What are the formal names for each stage of RCIA?
The RCIA is a journey which gently leads adults — whether unbaptized or already baptized in another Christian faith tradition — into a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ in and through the Catholic Church. It is a time of discernment broken up into four distinct stages: • The Period of Evangelization (Precatechumenate) – a time of inquiry and reflection to help the inquirer discern God’s call in his/her life. Weekly sessions help the inquirer better understand the teachings of Jesus Christ, who founded the Catholic Church. At the conclusion of this period, inquirers are invited to celebrate a welcoming rite (Rite of Acceptance), at which time they become catechumens or candidates and formally request membership in the Church. • The Period of The Catechumenate – a time to deepen one’s faith centered around the study and sharing of, and reflection upon, the Sunday readings from Sacred Scripture, with the intent of becoming fully initiated into the Catholic Church. This period conclu
