Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA) is the process by which both unbaptized adults and those baptized in other faiths become Catholic. It is a spiritual formation process, beginning each year in September, and culminating with entry into the Catholic Church at Easter time as the candidate receives the sacraments of initiation: Baptism (if not previously baptized in another Christian denomination), Confirmation, and the Eucharist. RCIA classes last approximately one and one-half hours. The RCIA process is comprised of three phases:
The Period of Inquiry is a ten-week phase consisting of lectures on key topics pertaining to Catholic doctrine, including Church Authority, Church History, Salvation and Grace, Mary and the Saints, Prayer and the Rosary, the Liturgy, and the Sacraments.
- The Period of Cathechumenate begins on the First Sunday of Advent, and extends through Ash Wednesday.
The Period of Purification and Enlightenment, which extends from Ash Wednesday through the Easter Vigil and Mystagogy.