Maybe all these years, you’ve been looking for ways to deepen your relationship with God and others. You’ve been to a Catholic Church, you love what you see and hear but you don’t exactly know how to get fully initiated into the Church. Through our O.C.I. program (Order of Christian Initiation) we will guide you step by step as to what you need to do in order to become the holy, healthy and vibrant person that God created you to be. The Church uses the Order of Christian Initiation (O.C.I) to prepare, accept and welcome individuals desiring to become full members of the Roman Catholic faith community.
O.C.I. is the process which:
– an unbaptized person over the age of seven,
– a baptized but uncatechized person over the age of seven,
– or any person baptized in another Christian tradition
is received into the Catholic Church.
There are no strangers here;
Only friends you haven’t yet met.
Becoming a Catholic
OCIA Overview
Full membership into the Catholic Church through receipt of the
Sacraments of Initiation- Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist.
The process of initiation into the Catholic community is a process of conversion.
It is modeled on the process that historical documents tell us was the practice of the Church for its first five centuries.
It is modeled on a journey. This journey is divided into four continuous phases that parallel a participant’s progress in the development of his/her faith.
Certain important points on that journey are milestones celebrated publicly by the whole parish community.
1. Pre-CATECHUMENATE- Period of Inquiry
This initial phase, similar to the dating stage in a marriage relationship, is a time of getting to know about the Church in a social and questioning way.
It is marked by complete freedom –a “just looking” approach.
During this phase, the inquirer is able to take a good look at how the parish community lives and shares its faith with one another.
If a person becomes ready to make an initial commitment to Jesus and the Church, they celebrate the Rite of Acceptance into the Catechumenate.
The time spent in the inquiry stage depends on each individual, anywhere from a few weeks to a few months.
2. CATECHUMENATE- Period of Learning
The second phase is called the Catechumenate.
Prior to this phase, a person called a “sponsor” joins the “catechumen”.
A sponsor is an active member of the parish faith community.
As a representative of the parish, the sponsor will make this journey of faith with the catechumen.
During this phase, catechumen receive a more formalized instruction in the faith as well as joining with the community in prayer and worship.
There will be various public prayers and blessings marking stages of growth within this period.
If the person is ready “to name the date”, this is celebrated with the Rite of Election with the Pastor and parish community on the First Sunday of Lent.
3. LENT - Period of Purification and Enlightenment
The six Sundays of Lent are seen as a period of immediate preparation and purification.
During this time, the catechumens enter into sort of a “40-day retreat”.
The Sundays are marked with special ceremonies and rituals that draw the focus of the entire parish community to the spirit of the Lenten season- renewal!
4. EASTER VIGIL -Ceremonies of Initiation
On the night of the Easter Vigil
– on the night we celebrate new life through death –
we celebrate Baptism
(full Communion with the Catholic Church of those already baptized),
Confirmation and Eucharist.
In ceremonies that can be traced back to the year 200 A.D., the whole parish community renews its own baptismal commitment as it welcomes new members into its midst.
It is the culmination to the journey of conversion, but certainly not the end of that journey.
5. MYSTAGOGY -- Period of Post-Initiation
This final phase of the faith journey is called “mystagogia”, from the word mystery.
For the weeks between Easter and Pentecost, we meet to look more deeply into the meaning of the Easter/Baptismal experience and to more intently put faith into practice.
In reality, this phase of the process continues for the remainder of our lives.
We are constantly being drawn toward closer relationships and deeper understandings of the mysteries of our faith.