Question
Question
How old must a person be to be received into the Church through the RCIA? What are the
guidelines for admitting children to the RCIA?
--Curious in Cambridge
Answer
Answer
Anyone who is seven years old or older is part of the process to become Catholic called the catechumenate. The rites for the catechumenate, the ways people become Catholic, are called the Rites of Christian Initiation of Adults [RCIA].
Each diocese and then parish has more specific guidelines; however, check with your local parish for the process and time of preparation. The National Statues for the Catechumenate (United States) is 18 months of preparation.