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If you are an adult seeking Baptism and/or Confirmation and Eucharist (or Communion) within the Catholic Church, or if you are a baptized Christian seeking to enter into full communion with the Catholic Church, then you should first take some instruction in the faith so as to prepare you not just to “become” Catholic but also to “be” Catholic. The introduction that follows should be your first step towards this process, as well as an interview with the priest, deacon or one of the catechists here at the parish. Thereafter follow seven lessons that you should work through with the priest, deacon or catechist as a brief instruction into what makes Catholicism unique, including some catechesis, some history, some apologetics and some of the unchanging moral teachings of our faith. If you think the Lord may be calling you to explore more deeply the Church that was founded by Jesus Christ himself, and if you are motivated to learn, and willing to do a little work, then begin by contacting us here at the parish, and start by opening the introduction that follows.

Keep in mind that there may be many larger parishes (with their larger budgets and their wider pool of volunteers and staff) that have very organized programs for those entering into the Church, providing structured classes and lectures. Still, as a small rural parish, we have found that our “programed learning process” is ideal for different people living on different schedules. Just as each person entering into the Church is usually at a very different point in his or her life, so we accept folks wherever they are on the path, and they move at their own pace. Nevertheless, we do provide a component of structured gathering for all those along the path, to be a forum of reflection and group learning called “Conversations about Catholicism.” Once you’ve contacted the parish, the pastor can introduce you to all those other fellow pilgrims who like you, are on the Way.

The following material is added below in hopes that it will help those who may be coming into the Catholic Church from various starting points. We include this material because we have found that people have questions about their own traditions, and we hope this gives each person a starting point.