Talk to someone
“How can I, unless some man shew me?”
In short. Faith is a personal act, but not an isolated one: the believer receives faith from others and hands it on.1 From the time of the apostles, becoming a Christian has been a journey in several stages, covered rapidly or slowly.2
Key points
- No one can believe alone, just as no one can live alone.1
- Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.3
- Becoming a Christian is a journey in stages, rapid or slow.2
- The catechumenate brings conversion and faith to maturity, in union with an ecclesial community.4
Try this, this week
- Read Acts 8:26-39. Notice that Philip starts from the passage the official is already reading.
- Find a parish near you. Use the parish finder and note the office hours.
- Send one short message. “I have some questions about the Catholic faith. Could we talk?”
- Bring a friend if you like. A Catholic friend can come with you, or simply listen.
“And Philip running thither, heard him reading the prophet Isaias. And he said: Thinkest thou that thou understandest what thou readest? Who said: And how can I, unless some man shew me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.”
Watch out: what this does not mean
- Programme names and timetables differ from parish to parish; what does not change is that the catechumenate is a formation in the whole Christian life.4
- Initiation of adults reaches its culmination in a single celebration of the three sacraments of initiation.7
Common questions
Do I have to be baptized already to talk to a priest?
No: the Church welcomes those preparing for Baptism, and the catechumenate exists for adults on that path.5 The Church says of catechumens: “With love and solicitude mother Church already embraces them as her own.”6
How long does becoming Catholic take?
The Catechism says the journey of Christian initiation can be covered rapidly or slowly, but certain essential elements will always be present.2 For adults it culminates in a single celebration of Baptism, Confirmation and the Eucharist.7
Remember: You only need to ask the first question.