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"…the kingdom of God is at hand…" Mark 1:15

Initiation for Adults & Older Children


The Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults and for older children aged 6 and older, is primarily a journey of faith.  It is a restoration of the ancient practice of initiation into the Church.  It is a process of prayer, discussion, and study.

This is not a program, but, rather, a sacramental process in which catechumens and candidates are fully initiated into the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic faith. 

Entering the Fullness of the Faith

Any person, aged 6 or older, who has not been baptized or has been baptized in another faith denomination, or any adult or older child who has been baptized Catholic but has not received the Sacraments of First Communion or Reconciliation, is invited to enter into this process.  The first step is the Inquiry Stage wherein basics of the Catholic faith are discussed.  This is the period when individuals discern, through prayer and reflection, whether or not to continue on this faith journey.  Discernment, for some, might last through the entire process until the sacraments are to be received at the Easter Vigil.

The process is focused on conversion, whereby the catechumens (non-baptized) and candidates (baptized but not catechized) enter into an extended period of intellectual formation and life conversion through prayer, study, and reflection upon the Gospel Message of Jesus Christ.  It is a communal journey in which our local church community welcomes the new members into the Catholic Church. 

The Rite has certain elements which cannot be altered, such as the Rite of Election, which takes place at the cathedral in the presence of the bishop on the first Sunday in Lent.  Yet, it is flexible enough to allow the weekly schedule to meet the needs of those entering into formation, as well as the team members.

For More Information 

Please contact our parish office, 603-485-3113, if you are interested or if you have any questions.  Thank you.      

We also invite you to check out this website –  www.catholicscomehome.org.  It is an excellent resource and could answer a lot of your questions.