The transformative journey of adults or children entering into the Catholic Church.
What is O.C.I.A. (Formerly known as R.C.I.A.)?
The Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) is a process developed by the Catholic Church for prospective converts to Catholicism who are above the age of infant baptism. Candidates are gradually introduced to aspects of Catholic beliefs and practices.
The OCIA is a process of prayer, study, service, worship, discussion, faith sharing and celebration for:
- Unbaptized adults and children of catechetical age who wish to learn more about the faith and the possibility of becoming Catholic.
- Baptized Christians from other faiths who want to learn more about the Catholic faith and possibly become Catholic.
- Baptized Catholics who have not received the sacraments of First Eucharist and Confirmation and who desire to enter fully into the community of the Catholic faith.
- Children baptized Catholic or in another faith who are not catechized also participate at their own level in the RCIA process. Children in the Diocese of St. Augustine participate in the process of RCIA for 2 years and sometimes longer.
Basic Concepts of the OCIA
- Conversion is a process involving both the mind and the heart.
- The OCIA takes place among the community of believers.
- The OCIA follows the flow of the liturgical seasons and its stages are marked by liturgical rites.
- The OCIA process encourages authentic Catholic faith.
Do you or someone you know want to become Catholic?
The Catholic Church warmly welcomes new members and tries to provide appropriate spiritual and faith formation. Christian initiation is a gradual process with weekly meetings and an opportunity to ask questions about the Church and the message of Jesus Christ as it is lived out in the Catholic Church.
Adults and school-age children who want to become Catholic and part of our parish community are called to the process of OCIA. You may contact Deacon Peter Watry pwatry@att.net or Parish Office for more information. You will have the opportunity for an initial contact for some background on the process and timeline and answer some questions.
Those who are not baptized become “catechumens” while those who are already baptized become “candidates for full communion” as they prepare and reflect on the Sunday Scriptures and more.
Contact Information:
OCIA for Children: Amanda Beltz: beltz@sjcatholic.org
OCIA for Adults: Deacon Peter Watry: pwatry@att.net
OCIA in Spanish: Deacon Jesus Garcia: josedejesusgarcia.jax@gmail.com