Becoming Catholic (O.C.I.A.)
Becoming Catholic
OCIA: Order of Christian Initiation of Adults
What is the OCIA?
The Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) is a gradual process of conversion and initiation into the Catholic Christian community providing individuals the space to encounter God and respond to His invitation to a new way of life in the Catholic faith. Grounded in a respect for the personal faith journey of each individual, the OCIA provides an extended period of prayer, study, and fellowship in which each individual has the opportunity to grow in relationship with God and the parish community.
Who is the OCIA for?
Persons who have never been baptized and wish to receive the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist (Holy Communion) in the Catholic Church.
Persons who were baptized in another Christian denomination and wish to be received into full communion with the Catholic Church by receiving the sacraments of Confirmation and Eucharist.
Baptized Catholics who have not completed their initiation; by receiving the sacraments of Confirmation and Eucharist.
How does the OCIA work?
In the OCIA individuals reflect and learn about what is means to be a part of the Catholic Christian community – who we are, what we believe, how we celebrate and pray, how we relate with one another and with God. Based on the gradual transformation of each individual, the OCIA accompanies and celebrates the journey to faith of each individual.
The process begins with a period of inquiry for those who have felt called to consider the Catholic faith. Here you will find an open space to ask questions about what Catholics hold and believe while meeting others striving to live Gospel values. Know that initial inquiry does not necessarily commit you to initiation.
For more information, contact:
Kurt Lawrence
sacraments@stolafschurch.org
Becoming Catholic
OCIA: Order of Christian Initiation of Adults
Are you curious about the Catholic faith, or feeling called to enter more fully into the life of the Church? OCIA is a welcoming journey of prayer, learning, and community for adults discerning their next step. Classes meet weekly on Tuesday evenings at 6:30 pm, September through May, led by Sally Hewitt and Dan Meyer, using Ascension Press’s Invited: Your Journey into the Catholic Church.
The path forward depends on where each person begins:
Never baptized (catechumens): Those who have not been baptized journey through a period of catechesis and are received into the Church through Baptism, Confirmation, and First Eucharist at the Easter Vigil. Only catechumens are initiated at the Easter Vigil.
Baptized in another Christian tradition: Those who were validly baptized in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are already our brothers and sisters in Christ. After a period of preparation, they make a profession of faith and receive the sacraments at a Sunday Mass.
Baptized Catholics needing Confirmation: Adult Catholics who have not yet been confirmed will prepare alongside the group and be confirmed in the spring by one of the bishops of the Archdiocese of Seattle.
Ready to begin, or have questions? Register or inquire here.
For more information, contact:
Dan Braus
danb@saintcparish.org
Kate O'Brien
Parish Life and Formation Coordinator, St. Cecilia Parish
kateo@saintcparish.org
