The initiation of adults is the responsibility of all the baptized…. Hence, the entire community must help the candidates and the catechumens throughout the process of initiation…. (RCIA, 9)

All of us are on a spiritual journey--a Journey of Faith--all are at different mileposts on that journey.  Since the very earliest days of the Catholic Church, there has been a process of accepting men, women, children, and entire families into the Church.  This process, which we today call the Order of Christian Initiation for Adults/Children (OCIA), follows the mission commanded by Jesus Christ:  "Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit." (Matthew 28)

Bishop Iffert welcomes Hope K. at the Rite of Election, Feb 2024

Welcome to the Catholic Church: RCIA 2024:


 What is OCIA?

The Order of Christian Initiation of Adults is the way people are initiated into the Christian way of life, specifically in the Roman Catholic tradition. It is a journey of discovery, where participants come to know Jesus Christ.  It is a process of awakening to what it means to be a Catholic Christian.  It is an opportunity to explore the Catholic faith.  It is a period of discernment to help each individual freely decide if the Catholic Church can be the place to call home. The OCIA is a focused experience of the ever-deepening journey into the life of faith, which is the task of a lifetime.

Who is OCIA for?

OCIA is for adults who have never been baptized, those who have been baptized in another Christian denomination, and even those baptized as a Catholic who were unable to continuing learning about the faith. 

What about a child or teenager?

The Order of Christian Initiation for Children (OCIC) is the program of faith journey designed for children, ages 7 through 8th grade.  Children participate in the Parish Religious Education Program September through January, when OCIC begins.  High school students participate with the adult program.

So, what do we do on this journey?

We pray, learn about prayer and how to pray.  We enter into a journey of discovery into the sacramental and prayer life of the Church, most especially the Mass.  We learn about Scripture; in fact, the Bible is our primary “text book”. We learn how to “be” Catholic as we discover the moral and prayer life of the Church.  We develop relationships, within our group, but also within the parish and the community. 

How much does the program cost?

Nothing.  All expenses are covered by the parish.

Who do I call for more information or to get started?

Contact Deacon Rich, ext. 223.

What past participants have said:

“RCIA helped me with my spiritual journey by understanding where I was coming from; I was helped to understand how much God loves me and how much this parish community cares.”  

”Helped me clear up a lot of misconceptions and stereotypes about Catholics”

 “Reconciliation was keeping me away from this program; but I loved the experience.  What a gift this sacrament is!”

“Really enjoyed the experience and education; time flew by so fast it didn’t seem like nine months”

 “Thank you, thank you, thank you!  This is exactly what I needed in my life.  I am so thankful for the RCIA team—the entire experience!”

 “I came because of family pressure.  I stayed and became Catholic because I wanted to.  It was the best decision I’ve made in my life.” 

Registration Form link is above and can be submitted directly to us.

Our Catholic Inquiry Sessions begin September 4, 2025.  We will begin with the video series "Unlocking the Mystery of the Bible" which follows the story of the Bible from Creation to the Church in Revelation.  About the bible, scholar Jeff Cavins says:  "And so it really does paint a picture of the behavior of humanity and it speaks of the great patience and the loving kindness that God demonstrates in bringing us back together in his family, which is going to culminate in Jesus.  I would not be alarmed at all of the stories in the Bible.  I think anytime you read about sin, sure its alarming, but it really doees echo where mankind is at today, and also the love of God and the great lengths he goes to save us and to bring us to himself.  (Jeff Cavins, author of Unlocking the Mystery of the Bible, quoted from the Bible in a Year podcast.)