Become Catholic
become catholic
Encounter Jesus Christ
We do not make ourselves Christians. We become Christians because Jesus, the Son of God, took flesh in history, suffered, died, rose from the dead, and ascended to the Father, because the Holy Spirit descended upon the Church at Pentecost, and because these events still happen in the world. These events happen now because the Catholic Church exists in the world to make them present through the sacraments. They happen because Jesus is alive. He can be encountered today with exactly the same results experienced by Andrew, James, John, Peter, Mary Magdalene, the Samaritan woman, the man born blind, Zacchaeus, and the criminal at the cross next to His. They happen today because Jesus still wants to encounter us and lead us to the Father.
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
Handing on the revelation of God in Jesus Christ for generations.
Nearly 2,000 years ago, Jesus vowed to build His Church on the shoulders of a man named Peter. This is what he did. Since then, the Catholic Church has been faithfully handing on what Jesus revealed from generation to generation. This matters, because this consistency, ensures you’re coming into contact with the real Jesus.
Let's have a conversation
Learn more about becoming Catholic.
We invite you to encounter Jesus in the Catholic Church and to join in our mission — a bold and daring one — of bringing His love to a hurting world. The world promises comfort, but we were not made for comfort. We were made for greatness. Encounter that greatness and share in it. Become Catholic.
If you are interested in learning more about becoming Catholic, please fill out this form and we’ll be in touch.
Get in touch.
Simply complete this form and one of our team members will be in touch. If there's anything in particular you're interested in knowing or that you'd like to tell us, please note it below.
Calm amid the storms of life
The gates of hell will not prevail against her.
Sometimes life feels hellish and we think we might drown beneath the waves of a culture that says nothing matters, a culture that says life has no inherent meaning. We feel like we’re drifting in rolling waters, with nothing solid to hold onto. Even in such a time as our own, the Church stands like a lighthouse on solid rock: a beacon of peace. Jesus Christ is the source of this peace, and the Catholic Church has been making Jesus present, making it possible to encounter him, since he established her to do so. Because Jesus established the Church, we can be confident the gates of hell will not prevail against her (Mt 16:18).
program elements
What is the Become Catholic program at Stella Maris?
Curious to know more about the Become Catholic program elements?
Accompaniment
Become Catholic Nights
Liturgy
Lent
Be Catholic.
THE FINAL STAGE OF THE PROCESS.
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Becoming Catholic is one thing. Living life as a Catholic is another. At Stella Maris, our formation process doesn’t end with the Sacraments of Initiation. Following your entry into the Church, your mentor will continue to meet with you. Together, you will unpack the meaning of the Sacraments for your life and continue your formation in the Christian life. At this point, it’s not about becoming Catholic, but being Catholic.
become catholic nights
Join us for a meal, a message, and time in prayer.
Become Catholic Nights take place monthly, on the third Tuesday beginning at 5:30pm. They are designed for everyone actively participating in the Become Catholic process, and for those who are thinking about it. Each month, we gather for a meal, a presentation on a meaningful topic, discussion, and time to pray in the church. RSVPs encouraged to ensure we prepare enough food! Learn more about upcoming Become Catholic Nights below.
Frequently Asked Questions
Complete the interest form on this page. Either Fr. Tim Ralston, the pastor of Stella Maris, or Brad Bursa, director of evangelization will reach out to you for a meeting. This will be a basic get-to-know-you conversation. We’ll answer your questions and discern together the right next step for you.
No. We’re happy to receive you into the program whenever you are ready.
- Maybe you have not been baptized and don’t know much about God, but you believe he exists.
- Maybe you’ve heard about Jesus and you want to start following him.
- Maybe you were baptized, but were never taught anything about God.
- Maybe you were baptized and went to Sunday school classes when you were young, but now that you’re an adult, you want more.
- Maybe you belong to another Christian faith, but you would like to know more about what the Catholic faith is about.
All are welcome to join us and find what your heart has been seeking!
Not in the sense of going to the church weekly for a lecture or what have you. Instead, we’re taking a multi-dimensional approach to formation, and in a way that is super-flexible. We find this better fits the needs of today’s inquirers.
Not a monetary one. But, Jesus does ask for the whole of our lives, so there’s that!
In church-speak, your mentor goes by the official name of “sponsor.” We have a number of trained sponsors ready to begin walking with those interested in becoming Catholic. We’ll get to know you and your history, then we’ll try to pair you with a sponsor that “fits.” We will facilitate an initial meeting with you and your sponsor to set expectations and so forth.
The weekly news
Want to stay in the know?
Not quite ready to begin the process of becoming Catholic? Sign up for our newsletter to get a sense of what’s going on in the Catholic Church.
We send our newsletter every Friday. It’s a great way to be informed about upcoming events and parish life. You can receive it as a text or an email. You decide!
