RCIA PATH FOR UNBAPTIZED CANDIDATES
The RCIA process is divided into four periods that correspond to an individual’s progress in Christian formation. Here is the usual path by which an adult who has not been baptized would join our community of faith. Children over the age of six and teens receive preparation suitable to their ages.*
The Four Periods of RCIA:
Period of Mystagogy: The concluding period of the RCIA is called "Mystagogy", which comes from the word, mystery. In the early Church it was the time when the community explained the mystery of the sacraments the elect had experienced. Today, this step is seen more as a time for the newly initiated and the community to move forward together toward a closer relationship with each other and toward a deeper understanding of God’s Word, the sacraments, and everyday Christian living. The period of Mystagogy takes place during the Easter Season (the 50 days between Easter and Pentecost), but this step in the journey of faith continues for the rest of a Christian’s life.
*Baptism alone is for infants and young children in the Catholic Church. Children who are seven years or older and who have not been baptized are fully initiated into the Church. Because preparation for Baptism, Confirmation and First Communion takes several months at minimum, we recommend that any unbaptized child over the age of six enter the RCIA.