How do i become a Catholic?
How to become a Catholic
As you might expect, there is a process to becoming a Catholic. Although it may look like a simple process, in reality it may take someone a number of years between the initial thought of becoming a Catholic to the point of reception into the Church. This is because at every moment, we have to remember that this is part of our journey of faith, and what God wants to do for us in our lives. At every stage of the process you go at your pace. INQUIRY The first part of the process is learning, in a gentle way, about what the Catholic Church believes and teaches. At this stage it would be good to come to church to Mass to see how we celebrate our faith. DECIDING This is a formal stage where someone decides to become a Catholic. They become Catechumens and begin a more formal period of learning about the faith of the Church. PREPARATION It is not all about learning and remembering everything that has ever been taught by the Catholic Church. Becoming a Catholic is also about building a deeper relationship with God. As part of the process there is a period of time to learn about prayer and getting ready to become a Catholic. INITIATION Only when someone is ready and after they have spent some time reflecting on what Catholics believe does the ceremony of Baptism and Reception into the Catholic Church takes place. This is a day of great joy for those who become Catholic but also for the community as we welcome another member. 
"Maybe someone among us here is thinking: my sin is so great, I am as far from God as the younger son in the parable (of the Prodigal Son), my unbelief is like that of Thomas; I don’t have the courage to go back, to believe that God can welcome me and that he is waiting for me, of all people. But God is indeed waiting for you; he asks of you only the courage to go to him."
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What Do I Do Next?If you are thinking about becoming Catholic you might be thinking what shall I do next? Below are a few suggestions that you might like to think about.
PRAY If you are thinking of becoming Catholic it is possibly because the Holy Spirit is trying to say something to your heart. Talk to God, ask Him to help you in your life, ask Him to help your faith to grow. COME TO MASS Mass is celebrated on Sundays at 8.30 a.m., 9.45 a.m.(in Polish) and 6.00 p.m. See how we celebrate our faith and pray together. Sunday Mass is especially important for Catholics because we gather as a community of faith to worship God together. Non-Catholics are not allowed to receive Holy Communion but you are welcome to come forward for a blessing, indicating this by placing your arm across your chest. TALK TO ONE OF THE PRIESTS Have a chat with a priest, tell him about why you are thinking of becoming a Catholic and that you are interested in beginning your journey of faith. JOURNEY IN FAITH COURSE You will see this advertised on our newsletters and is the formal process of becoming a Catholic. It usually begins in September and runs until Easter of the following year. This course enables you to learn more about your faith, and help you to prepare for becoming a Catholic. It is not like school, they are very gentle and go at the pace of those who come. To read some testimony of others who have taken the JOURNEY IN FAITH course and become Catholics CLICK HERE. Becoming A CatholicFor more information about becoming a Catholic, please contact the parish office:
01527 63096 [email protected] |
