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Becoming Catholic

Becoming Catholic

O.C.I.A. (Order of Christian Initiation for Adults)

“…like living stones, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house…” — 1 Peter 2:5

What is OCIA?
The Order of Christian Initiation for Adults (OCIA) is a period of intellectual, moral and spiritual formation that is both personal and communal, to prepare people to become members of the Catholic Church. For those who are already validly baptized in a Christian communion, it is a way of preparing to receive the other sacraments and so enter into full communion.
Whom is it for?
  1. Those who have never been baptized.
  2. Those who have been baptized** in a Christian communion other than Catholicism but would now like to receive the other sacraments of initiation: Confirmation and the Eucharist.
  3. Those adults who were baptized Catholic, but have not yet received the other sacraments. These can be:
    1. Adults who have not made either their first confession or First Communion.
    2. Adults who have just not yet been confirmed.
**If the baptism was done with a Trinitarian formula (in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit) you are not rebaptized.**
Expectations
  • Attend the Wednesday classes, the Retreat and the non-Wednesday rites
  • Get in the habit of attending Sunday Mass and Holy Days of Obligation (marked on the schedule). Don’t receive communion yet (unless you are Catholic and have already received the sacrament), but you may come up for a blessing. We’ll review how to do that
  • Figure out your baptismal status.
    • Catholics: email/call/write for a fresh new certificate from the church of your baptism, ask them to “include all notations.”
    • non-Catholics: find your certificate if you have one, or write the church where it took place to get a new copy/notice/letter of its occurrence.
Topics Covered
  1. Knowing and Desiring God
  2. Revelation and Faith
  3. Prayer and Sacraments
  4. The Trinity
  5. Creation and the Fall
  6. Jesus and Scriptures
  7. Jesus True God and True Man
  8. Jesus Savior and Redeemer
  9. Holy Spirit
  10. The Church
  11. Blessed Virgin Mary and the Communion of Saints
  12. Baptism and Confirmation
  13. Eucharist and Mass and Liturgical Prayer
  14. Confession and Marriage
  15. Happiness and the Christian Moral Life.
  16. Law and The Ten Commandments
  17. Life of Grace
  18. Faith
  19. Virtue of Hope and the Last Things
  20. Love of God and Love of Neighbor
  21. Prudence and Conscience
  22. Justice and Temperance and Chastity
Contact Us
Rev. Mr. Anthony DiTolve, Permanent Deacon: 434-906-7074, tditolve@gmail.com.

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