RCIA is an abbreviation for the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults. It is the process by which non-Catholics enter the Catholic Faith.
To become a Catholic, one must understand the teachings of the Church, believe in those teachings, and be a baptized Catholic. Those who are not baptized will study the teachings of the Catholic Church through RCIA and conclude their journey with the reception of the Sacrament of Baptism into the Church.
Those who were baptized as a Protestant, will study the teachings of the Catholic Faith in RCIA and conclude their journey with their reception into the Church by a priest, which may include a conditional Baptism and a profession of the Catholic Faith.
