Order of Christian Initiation for Adults (OCIA)

What is it?

The Order of Christian Initiation for Adults (OCIA) is the normal process by which any non-Catholic person comes into full communion with the Catholic Church.  It is a process that is designed to facilitate transformation in people’s minds & hearts.

The OCIA process is for ANYONE who wants to explore the Catholic faith!

When is it?

We meet every Tuesday from 7:00pm-9:00pm and every Sunday from 9:10-10:20 in the Ministry Center. (People usually just choose the time option that works best for them.)

A person can begin OCIA AT ANY TIME, no matter the season. The first step is to contact the parish office and set up a time to meet with a member of the OCIA team. It’s an opportunity to share your story, and ask any questions you might have right up front. We’ll discuss and discover how our O.C.I.A. team can best help you.

What does it look like?

We hold weekly OCIA gatherings on Tuesdays at 7:00pm.  At each gathering, the inquirers and the team pray together, have fellowship, discuss topics, listen to a teaching on some aspect of Catholic doctrine and/or lifestyle, and hear witness stories from parishioners.

We also meet on Sundays at 9:10am (between the 8 and 10:30 Masses). This session is necessarily shorter and a bit more condensed, but it sometimes works better for people’s schedules than Tuesday evenings.

And finally, we do “breaking open the Word” during the 8am Sunday Mass: after the priest preaches his homily, we dismiss and do a short Scripture study of the readings of the day together, anticipating the day when those preparing to receive the Sacraments can stay and participate fully in the Eucharist.

The whole OCIA process culminates with the Sacraments of Initiation, ordinarily celebrated at the Easter Vigil Mass in the spring.  The process, however, isn’t over!  Sacraments always signal the beginning of a new life in Christ.  In order to help neophytes (“new lights”) live that new life, we help them get integrated into parish life through discipleship communities.

I have more questions.

Contact the office, and we’ll gladly answer any and all questions you have!