How long does it take a protestant to be received into the Catholic Church?

[Lead_Me_Home]

I have one more year until I am 18 and can enter the Catholic Church. I believe I have to wait until 18 because I don’t go to Catholic school and I’m converting on my own. I was born and raised protestant and was baptized in the trinitarian style (Thanks Be To God). I have been researching the Catholic Church and wanting to enter her for four years now. I believe all that the Church teaches from the Papacy to Contraception. I want to say I know all that I need to learn in RCIA, however I want to be humble and would enter it if necessary. I was wondering how long would it take me to be received into the Church?

 

[nodito]

Lead Me Home,

Most non-Catholic Christians interested in entering the Catholic Church would join an RCIA-like program sometime in the fall and formally profess at the Easter Vigil. So it usually takes less than a year.

Is there a particular reason you were led to believe that you have to wait until you are 18 to join the Church? Are you worried that your parents would object? I ask because age is not normally an impediment to entering into full communion with the Church. Neither is not attending a Catholic school. In other words, you may be able to enter RCIA now and join the Church come this Easter. Make an appointment to talk to a parish priest about your situation; he can advise you better than we can.

God bless!

 

[1ke]

That will depend upon your individual circumstances. You would contact your local parish and talk to the priest and RCIA director, discuss your background and previous catechesis, why you want to be brought into full communion, etc.

Even though you’ve been studying, I would encourage you to participate in RCIA. I didn’t think I needed it either, but I did learn a lot and that time of formation was important.

As a baptized individual, you would be a Candidate, and you could be received into the Church at any time after the priest believes you are ready. I began RCIA in January and was confirmed in October. Others may only run a school-schedule type program where you would begin in the fall and be confirmed after Easter.

If your parents do not oppose you joining the Church, there is no reason you have to wait until 18.

 

[Arianna09]

I agree with nodito. I am a team member of RCIA and we don’t have a RCIA for teens. So, all the teens are in with the adults. It works just fine. If you are on fire about becoming Catholic, don’t put it off.
As to time, usually it takes about a school year in RCIA classes. You can possibly do independent study with a priest, if he has time…they are really busy. I came into RCIA at a weird time and it only took me 4 months (independent study, one-on-one meetings with RCIA team members, and a crazy amount of drive that can only be from the Holy Spirit). Anything is possible. There are not set rules, however, most parishes do it based on bringing people in at Easter.
Go through RCIA if you can. You will learn stuff. And, if you don’t, maybe you can volunteer for RCIA the next year and try to slowly improve the program (that is what I am working on now). It takes patience, but it is sooooo worth it to get to partake in the Eucharist!!!

 

[Lead_Me_Home]

Couldn’t i be received into the Church and Eucharist and attend RCIA just to learn more like some practicing catholics do? This is up to the pastor I assume. If I began January I could be recieved on Easter?
Is it even preferable for me to be recieved at the Easter Vigil? I have been to one, and it is beautiful, especially The Litany of The Saints.

"The timing of their reception into the Church is also different. The U.S. Conference of Bishops states: “It is preferable that reception into full communion not take place at the Easter Vigil lest there be any confusion of such baptized Christians with the candidates for baptism, possible misunderstanding of or even reflection upon the sacrament of baptism celebrated in another Church or ecclesial community . . . " (NSC 33).”
-ewtn.com/library/ANSWERS/HOW2.htm

 

[Augusta_Sans]

I think generally you need to do some sort of RCIA program.

I was a Lutheran and had been attending Catholic Mass for a number of years before I began my official conversion process. I was the only convert that year, so I worked individually with our priest, meeting weekly (or was it bi-weekly? I’ve forgotten now.) I believe I started in October and took my first Communion that Easter.

It can be a long process, even after the official parts are complete. I didn’t “feel” Catholic for another year, and it’s only recently that I am beginning to feel as close to God as I felt when I was a devout Lutheran.

