities to participate in parish life, ministries, and service
• To initiate you into the Catholic Church when you are ready
• To follow up with you with opportunities for mystagogy after you are initiated

• Attending Mass each week, unless COVID-19 related issues, sickness, or serious conflict prevents you
• Practicing daily prayer
• Attending all RCIA rites and retreats
• Attending all RCIA sessions, unless sickness or serious conflict prevents you
• Setting aside time each week to prepare for the RCIA session through reading and reflection
• Checking in with your sponsor outside of the RCIA session at least every two weeks
• Finding opportunities outside of Sunday and Wednesday for spiritual and apostolic training (i.e. developing relationships with other Catholics, participating in local ministries)
• Participating in opportunities for mystagogy after your initiation