What is OCIA?

 The Order of Christian Initiation for Adults, or OCIA, is a communal process for formal initiation of new members into the Catholic Church. This process is a return to the formation of the earliest members of the Church in the first and second centuries.

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops describes the Order of Christian Initiation for Adults as a process in which participants "undergo…conversion as they study the Gospel, profess faith in Jesus and the Catholic Church, and receive the sacraments…The OCIA process follows the ancient practice of the Church and was restored by the Second Vatican Council as the normal way adults prepare for baptism."

Likewise, the language used in the OCIA process is that of the early Church formation programs. Catechumens are those people who are seeking full initiation into the Catholic Church through all of the Sacraments of Initiation – Baptism, Eucharist and Confirmation. Candidates are people who have been baptized in a Christian tradition but are seeking initiation into the Catholic Church through Eucharist and Confirmation.

All are Welcome!

OCIA welcomes you to join a group of people on a journey of faith!
The OCIA process is designed for unbaptized adults and / or adults who were baptized in a non-Catholic Christian faith community.
The sessions for 2025 – 2026 are held on Wednesdays  at 6:30pm in the meeting room upstairs in the Immaculate Conception Church.
We have a Team of skilled catechists who will facilitate this process, introducing you to the teachings and practices, the sacraments, and the Liturgical Rites of the Roman Catholic Church.

The Roman Catholic Church was instituted by Jesus Christ and passed on through Apostolic Succession from St. Peter through Pope Francis, our current Holy Father.

For those unbaptized persons wishing to receive the sacraments of Initiation (baptism, confirmation, eucharist), and those who have received Christian baptism (non-Catholic), please contact your parish office. Our program is directed by Susan Vendeland.

 Our lead minister who will meet with Inquiries individually is Denise Rhone.

OCIA is a Journey

The Order of Christian Initiation for Adults is a process that proceeds over weeks and months. It has several steps:

List of Services

OCIA Team

People journeying through the OCIA process need sponsors and community support to help them grow in faith. The OCIA team of sponsors help guide, support and instruct those discerning whether to become members of our Catholic community. Team members share their faith with inquiring adults who are seeking more information about the Catholic Church, many of whom seek to celebrate one or more of the Sacraments of Initiation: Baptism, Eucharist and Confirmation.