Are you considering becoming Catholic?! Do you have all of your Sacraments?! Above you will notice the title RCIA, which means Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults. Since the earliest days of Christianity, there has always been a varied process for those entering the Church.
Maybe your someone who has attended Mass for years? Maybe you have heard a teaching or have witnessed the praying of the rosary, seen a crucifix, or have heard about the Saints and are curious what these things mean? Maybe there's a desire to receive Holy Communion (the Eucharist) which draws you to consider becoming Catholic?!
This beautiful paragraph from the Catechism of the Catholic Church states that, "God, infinitely perfect and blessed in himself, in a plan of sheer goodness freely created man to make him share in his own blessed life. For this reason, at every time and in every place, God draws close to man. He calls man to seek him, to know him, to love him with all his strength. He calls together all men, scattered and divided by sin, into the unity of his family, the Church. To accomplish this, when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son as Redeemer and Savior. In his Son and through him, he invites men to become, in the Holy Spirit, his adopted children and thus heirs of his blessed life."
Notice that out of God's goodness, he reaches out to each of us first. He calls us to seek and to know him and the Lord gives us free will to choose and to follow him. When we think about God, it is the Lord prompting our thoughts. When we have a desire or thought to pray, it's the Lord drawing us to pray. We can do nothing apart from Him. If God is the source of all creation, and we come from God who is all good, then it follows that the fullness of our happiness will be drawing ourselves closer to Him and uniting ourselves to Him.
My faith journey has gone through many hills and valleys. I can say for myself, that I am most happy in life, when I am following Jesus Christ! As it says many times throughout the scriptures, "Don't be afraid." If you feel called to become Catholic, or you just want to inquire about the Catholic Faith and what the process looks like, please contact me.
In Christ Through Mary,
Brandon Allen
Director of Faith Formation & Discipleship
Saint Joseph, Colorado Springs
719-632-9903 or email [email protected]