OCIA - Religious Education for Adults

OCIA, short for Order of Christian Initiation for Adults (formerly RCIA—Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults),

is the English program at St. Mary for those wishing to complete the sacraments of initiation to enter into the Roman Catholic Church.

OCIA is a journey of study, searching, faith-sharing, and faith formation with specific liturgical rites. This program is for English-speaking adults who desire to be fully initiated into the Roman Catholic Church by completing all sacraments of initiation (Baptism, First Communion, and Confirmation).

Participants take part in classes about the faith. As they learn, pray, and experience Catholic Christian community, they discern whether God is calling them to become a Catholic. This process has several steps:

The first is the Period of Inquiry. Inquirers acknowledge that Christ is calling them into the Church through the movement of the Holy Spirit. This is a time for seeking answers and reflection. The classes will present core teachings and opportunities for questions about the Catholic faith.

After the Period of Inquiry, inquirers enter the first Rite in the OCIA process, the Rite of Acceptance. In the Rite of Acceptance, a change of identity takes place: those previously known as inquirers become catechumens. They are officially welcomed by the Church as disciples, members (albeit not yet full members) of the household of faith. They are literally marked with the cross of Christ as God’s own.

The longest part of the journey is the Catechumenate. This is a time of deeper learning and formation in the traditions and doctrine of the Catholic Church. This is a time for sharing stories, reading scripture, and studying the Church customs, traditions, and doctrine. 

Towards the end of the Catechumenate, there is a ceremony with the bishop and the community, where they are formally approved of their readiness for receiving the Sacraments of Initiation at Easter. This ceremony is called the Rite of Election, and they now become members of the elect. 

At the Easter Vigil (Holy Saturday), all newly elected members of the community who have been journeying through the OCIA process are welcomed formally into the community of believers through receiving the Sacraments of initiation: Baptism, Eucharist and Confirmation.

The program does not end with the reception of the sacraments, but extends through Pentecost. This is called the Mystagogy period. It is a time of reflection and celebration after the formal reception into the Catholic Church. This marks the beginning of living one’s life as a Catholic. What is learned during these few weeks is an integral part of keeping their new found faith alive! We are all called to go forth to help build the reign of God on Earth. During this time, new members are presented with many ways in which they can become a part of the community so they can continue to thrive in the joy of being a disciple of Jesus Christ!

Classes meet on Wednesday nights from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. The cost is $100 per person and includes our study Bible, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, additional books used in class, a binder with study materials, and two retreats for the year.

Each person coming into the program will be given a sponsor to walk with them on this journey. If someone would like to provide their own sponsor, they would need to be in attendance each week for class, speak and understand English, be an active participant in the faith, receive Holy Communion on a weekly basis, and, if married, be sacramentally married in the Catholic Church.

The OCIA journey begins in September and ends on the last Wednesday before Pentecost in May.

For more information, please contact Robin Saunders at (760) 519-6567,

Religious Education Office (760) 745-1611 x 806

For OCIA registration forms, please visit https://www.stmaryp.org/forms

The English-Speaking Order of Christian Initiation for Adults (OCIA) is for you if you are an adult who:

Is curious about what the Catholic Church teaches.

Is thinking about joining but needs more information and time to discern.

Has been baptized in the Catholic Church but still needs to receive the Sacrament of the Eucharist and/or Confirmation.

Speaks fluent English (See Spanish Ministries for the Spanish-Speaking OCIA contact.)

Wants to share your Catholic faith as a Sponsor.

The class for the English-Speaking OCIA meets every Wednesday evening from 7:00-8:30pm in the Catechumen room (September-Pentecost). Whether you are seeking to know more about the Catholic faith before joining, have been baptized in to the Catholic Church and need to complete your Sacraments, or are a parishioner willing to serve as a “spiritual friend” and share your Catholic faith in the role of a Sponsor to help those on their journey, St. Mary Parish’s OCIA program is for you!