 

[japhy]

As a baptized Christian, you’re not the person that the RCIA is meant for, really. You are already a Christian, but not in communion with the Catholic Church. What’s necessary is for you to make a statement (i.e. profession) of faith that you believe everything the Church teaches as being divine truth revealed by God, Who can neither deceive nor be deceived. Such a reception into the Church need not happen at the Easter Vigil, and the US Bishops actually advise against it, as you have pointed out yourself:
For those who have been instructed in the Christian faith and have lived as Christians the situation is different. The U.S. Conference of Bishops states: “Those baptized persons who have lived as Christians and need only instruction in the Catholic tradition and a degree of probation within the Catholic community should not be asked to undergo a full program parallel to the catechumenate” (NSC 31). For this reason they should not share in the same, full RCIA programs that catechumens do.

The timing of their reception into the Church is also different. The U.S. Conference of Bishops states: "It is preferable that reception into full communion not take place at the Easter Vigil lest there be any confusion of such baptized Christians with the candidates for baptism, possible misunderstanding of or even reflection upon the sacrament of baptism celebrated in another Church or ecclesial community . . . " (NSC 33).

Rather than being received on Easter Vigil, "[t]he reception of candidates into the communion of the Catholic Church should ordinarily take place at the Sunday Eucharist of the parish community, in such a way that it is understood that they are indeed Christian believers who have already shared in the sacramental life of the Church [that is, Baptism] and are now welcomed into the Catholic Eucharistic community . . . " (NSC 32).
But in order to be able to make such a statement in good faith (no pun intended), you would probably be expected to undergo a period of instruction/preparation, perhaps with a priest, catechist, or sponsor (for Confirmation). It sounds like you’ve done some studying on your own – good for you! – so you should meet with a priest at the parish at which you would like to be received.

You will also be in need of the Sacrament of Reconciliation before you would receive your first Holy Communion.

 

[Lead_Me_Home]

Thanks for all your answers! I am going to seek my parents permission to officially start my conversion in January. This way i can make confirmation in my home diocese before i go off to college, this is important to me.

[SIGN]Totus Sit Ad Gloriam Dei[/SIGN]

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

I have one more year until I am 18 and can enter the Catholic Church. I believe I have to wait until 18 because I don’t go to Catholic school and I’m converting on my own. I was born and raised protestant and was baptized in the trinitarian style (Thanks Be To God). I have been researching the Catholic Church and wanting to enter her for four years now. I believe all that the Church teaches from the Papacy to Contraception. I want to say I know all that I need to learn in RCIA, however I want to be humble and would enter it if necessary. I was wondering how long would it take me to be received into the Church?

Not as long as an unbaptized person, generally less than a year.

 

[nodito]

The timing of their reception into the Church is also different. The U.S. Conference of Bishops states: "It is preferable that reception into full communion not take place at the Easter Vigil lest there be any confusion of such baptized Christians with the candidates for baptism, possible misunderstanding of or even reflection upon the sacrament of baptism celebrated in another Church or ecclesial community . . . " (NSC 33).

Good to know. Sorry for the misinformation, Lead.

 

[1ke]

Couldn’t i be received into the Church and Eucharist and attend RCIA just to learn more like some practicing catholics do? This is up to the pastor I assume.

RCIA is not simply religion class. RCIA is a set of Rites established by the Church. Formation through RCIA includes catechesis, worship, and community. It’s a process, not a program.

You should discuss this with the priest. You are a little over anxious, and you seem to beleive you know everything about the faith. I promise you this isn’t true. Slow down a little, and allow the Holy Spirit to lead you and to form you in the faith.

It isn’t just head knowledge that you need. The formation through RCIA has many aspects.

If I began January I could be recieved on Easter?

Maybe. But that is a pretty compressed timeframe. Talk to the priest.

Is it even preferable for me to be recieved at the Easter Vigil?

No. In fact, you should NOT be received at Easter Vigil. You are not a Catechumen. You should be received at another time.