December 7, 2025 Essay: Becoming Catholic. The Response Evolves…
[On December 7th at the 11 AM Solemn Mass, 30+ women and men will participate in the Rite of Welcome, the first Rite leading up to their baptism and/or reception into the Church. Here is a reflection from Eunice An, who became Catholic at the 2025 Easter Vigil.]
A recent Pew study of U.S. Catholics (8% of whom converted to Catholicism in adulthood) found that leading responses were summarized as “came to believe in the teaching or historical foundations of the Catholic Church,” “felt called to Catholicism/found it spiritually fulfilling,” and “the influence of family and friends.” About half of the respondents became attracted to Catholicism through the positive influence of their spouse or partner.
If you asked me why I decided to come into Full Communion with the Catholic Church, my answer would have depended on when along the continuum from my decision to attend Catholic Masses in New York after my mother died through today (nearly two years later). This response changes as the many reasons that are lodged in my heart have reached my consciousness gradually after homilies, readings, or conversations with other Catholics.
I was confirmed as a Presbyterian in 7th grade, but over the years have dropped in and out of different churches. My attendance was more regular at one Protestant church where the homilies were delivered with such skill by the son of a politician as well as at a Catholic church where the “Lamb of God” was sung along to the strumming of a folk guitar and where I learned to love wishing strangers “Peace be with you.” Every Christmas Mass after college was always spent in the company of my mother, who had returned to Catholicism after my parents divorced.
The kernel of an idea to become Catholic came to be after I saw how important my mother’s faith was to her during her last months. It didn’t occur to me at that point that I would do anything more than find a Catholic church with a good homily, where I would sneak in and out, anonymous.
At one of the Masses I attended while sampling the two Jesuit churches in the city, the Catechumens were presented to the Parish community. I knew that I had to go through the process to become Catholic, not simply attend Mass. I chose St. Ignatius because I felt at home here.
The Catechumens in this Sunday’s Rite will have shared their answer as to why they wanted to inquire into Catholic faith in a small group at their first OCIA meeting. Some may have simplified it; others may have told a longer version. While I can’t remember everyone’s story, I do recall enough to know that to try to reduce each of their stories to one of the categories from the Pew survey would not do justice to any of their decisions.
This OCIA process is the beginning of a public and private journey which will extend well past the Easter Vigil when these adults become Catholic. Some will be baptized, the rest will come into Full Communion with the Church or complete their Roman Catholic Initiation. Perhaps their reasons will evolve as the St. Ignatius Parish community affirms and prays for them at the end of the Rite on December 7th, or as they are moved by the kindness of the OCIA Team, or as they find lifelong friends among each other, or as they join various ministries here and find community.
Maybe they will even wrestle with differences between their long-held beliefs and Catholic teachings and figure out what they now believe or even how two seemingly paradoxical things can both be true. Pray that they do, that we all do. Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief.
Peace be with you.
— Eunice An, Parishioner and 2025 OCIA Group