How do I Become Catholic?

Once, after Lectoring, I was taken by surprise by a lady stopping me, as I walked out of the church.  She asked, "How do I become Catholic?"

What surprised me was that she asked me--not the priest, nor the deacon, who were out front shaking hands with everybody leaving the church.  I was so taken aback that I just gave her a pamphlet for RCIA and walked on.

Since then, I've prayed for her.  It's the least I could do since I failed her miserably when she reached out to me. And when I think about it, we Lectors and Cantors, are the most approachable, of the visible participants, in the Mass.  I know everyone is participating, but I'm trying to look through the eyes of a non-Catholic attending a Mass.  Approaching the priest or deacon, is too intimidating.  It's the lay people, a lay inquirer would seek out.  I know I would.

What would my advice be now?  I'd befriend a Catholic who knows what they believe.  I'd ask the Catholic if they attend Sunday Mass; daily Mass would be a great find.  I'd ask them to take me to a Mass and afterwards we'd go out for coffee and discuss whatever questions came up.  I'd encourage getting together every once in a while to chat.  I'd recommend reading the Compendium on the Catechism of the Catholic Church and YOUCAT, together.  Both these would have questions that would be great discussion topics.

Maybe I could get a priest to discuss some topics with us.  Here is where we'd ask about RCIA and maybe sign up.

This won't happen over night.  You know how excruciatingly slow God's time is.  But when the inquirer is ready they can be Baptized.  It is appropriate to be baptized at Easter.  Here you may also receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation and then you may receive the Holy Eucharist.

The Eucharist is what keeps me Catholic.  And it's the reason, my unknown inquirer is searching.  But that's a topic for another post.