Looking to become Catholic?
Are you or someone you know interested in joining the Catholic Church? Are you interested in learning more about the Catholic faith? Any interested adult is invited to participate in the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA), which will begin again in September 2024. Please connect with Nancy McGrew at the email or phone number listed below and she will be able to answer any questions you may have.
Our OCIA program is an adult faith process designed for those interested in becoming Catholic. OCIA is much more than going to classes on Catholicism. It is undergoing a conversion to a new way of life in Christ. It is important to understand that OCIA is a “process”, not a “program”; it is for and about people: people on the move, people being remade in the image of Christ, people being reborn in the Spirit, people on a journey toward faith. OCIA is the Church’s way of forming disciples of Jesus Christ and the way the Catholic Church welcomes its newest members.
OCIA is a 4-step journey. We begin in September with the “Pre-Catechumenate (Inquiry)” period. It is a time for you to hear the Word through scripture study and to build relationships with God, the RCIA family and your parish community. During the second period (beginning in mid-November), “Catechumenate (Catechesis)”, you learn about the Catholic faith through more formal instruction; you join with the parish community in worship and get to know the larger parish family. “Purification and Enlightenment (Continued Conversion)” coincides with Lent and is a time of conversion as you prepare for your initiation into the Catholic faith.
When you make this faith journey toward full initiation into the Catholic Church, you will be received into the Catholic faith at the Easter Vigil. At this time, you are made one with the body of Christ through the sacraments of Confirmation and Eucharist (and baptism if we have a Catechumen). This is probably one of the greatest nights of your life. It is the pinnacle of the conversion journey, but not the end of your journey. We must go forth and continue the mission of Jesus Christ. After Easter and continuing through May, we move into the 4th phase of OCIA, “Mystagogia (Integration)”, which is the time to move forward together and grow toward a deeper understanding of God’s Word, of the Sacraments, and of the lived Christian life. This step continues for the rest of your life.
For more information on the OCIA program, please contact:
Nancy McGrew
651-768-3023
[email protected]