OCIA stands for the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults. It is the process for adult men and women who choose to enter the Catholic Church, any person is welcome, even Catholics. Participants in the OCIA program are known as catechumens. Throughout the process, they will study the Gospels and profess their faith in Jesus Christ and in the Roman Catholic Church. Those who have not already received these sacraments will receive the sacraments of baptism, confirmation, and Holy Eucharist on Holy Saturday, during the Easter Vigil. The process of catechumens to join the church is based on the ancient practices of the Church restored by the Second Vatican Council. Throughout the process, a catechumen will have a sponsor—a baptized, practicing Catholic—to help guide them along the way. There are five stages of OCIA—precatchumenate, catechumenate, purification and enlightenment, initiation, and mystagogy. There is no predetermined length for the periods of evangelization and precatchumentate and catechumenate of the initiation process. Depending on the person, these stages will be longer or shorter.
Stages of OCIA
Period of Evangelization and Precatchumenate – The period of coming to know Jesus and usually is when an attraction for the Church occurs. This first stage usually involves speaking to people of faith and leads to inquiry about how to join the Catholic Church. After a conversation with a priest or parish director, the person becomes an inquirer and will proceed to seek acceptance into the Order of Catechumens, through the Rite of Acceptance.
Period of Catechumenate – The inquirer must state that he or she wants to become a baptized member of the Catholic Church. The parish assembly affirms their desire, and the inquirer becomes a catechumen. Their faith continues to grow, and they consider what God is speaking to them in scriptures and what changes in their life they wish to make for God. During this time, catechumens also discover what membership in the Church involves. The catechumen works with a parish team who helps them grow and advances them to the next step: requesting for baptism and the celebration of the Rite of Election. The Rite of Election is when the Catechumen publicly declares their aspiration to be baptized and their name is written in the Book of Elect. Typically, this occurs on the First Sunday of Lent.
Period of Purification and Enlightenment – It is the time of prayer, study, and spiritual direction of the catechumens during Lent. During this time the parish communities prays for all those preparing for initiation.
Initiation – The Sacraments of Initiation are received during the Easter Vigil. The sacraments are baptism, confirmation, and communion. Depending on the sacraments already received by the catechumen, only some of the sacraments will be received or all three will be. After the sacraments are received, the person is fully entered into the Catholic Church.
Period of Post-Baptismal Catechesis or Mystagogy – The continuation of formation and education after being received fully into the Church. This period lasts until at least Pentecost. Not only will the newly Catholic learn more about the teachings of the Church, the sacraments, and the scriptures but will also reflect on how they will serve Christ.
If you wish to join the Roman Catholic Church, contact Fr. Matt Gembrowski at frmatt@stmarycmu.org
Help with OCIA - There are 3 main areas where help is needed:
Sponsor - an example of someone who is living their faith. This person is not expected to be perfect or to know everything, but they represent the community as support and connection. Sponsors are expected to be present with their candidate whenever they attend a session or rite. (about 3 sessions per month, about 90 minutes long)
Catechist - has a deep faith, good knowledge of the scriptures, and a knowledge of basic Catholic teaching. Catechists do not know everything and are still growing in their faith. (Pope John Paul II said that the main purpose for catechesis is to bring people into intimate communion with Jesus Christ.) They are able to lead about one session per month, requiring about 1-2 hours or preparation and about 90 minutes of reflection and teaching.
Hospitality - is creative, welcoming, and hospitable. This person (or group) would set the tone for the meeting. They could set up the prayer space, provide snacks and coffee, and perhaps provide prayer cards or notes of encouragement. There is minimal time commitment for hospitality.
If you are interested in helping out with this ministry, please reach out to Fr. Matt at frmatt@stmarycmu.org.