Are you looking to join the Catholic Church?
Do you want to receive the Sacraments of Initiation?
(Either Baptism, Holy Communion or Confirmation)
Are you looking to learn more about the Catholic Church and grow deeper in your faith?
We want to hear from you
If you fit any of these descriptions, OCIA might be a good place for you to start
The Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults is a journey in which you experience support, discovery, and fellowship. It is for any adult who is looking to start or deepen their faith journey by preparing to receive any of the Sacraments of Initiation or for anyone who is looking to learn more about their Catholic faith and grow deeper in it.
The RCIA process has several distinct stages. These Catholic RCIA stages are a good model of faith development itself and can be used for anyone who wants to pursue a deeper faith life and continue to grow as a Catholic Christian. We will be covering a whole range of topics focusing on Scripture and the Sacraments with a specifically Catholic lense. At the same time, we will be following the four formal stages of the traditional RCIA model. These stages are as follows:
Inquiry
the initial period before you decide to enter the Catholic Church. You’re asking questions and checking it out but aren’t yet ready to commit.
Catechumenate
those who decide to enter the Church and are being trained for a life in Christ are called catechumens, an ancient name from the early Church. In this stage, you’re developing your faith and are being “catechized” – learning catechism, or the basic points about Catholic faith and life.
Purification and Preparation
The Church will help you focus and intensify your faith as you prepare you to commit your life to Christ and be received into the Church at Easter. If you’re following the RCIA process, you’ll go through a beautiful series of Gospel-based meditations during Lent, which is the time frame of this period.
Mystagogy
after reception into the Church at Easter, this period lets you reflect and learn more about the mysteries of the Mass and the Sacraments that you now participate in fully.
Where do you begin?
Beginning this journey can be confusing and unclear as to where to start and how to proceed. Fr. Leo and the Augustine Institute with Symbolon have some practical general suggestions about how to start and or continue that journey. If this is something you would like to pursue with the St. Patrick’s community please contact Stephanie Farr at stephanie@stpatrickchurch.org to sign up for this journey.