OCIA

Program Coordinator: Dominic Margaglione

No one is ever too old to enter fully into the Catholic Faith through Sacraments of Initiation! If you or someone in your family who is seven years of age or older and has not received the Sacrament of Baptism or is an adult who has not received the Sacraments of the Eucharist (Holy Communion) and Confirmation, please click the button below to see how to begin a journey of faith that leads to the joyful celebration of full initiation into the Catholic Church.

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The Order of Christian Initiation for Adults is a program for those who wish to receive the Sacraments of Baptism, Holy Eucharist, and/or Confirmation within the Catholic Church. Here at St. Michael’s we refer to this group as our Christ Seekers.

If you are interested in learning more call the Parish Center at 978-686-4050 or e-mail:  [email protected]

Parishes welcome new members into the Catholic Church through a process of education, faith sharing, and rituals known as the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA). This process includes several stages marked by prayer, study, and discussion. Included in the process are several Rites, which take place within the context of the Mass. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) describes the OCIA as a process in which participants "undergo . . . conversion as they study the Gospel, profess faith in Jesus and the Catholic Church, and receive the sacraments . . . The RCIA process follows the ancient practice of the Church and was restored by the Second Vatican Council as the normal way adults prepare for baptism."

The OCIA is structured over a series of ceremonial steps and periods of learning, and the timing of these may vary for each individual. One may take as much time as he or she needs in the initiation process before becoming ready for full initiation through the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and the Eucharist. Initiation within the Church is a journey of conversion that is gradual and ongoing and suited to individual needs. It is a process rather than an educational program and this process takes place within the community of the faithful, the local Church.

For adults either

• (a) non-baptized;
• (b) baptized in another Faith; or
• (c) baptized Catholics who received no formal religious training and never received Eucharist or Confirmation and who are interested in becoming Catholic or are seeking fully communion with the Catholic Church.