Every year in the Archdiocese of Detroit, hundreds of people join the Catholic Church. Since becoming Catholic requires a commitment to God, the Church, and a worshipping community (parish), the person seeking to join the Church is invited to enter a process of preparation and discernment. This process is called the RCIA, an acronym for Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults.
In the RCIA, a person takes a journey with the RCIA Team to learn about and become closer to God. A major component in learning about God entails learning about God’s Church. In the RCIA, the participants learn about how the Church was formed, and many of the particular beliefs and practices that are unique to Catholicism.
While learning about Catholicism is essential to the RCIA, it is only part of the process. The core of the RCIA centers on discovering, developing, and nurturing your relationship with God.