Our journey to the Lord usually begins with how our parents raised us and in what faith they practiced. The Lord calls each of us in different ways and at different times into new experiences of life with him. Many Christians discover the history of the Church its tradition which has been lived out since Jesus Christ’s founding of it upon is death on the cross.
We profess one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. Therefore, if you have begun your life with Christ in a Protestant, Evangelical, or Fundamentalist tradition, there is a path back home to the Catholic Church.
Preparation
Many people have been participating in the Catholic Church for years, but have never become Catholic by receiving the Sacraments of Initiation. Some people have newly met a friend who is Catholic and are curious. Others have felt a call out of the world to something different, but haven’t practiced any faith for most of their lives. For all these cases and more, coming into the Church is an individually-tailored experience. It involves:
- Scripture: the stories of God’s people
- Teaching: what Catholics believe
- Prayer: how we develop our relationship with God
- Liturgy: how the community worships
- Mission: how we live out what we believe
Receiving the Sacraments
Those who have already been baptized are able to come into “Full Communion” with the Catholic Church by preparing for and receiving Confirmation and the Eucharist (part of which participation is also receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation). When each candidate is ready, there is a small ceremony (we call it a “rite”) whereby you profess your faith before the congregation, then receive the sacraments of Initiation.
Depending on your particular journey in the faith, this could take as little as a month or over a year. Everyone is at a different place in life and in their relationship with God.