Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA)
The process by which interested adults become full, active, participating members of the Catholic Church. These adults may be:
Those who have never been baptized
Those who have been baptized in another Christian tradition
Those who have been baptized Catholic but have had little to no formation in the faith.
The Order of Christian Initiation of Adults helps adults grow in their relationship with God, familiarize themselves with Catholic teachings and practices, get acquainted with people in the parish, and become involved in service within the parish or the wider community.
For Those Already Baptized
Those already baptized, called Candidates, also enter into a four-stage process: the Inquiry Period, the Formation Period, and the Lenten time of Prayer and Reflection in preparation for completing their initiation by celebrating Confirmation and Eucharist, usually on the Second Sunday of Easter.
For the unbaptized
Inquirers meet with members of the OCIA Team, tell their own stories, and connect them with the Gospel story. If you desire to continue on this journey, you will learn the teachings of the Church and become familiar with Catholic traditions and practices.
Final Steps
During the Easter Season, is the time when new Catholics meet to reflect on all that they have experienced and to explore and deepen their understanding of the mysteries of the faith.