The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults is the way in which adults are welcomed into the Catholic Church and complete their initiation. This applies to unbaptised adults who are preparing to receive the Sacraments of Initiation (Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist), and those who have been baptised in other Christian communities who now wish to be received into the Catholic Church. In many parishes, RCIA groups often include adult Catholics who were baptised as infants and are now seeking to complete their Initiation.
Older children (those aged seven and above who have reached “catechetical age”) are also baptised and received into the Catholic Church through an adapted form of the RCIA. The number of such children coming forward to be received into the Church in our Diocese grows each year. The process for such children should be understood as one in which they are drawing closer to God, not as a ‘catching up’ with the sacraments.
This web page will allow you to access resources to aid your understanding of RCIA for adults and older children, catechetically and liturgically. It provides guidance for catechists and sponsors, the RCIA Preparation Pack, various articles on the RCIA as well as links to other useful websites.
RCIA 2026
[This is now a shorter document than in previous years as it no longer contains an overview of the RCIA. That material can now be found in a new document called “A Guide to the RCIA” – see below.]
Continuing the Journey
“But those who hope in the Lord renew their strength, they put out wings like eagles. They run and do not grow weary, walk and never tire.” (Isaiah 40:31)
Over the past year in your parish you may have taken part in discussions and liturgies as you prepared to be received into the Church at Easter. Now we wish to support you as an adult Catholic in this joyful but occasionally challenging time as you settle in.
So we are leading a series of in-person events for you and other new Catholics in the first months after you are baptised or received into the Catholic Church. The events run from Eastertime to the following Lent and take place every year. These events will help you continue with others in your parish and meet new Catholics from other parishes as we deepen our relationship with Jesus and the Church. We hope they will help you will grow in your faith, learn more, discover useful resources and feel a deeper sense of belonging in the Church.
For more information about Continuing the Journey, please contact the Agency for Evangelisation at:
Email: catadmin@rcdow.org.uk
Telephone: 020 7798 9152
To register for Continuing the Journey, please complete this short online registration form here.
For details of our next Continuing the Journey event please click on the link below.
Continuing the Journey: Looking Back and Looking Forward
Saturday 19 September @ 10:00am – 1:00pm
Upcoming Events
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Proclaiming God’s Word: Exploring the Ministry of Reading
12 September @ 10:00 am – 1:00 pm
