Learn God’s Light
New here? Welcome!

Start Here: Your First Steps in the Catholic Faith

Whether you are exploring the faith, coming home after time away, or wanting to go deeper, here are eight simple steps, in order. Take them at your own pace.

0 of 8 steps marked done

“Come to me, all you that labour, and are burdened, and I will refresh you.”Matthew 11:28 (Douay-Rheims)

  1. Step 1: Learn the basic prayers

    10 minutes a day

    Begin where every Catholic begins: the Sign of the Cross, the Our Father that Jesus Himself taught (Lk 11:1–4), the Hail Mary, and the Glory Be. Pray them slowly each morning and evening until you know them by heart.

  2. Step 2: Understand the Gospel

    15 minutes

    The heart of the faith is the good news: God made us for Himself, sin separates us from Him, and Jesus Christ, true God and true man, died and rose to save us and give us His Spirit (CCC 27, 386–387, 422–429). Start with the big picture.

  3. Step 3: Meet Jesus in the Gospels

    A chapter a day

    “Ignorance of the Scriptures is ignorance of Christ” (St. Jerome, quoted in CCC 133). Read the Gospel of Mark, the shortest, one chapter a day, or follow the readings the Church reads at Mass each day.

  4. Step 4: Learn the faith and the sacraments

    An evening or two

    Christ gave His Church seven sacraments, which give the grace they signify (CCC 1127, 1131). Learn what they are, then test yourself with a short beginner quiz. Don’t worry about the score: the explanations are the point.

  5. Step 5: Go to Sunday Mass

    Every Sunday

    The Eucharist is “the source and summit of the Christian life” (CCC 1324). Catholics keep the Lord’s Day holy by going to Mass every Sunday (or Saturday evening) and on holy days of obligation (CCC 2180–2181). If you are not yet Catholic, you are very welcome to attend. Holy Communion is for Catholics who are prepared to receive, so at Communion simply remain in the pew in prayer, or, where the parish invites it, come forward with your arms crossed over your chest for a blessing.

  6. Step 6: Make a good Confession

    Once a month is a good habit

    If you are baptized Catholic, the sacrament of Penance restores friendship with God after sin (CCC 1422, 1468). Examine your conscience, go to Confession, and then receive Communion with a clean heart. Not yet baptized? Baptism itself washes away all sin (CCC 1263).

  7. Step 7: Build a daily habit of prayer

    10–20 minutes a day

    “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thess 5:17). Choose a simple rule of life you can keep: a morning offering, a decade or the whole Rosary, Morning or Night Prayer from the Liturgy of the Hours, and a brief examen before sleep.

  8. Step 8: Join a parish and keep growing

    Ongoing

    Faith is lived in community, as it was from the beginning: “they were persevering in the doctrine of the apostles, and in the communication of the breaking of bread, and in prayers” (Acts 2:42). Register at a parish. If you are not baptized, ask about the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA, formerly RCIA; see CCC 1247–1249). If you were validly baptized in another Christian community, you will not be baptized again; ask about preparing to be received into full communion with the Catholic Church through a profession of faith. If you are Catholic but not yet confirmed, ask about Confirmation. Choose a saint as a friend and model.

Your check marks are saved only in this browser on this device (using local storage). Nothing is sent to us.

Questions along the way?

That is normal and good. “Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life” (Jn 6:69). Browse our answers to common questions, and talk with a priest at your local parish. He will be glad to hear from you.

Start with prayer Learn the Faith