RCIA is what the Catholic Church calls the process for those who are entering the Catholic Church. The initials stand for Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults. Every parish does some form of RCIA, though they may not call it RCIA as most people desiring to learn more about the Church do not understand the initials. The Church has placed guidelines for the process for those who are entering the Church. These guidelines assist with the education of those entering, but primarily focus on journey milestones and the liturgical (the prayer experiences of the Church) aspects of the process.
There are stages to the RCIA process. The information below will discuss these stages and give assistance to those participating in, and those leading RCIA in parishes.