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Home / Take the next step

Take the next step.

Find a Catholic parish near you, then take one small step: a Mass, a priest, a conversation. No pressure, no forms. Watching is always fine.

1. Find a church near you

When you press Find, your town and country are sent to OpenStreetMap’s public search service to look up churches. Nothing is stored by us.

Official directories for your country:

  • MassTimes.org lists Catholic churches and Mass times worldwide. Search by city or let it use your location.
  • GCatholic.org lists the dioceses and churches of the Catholic Church in every country, with addresses and websites.
  • Your local diocese (the Church in your region, led by a bishop) usually lists all its parishes on its website. GCatholic.org will help you find it.
  • A map app search for “Catholic church” also works in most places. Look for a parish website or phone number.
  • Catholic-Hierarchy.org lists every diocese by country, with links to diocesan websites. Use it if your country isn’t below.

Official directories by country

From the bishops’ conference or the national Church in each country. Each one leads to diocesan websites, and those list their parishes with phone numbers.

Call or visit: here’s what to say

  1. Pick the nearest parish from the list or the map, and find its phone number or email on its website.
  2. Call the parish office (weekday office hours are best) or stop by after a Mass. Say: “Hi, my name is ___. I’m not sure where to start, and I’d like to talk with a priest or someone from the parish. When would be a good time?”
  3. Then say why you’re calling. Pick the line that fits you:
    • Becoming Catholic: “I’m not baptized (or I’m baptized in another church) and I’d like to learn about becoming Catholic. When does your OCIA group meet, and who should I talk to first?” It costs nothing and there’s no commitment. Our OCIA kit has the questions to ask and what the first meeting is like.
    • Coming home: “I’ve been away from the Church for a long time and I’d like to come back. Could I talk to a priest, and when are confessions?” You don’t have to explain anything else on the phone.
    • From another faith: “I’m from another faith and I’d like to understand. Is there someone I could talk to?”
    • A wedding, funeral or baptism: “I have a question about a family wedding (or baptism, or funeral). Who handles that?”
  4. No answer? Leave a short message with your number, or try the diocese office. It’s normal to need two tries.

A discreet option

If talking to the Church could put you at risk (for example, if leaving Islam is dangerous where you live), don’t call from a shared phone or visit your own neighborhood’s parish. Look up the diocese, not a parish, through the directories above, contact its office from a private device, and ask for a confidential conversation with a priest, somewhere away from home if you need it. Use a private browsing window. If you’re in immediate danger, contact local emergency services first. More on safety.

Some parishes belong to the Eastern Catholic Churches, such as the Maronite, Ukrainian Greek Catholic, Syro-Malabar or Chaldean Churches. They are fully Catholic, with their own ancient liturgies. CCC 1203 Orientalium Ecclesiarum 2

2. Visit a Mass, without pressure

Anyone may come to Mass. You can sit near the back, watch, and join in as much or as little as you like. Nobody will single you out.

At Communion, Catholics come forward to receive the Eucharist. If you are not Catholic, you are welcome to stay in your seat, or in many parishes to come forward with your arms crossed over your chest for a blessing. This is not a rejection. The Catechism calls the Eucharist a “sign of unity” and speaks of the pain of the divisions that break the common participation in the table of the Lord. CCC 1398 CCC 1400

Church law sets out exceptions. Members of the Eastern Churches not in full communion with the Catholic Church, such as the Orthodox, may receive “if they seek such on their own accord and are properly disposed.” Other Christians may receive only in danger of death or another grave necessity judged by the bishop, under the conditions the canon lists. CIC 844 If you are unsure, ask the priest before Mass. Read the full answer.

3. Talk to a priest

Priests are used to questions from people of every background. A conversation costs nothing and commits you to nothing. Call or email the parish office and ask for a time to talk.

If you are Catholic and want to go to confession, most parishes list confession times on their website or in their weekly bulletin. Everything said in confession is protected by the absolute secrecy the Church calls the sacramental seal. CCC 1467

4. Ask about becoming Catholic

Adults usually prepare to become Catholic through a parish program. The Church calls this the catechumenate. Many English-speaking countries call the parish program OCIA (the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) or RCIA; other languages have their own names. The Catechism explains that from the time of the apostles, becoming a Christian has been a journey and initiation in several stages. CCC 1229 CCC 1232

What to say: “Hello, I’m interested in learning about the Catholic faith. Who could I talk to about becoming Catholic?”

If there is no parish near you, or if it is not safe to practice openly where you live, contact the nearest diocese and ask what is possible. Keep reading, keep praying, and stay in touch with a priest as best you can.

5. Coffee with a Catholic friend

Many people come to the Church through a friend. If you know a practicing Catholic, ask them to tell you why they believe, or to bring you to Mass. Most will be glad you asked.

Search for a parish on this page

Also useful, outside this site: MassTimes.org (Mass times worldwide).

Stone & Incense is not affiliated with MassTimes.org or GCatholic.org. We collect no information about your search. Please also support your own parish.