The OCIA journey is intended for:

● Unbaptized adults who desire to enter the Catholic Church

● Adults baptized in other Christian denominations who now desire to live out their Christian life in full Communion with the Catholic Church

● Baptized Catholics who were not raised in the Catholic tradition and would now like to complete their Sacraments of Holy Communion and Confirmation

● Practicing Catholics who did not receive the sacrament of Confirmation.

Each journey is unique, and no one can place a set time on how quickly one should grow in faith and knowledge. That said, the “typical “ calendar for those not baptized begins in September and continues through Pentecost, with the sacraments received at the Easter Vigil. This is generally a 9 month journey.

Those already baptized Christian have additional opportunities to come into Full Communion with the church with a shorter catechumenate.

If there is a need to validate a marriage prior to the reception of the sacraments, the time may be extended to accommodate the necessary documentation.

2024 Fall Catechumenate

Our group meets once a week on Sunday mornings from 9:30 - 12:00 with some minor time changes during the different stages.

We meet in classroom B1, which is in the lower level of the church. If you enter door B of the church you can take the elevator down, or the stairway to your left.

The Catholic church places a very high value on marriage. As a candidate or catechumen preparing to enter the sacramental life of the Church through OCIA, it is important that your marriage is valid prior to the reception of the sacraments. We are happy to assist you in identifying and completing any steps which may need to be taken to accomplish this.

If necessary, your OCIA journey may include either of the following. These brief videos will provide introductory information.

● For those divorced and remarried, a decree of nullity may need to be pursued. Click here for a video with more information

● For those who have a Catholic spouse, but were not married in a Catholic church, a convalidation may be necessary to bring their union into a sacramental marriage. Click here for a video with more information.

To begin the process of discerning the validity of your marriage, please contact our Marriage Coordinator, Heather Dent at: hdent@stpatchurch.org