The Four Phases of the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults

There are 4 phases or stages in the Church’s process of preparation to enter the Church through baptism or by being received into full communion: Inquiry, the Catechumenate, Purification and Enlightenment, and Mystagogy. Each stage is described on this page to give you an understanding of the process. Keep in mind, however, that this process should be seen less as “completing a program” and more as the development of an individual’s readiness and deep commitment to living life as a disciple of Jesus Christ within the Catholic Church.

Inquiry

“Inquiry” is the first phase of the R.C.I.A. process in which we seek to help you to respond to the Lord’s call to you. Many roads lead to this point, but the Lord longs for each person to know and love Him as deeply as possible. “The desire for God is written in the human heart, because man is created by God and for God; and God never ceases to draw man to himself.” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, §27).

Our Inquiry course provides foundational teaching about the Catholic faith with a view toward (1) providing an introduction to Christianity for those who are new to it and (2) ensuring a deeper and truly Catholic understanding of familiar teachings for those are already Christian.

It is a time to ask questions, seek answers, and grow in faith. For this reason, people in this stage are called "inquirers."

Starting this phase does not constitute any commitment on the part of the inquirer. It is a time of discovery and exploration.

A Note About Timing: Many people assume that we begin this process in September and end it at Easter. At St. Mary of the Mills, our inquiry session begins in July. We try our best to respond to interest and the work of the Holy Spirit. Don’t wait until to contact us!

The Catechumenate

The word “catechumenate” actually describes the process by which an unbaptized person comes to Christian faith. The term comes from the Greek “katekhein” which means “to instruct orally” or, literally, “to sound, ring, or echo down”. While the term officially refers specifically to the process for the unbaptized, we use this term in our everyday language to describe the deeper dive into the Catholic faith that is usually needed by both the unbaptized and the baptized, both in the teachings that are explored and in a person’s involvement in the life of the parish community.

In other words, it is during this phase that everyone who comes to us more deeply explores and experiences what it means to live as a Catholic. Here, we prepare the unbaptized (called “catechumens”) to make the promises of baptism which commit them to life as a follower of Jesus Christ. We also prepare the baptized (called ”candidates”), who have already professed faith in Jesus Christ, to profess faith in His Church as well.

The teaching during the catechumenate will be deeper and more specific than what went before. To provide just one example… In the Inquiry phase, we reflect on what sacraments are in general. In the catechumenate, we reflect more specifically on each individual sacrament (e.g., baptism, confirmation, holy communion, marriage) and on how the Lord interacts with each one of us through these important avenues of grace.

At the start of this phase, unbaptized catechumens and baptized candidates alike come into the assembly to profess their intention to embrace the Catholic faith and to publicly express desire to be received for deeper instruction. Each person chooses - or can be introduced to - a faithful Catholic who will serve as a sponsor and companion in this journey into the Church. During this phase there is also more participation in the life of the parish community.

Purification and Enlightenment

Once the period of the catechumenate (that period of deeper immersion in Catholic faith and life) has concluded, both the Church and the individual discern readiness to profess faith and receive the Sacraments of Initiation. At this point, the catechumens and candidates enter a period of retreat and reflection focused on what they are about to receive and promise. This period is called “Purification and Enlightenment”, a title which refers to the action of the Holy Spirit who purifies the heart and enlightens the minds of each candidate and catechumen. If this phase falls during the Lenten period (which is the case for most people), there are a number of important rites which help the candidates and catechumens to focus on the important themes of the period. This includes a day-long retreat the week before Easter and culminates in the celebration of sacraments at the Easter Vigil the evening before Easter Sunday.