Christian Initiation:
The Way of Becoming a Disciple of Christ
Are you someone or do you know someone who…
- is thirsting for something that seems unquenchable?
- is searching for meaning in life?
- would like a sense of community?
- needs forgiveness and mercy in your life?
- has expressed a desire for spirituality but doesn’t quite know how to become spiritual?
- would like to know who Jesus really is?
- would like to serve those in need but would also like to understand what drives us to have that desire?
- was baptized in another faith but is still searching for answers?
- has expressed an interest in becoming Catholic?
- has a child age 7 or older who has not been baptized?
- was baptized Catholic as a child but has not celebrated the Sacraments of Confirmation and Eucharist?
Christ the King offers an opportunity to come together in a small group to learn more about our faith. We provide a means of exploring your deepest questions about God and spirituality. We help you understand the need to pray and teach you a multitude of ways to pray. We offer opportunities to become a part of a Christian community. Weekly sessions focus on the teachings and experience of the Church and offer an opportunity to ask questions about the faith and how it pertains to you as an individual and within the larger community. We offer separate sessions for children and young people. You are welcome to participate in the process along with your questions, your insights, and your faith story in a warm and accepting setting.
For information about exploring the Catholic faith or entering the Catholic Church, please contact Teresa in the parish office. It is never too late to learn more about how you can become Catholic!
“We wished to abandon all to follow Christ. We learned in time that we still had it within ourselves to hold back. We wish to be wholehearted yet we are hesitant. Still, like the first disciples we know that he will draw us along and reinforce our loyalties if we yield to him.” —Constitutions of the Congregation of Holy Cross (1.8)
Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA)
The Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA, formerly known as RCIA) is the formal process by which an adult becomes a member of the Roman Catholic Church.
Although the OCIA process has several distinct steps on the journey towards full initiation, we know that people enter the OCIA process at different points in their lives. For some, this is the culmination of a long process of thought, prayer, and investigation into the Catholic Church. For others, this may be the beginning of a journey and the start of a deeper relationship with God. The OCIA process takes this into account and seeks to attend to individual needs while forming a sense of community and a common journey. Please note that there should never be any pressure to become a Catholic.
OCIA consists of weekly meetings during which we cover the basics of Catholic doctrine and practice while seeking to grow in faith, knowledge, and prayer. We also invite those who are seeking to participate in the Word (by studying and learning the faith), worship (by hearing the Word of God, becoming familiar with the Mass, and deepening your understanding of it), service (by answering the call of Christ to serve others), and community (by building relationships within our parish community). We have an amazing parish made up of individuals longing to share their faith in these ways!
Additionally, those who have not been baptized participate in dismissal sessions during the 10:30 AM Mass on Sundays, at which time they break open the Scriptures to reflect on their meaning and application in our lives.
Inquiry Sessions are always underway, so please contact Teresa for a personal meeting.
OCIA meets every Tuesday evening from 7:00 to 8:30 PM in the Fr. Tripi Room. These meetings are for those who have decided to take the next step on their spiritual journey by attending sessions and learning more about the Catholic faith. These individuals also get assistance in ways of learning about the faith apart from the Tuesday meetings by completing an individualized adult learning plan. If there is a problem with personal schedules, however, alternate arrangements can be made. Inquiry meetings begin in August and take place throughout the year by appointment. Now is the perfect time to contact Teresa to learn more about this beautiful process of initiation!
OCIA sessions are led by our Director of Sacramental Preparation alongside a team of parishioners dedicated to the faith and eager to share it with others. Team members assist in catechesis about Scripture, the Church, the sacraments, the moral life, and Christian prayer and discipleship. They also spiritually accompany our OCIA candidates as mentors, praying with them, praying for them, and guiding them through any questions about their journey into the Church.
Baptism
Baptisms for those age 7 and older take place before Easter at the Easter Vigil Mass on Holy Saturday night. This is a beautiful celebration of our faith as we remember the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Every person's faith journey is different, however, and candidates can choose to stay in the process as long as they need. Some may remain in OCIA for several years before they feel prepared for baptism. Each person will have the opportunity to talk with the Director of Sacramental Preparation and discern the right moment to receive the sacraments.
If a person wishing to enter into the Catholic Church has already been baptized, he or she will most likely not be baptized again. Other Christian baptisms that use water and the standard Trinitarian formula are valid in the Catholic Church. Those baptized into the Christian faith and wishing to enter the Catholic Church will do so by making a Profession of Faith, being confirmed, and receiving First Communion.
Everyone's situation is different, but if you or your spouse have ever been divorced, you may need to seek an annulment of your previous marriages from the Church before receiving the Sacraments of Initiation. This may affect the amount of time you spend in the OCIA process. Our Director of Sacramental Preparation can answer any questions that you might have and help you get started in this process.
Order of Christian Initiation of Children (OCIC)
The Order of Christian Initiation for Children (OCIC), or OCIA adapted for children, is the formal process through which a child age 7 or older who has not received the Sacrament of Baptism is received into the Church.
The children's catechumenate is designed to prepare children for the Sacraments of Initiation at a child's level of understanding. It is a process for children ages 7 and older who have not yet been baptized and desire to be fully intiated into the Catholic Church through the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist. Children ages 7 and older who have been baptized in another Christian faith, or those who were baptized Catholic but have received little or no formal faith formation in the Catholic faith and have not received First Communion, are also invited to participate in the process to prepare them for the entering into full communion with the Catholic Church.
The process helps children learn the faith of the Catholic Church in a small community environment. Along with the support of their families and sponsors, the children learn about the Catholic faith through the study of Scripture, the Mass, and the Sacraments. There is also a heavy emphasis on prayer. Formation consists of weekly meetings during which we cover the basics of Catholic doctrine and practice while seeking to grow in faith, knowledge, and prayer.
Typically children will being the OCIC process in the fall and will enter the Church the night before Easter at the Easter Vigil Mass with the adult catechumens. Every child's faith journey is different, however, and you can choose to stay in the process as long as needed.
Our Director of Sacramental Preparation is happy to answer any questions you have about OCIC! You can also download more information about the children's catechumenate.