How to Become Catholic

Thinking about becoming Catholic - or coming home after years away?

How to Become Catholic is a complete, question-by-question guide for anyone exploring the Catholic Church, preparing through RCIA or OCIA, or returning to the faith they grew up in. Written by Catholic educator Robert Milan, drawing on more than twenty years of teaching and faith formation, it explains not only what the Church teaches but why. It does this clearly and charitably, with constant reference to Scripture and the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

Inside you'll find:

• The heart of Catholic belief: the Trinity, Jesus Christ, Mary, Scripture and Tradition, and the Magisterium
• Honest answers to common obstacles, including Church history, papal infallibility, the saints, money and family opposition
• The Mass, the liturgical year, personal prayer, the Rosary, the Stations of the Cross and Eucharistic Adoration
• A step-by-step walk through RCIA/OCIA: finding a parish and sponsor, the stages and timeline, and what changes if you are already a baptized Christian
• Preparing for Baptism, Confirmation, the Eucharist and the Easter Vigil
• How the Church is structured, all seven sacraments, and Catholic moral and social teaching
• Clear, faithful responses on contested questions: contraception, divorce and annulment, sexuality, women's ordination, celibacy, bioethics, capital punishment and just war
• Building a lasting spiritual life through prayer, Scripture, spiritual direction, fasting and the works of mercy, and holding on through doubt and scandal
• Your mission as a Catholic in parish, family, work and public life

Five appendices (common Catholic prayers, a glossary of Catholic terms, a timeline of Church history, frequently asked questions and a parish checklist) and a bibliography of more than 180 sources make this a reference you will return to long after you are received into the Church.

Ideal for inquirers, catechumens and candidates, returning Catholics, Protestants curious about Catholicism, and the sponsors, catechists and OCIA teams who walk alongside them.

Want the essentials in a shorter read? Look for the abridged edition, How to Become Catholic: A Compact Guide