Being Catholic is a spiritual journey of faith and mission. As Christians, that journey leads us ever deeper into the heart of Jesus. We believe Jesus walks with us every day to enlighten our path, strengthen us in our joys, comfort us in our sorrows, and free us from whatever keeps us from experiencing God’s boundless love.

We invite you to join us on this journey to discover (or rediscover) God’s presence in your life. 

At St. Columba, we will walk with you on the journey and help you recognize the ways that God is inviting you to grow in your faith. We will help you explore your spiritual questions and learn how to live as a disciple of Jesus.

Saint Columba Catholic Church is a community whose faith in Jesus is lived through an African American spirituality. This simply means that the community worships and serves God by means of African American traditions. We are fully Roman Catholic, and our members are a diverse spectrum of people from all ethnicities 
and walks of life. 

To read more about our African American identity: African American identity >

Think of this as an apprenticeship in Christian life, where you learn and deepen your understanding of what it means 
to follow Jesus through the example and friendship of our parish family.

Becoming Catholic is not about taking classes, but learning and practicing a way of life. Here, you will experience how we live the teachings of the Church through the unique ways our parish encounters Jesus in our love of Scripture and of one another, in our prayer life and our witness as a community of faith in the world. Our goal is for you to see Jesus Christ in everything we do and to accompany you as you listen to the Holy Spirit on your journey of faith.

The process looks different for everyone because you are unique. Your life, your questions, your journey is unlike anyone else’s. We will help you create your own spiritual map and accompany you on every step of your journey of faith.

Generally, however, there are four big stages for most people who want to become Catholic:

1.   Listening — During the first stage, we listen to your questions, dialogue, listen some more, and try to understand how God is showing up in your life. Then we work together to develop a plan for how you want to learn and practice a new way of life with Jesus.

2.    Apprenticeship — This stage is also called the catechumenate, which is the church’s name for training in Christian life. This is a “learn by doing” process in which you practice being Christian.

3.   Spiritual preparation — When you feel like you’ve learned how to live as a Christian (not perfectly, but you have the basics), the third stage is a time of spiritual purification and enlightenment just before baptism.

4.   Reflecting back — After you are baptized, there is a 50-day period of basking in the glow of your new life in Christ and reflecting on everything that has happened and looking forward to how you will live into your new Catholic life as a disciple of Jesus. This stage is also called the time of mystagogy.

We understand that exploring faith and the invitation to follow Jesus is a personal and ongoing journey. If you begin this process, there is no pressure, expectation, or deadline for you to become Catholic or celebrate a sacrament. 

Our hope with this process is to provide you a way to discover for yourself what Christ desires for you and how you want to respond. We respect your conscience and your decisions as you discern your unique spiritual path.

We invite you to take a next step in exploring the love of Jesus Christ with us! Here are some possible next steps
to consider.

• Sign up for our parish online newsletter to learn more about some of the activities of the parish: Flocknotes Newsletter >

• Look for a friendly face next time you're at our church and ask them your questions. You'll find a lot of friendly folks at St. Columba! Good places to look are in the choir, among those who read or do any of the special roles at Mass, anyone welcoming you at the doors or serving refreshments after Mass—really almost anyone you meet at St. Columba! They'll be able to answer some of your questions, tell you more about our community, and even sit with you during Mass.

• Ask one of our priests or parish leaders for a chat in person, by phone, or over email: Parish Staff >

• Contact one of our initiation team members to schedule a three-meeting spiritual conversation where one of our parishioners will listen to your story, your goals, and your hopes for your spiritual life with Christ. 
  Please fill out the form below.