OCIA Process Overview

OCIA (formerly known as RCIA) is the normal way in which unbaptized adults (called “catechumens”) and children over 7 become full, active participating members of the Catholic Church. Children and teens follow a process similar to the adults but adapted for their own peer group.

The process to become Catholic if you have never been baptized involves 4 phases:

• Phase I - Precatechumenate Begin with an inquiry meeting by reaching out to Lauren and joining us for the monthly sessions. During this time, the discussion and group sessions center around how God communicates with us, who Jesus is, what the Church is, and sharing time to ask questions about the Catholic faith. There is never any pressure to become Catholic, and this step does not have a timeframe. It is based on one’s own heart and response to conversion with the desire to continue forward. Once you decide this, we celebrate with a Rite of Acceptance in the liturgy, a “Welcome Home” so to speak.

  Phase 2 - Catechumenate After the Rite of Acceptance, catechumens attend Sunday 10:00 am Mass to be dismissed after the homily to unpack Scripture through sessions that develop a deepening awareness of God’s call and our response as lived out in the Catholic community. It is a time of nurturing, growth in faith, and continued conversion. This phase will introduce approaching the Word of God and a greater invitation to understand and live Catholic teaching, as well as what changes need to be made in our lives to respond to God’s inspiration, and what Baptism and the rest of the Sacraments in the Church mean. Unlike the past “set of classes” or “Catholic 101” that was “required” like a class, this phase instead invites the catechumen to dialogue with their sponsor (mentor) to be involved and take initiative in their own learning of faith based on their background and past experience, whether that be experiential in the community and liturgy, or join the faith formation series offered throughout the year (such as is offered under “Adult Sacramental Preparation” link below).

• Phase 3 - Purification and Enlightenment The days of Lent are the final period leading up to the Easter Vigil. This phase is a time of interior reflection, intensely centered on continued prayer, conversion of heart, and study leading up to the Easter Vigil, as well as joining in our faith community’s practices of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. At the Easter Vigil, adults receive all three Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and First Communion.

• Phase 4 - Mystagogia This is a period of time to reflect on the experiences of the Easter Vigil and continue to learn more about the Church and a life lived in Christ, particularly now going out to be a part of the community and the world and serve Christ through the Church’s mission and outreach.

Except for Purification and Enlightenment, which follows the Liturgical Calendar from Lent until Easter, the other phases are based on readiness and continual dialogue between the catechumen, the OCIA director (Lauren), and the person’s sponsor (mentor).

Begin the conversation by emailing Lauren today at lscheller@popplano.org.

LAUREN SCHELLER
Coordinator of Adult Ministry
lscheller@popplano.org