What is RCIA?

RCIA is for Adults (those over the age of 7) who have not been baptized or were baptized in another Christian tradition and now desire to become Catholic.

You’re never too late to start your RICA journey. At Nativity, an adult can begin any time of the year. We have people join all year round.

The first step is to meet with Christina, our Director of Faith Formation for Adults. Make an appointment by calling the office (813-689-9101) or emailing christina@nativitycatholicchurch.org.

There are 4 Stages to the Process: 1-PreCatechumenate – reflecting on your faith journey so far; 2-Catechumenate – practicing living as a Catholic Christian, learning the fundamentals of the Catholic faith, and becoming acquainted with the Nativity community; 3-Purification and Enlightenment – prayerfully reflecting in the final weeks leading up to your initiation; 4-Mystagogy – continued support from the RCIA community for the months immediately after being received into the Catholic Church.

The length of time spent in PreCatechumenate and Catechumenate will vary depending on the individual. For those who are unbaptized, the time involved is at least a full calendar year. For baptized Christians from other traditions, the preparation time usually is shorter.

Your initiation is complete when you celebrate the sacraments of Baptism, First Eucharist, and Confirmation. Individuals seeking Baptism have the opportunity to receive those sacraments one day each year, during the Great Easter Vigil. Those Christians already baptized in another tradition have multiple opportunities during the year in which they may receive their sacraments.

Absolutely not! Not only will you be in process with many other adults who, like you, are seeking to become Catholic, you will also have a Sponsor/Mentor from the Nativity Parish community who walks with you throughout your RCIA journey and helps you become familiar with Nativity.

Here at Nativity, we have both an English and Spanish version of RCIA. The Spanish version is called RICA (Rito de Iniciación Cristiana para Adultos)