Through the process, an adult who is interested in becoming a member of the Church is helped and guided in making this commitment through a series of liturgical rites and formation sessions with the support and prayers of the members of the Christian community, especially in the parish.

The Second Vatican Council was a major event in the history of the Catholic Church. It was convened by Pope John XXIII on October 11, 1962 and had as its aim the updating of the Church's practices and teachings to better relate to the modern world while remaining faithful to its core principles and traditions.

According to Thomas Finn, an expert on the history of the catechumenate, “Perhaps more than any other possession of the Church, they account for the early Christian Church’s survival and spread.” However, from the fifth century onwards, the seriousness and fervour with which adult initiation was carried out began to decline.

This article describes the preparatory process leading to the baptismal rite.