O.C.I.A. (or simply "OCIA") stands for the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults, the process by which an adult person is initiated into the Catholic Church, through Baptism, Confirmation, and First Holy Communion.  Through this process the adult is formed in the Christian faith, with the local parish community serving as both catechists and models.

OCIA is for three groups of people

• Those who have never been baptized in any faith,
• People who were baptized in another Christian faith, and
• Baptized Catholics who have never received the Sacraments of Confirmation and Eucharist 

Are you interested in developing your faith!  Is it a little overwhelming? We will provide you with some fundamentals, centered in Christ, for beginning and developing your life of faith in the Roman Catholic Church. The OCIA process has several distinct stages. These Catholic OCIA stages are a good model of faith development.

OCIA stage 1: Just Looking 

In the inquiry stage, you're just finding out about Jesus, Christianity, and the Catholic Church.  Your main task is to explore and develop your faith enough so you can make an informed initial decision about entering the Catholic Church. The final decision won't come for a long time, when you actually enter the Church at Easter and receive the sacraments of initiation. 

Inquiry meetings start in August and end in late October or early November.  Inquiry meetings are held once a week in the evenings and last for about one hour.  You must register for this stage by calling the parish offices at (815) 933-8285 ext 310

OCIA stage 2: Learning about the Faith

In the catechumenate, your faith has begun to develop. Now you need to learn and grow more.  You focus on catechesis in this stage: learning about the faith, how to live as a Christian, and developing your interior life.  You are to come into closer contact with the Living God and learn more about the Catholic Faith.

This stage begins in November and lasts till the Easter Vigil.  Meetings for this stage are held on Sunday's.

OCIA stage 3: Getting ready for rebirth!

This period of purification and enlightenment is the final stage before receiving the Easter sacraments of initiation into the Church: baptism, confirmation, and Eucharist.  This stage of intense reflection calls you to deeper conversion in preparation for your renewal at Easter. This is what the season of Lent is for, but it has a special intensity for you this year as you're entering the Church and receiving the sacraments of initiation.

OCIA stage 4: Reflecting on the mysteries of the Mass

This stage of mystagogy during Easter is for continued reflection on the sacraments you have received at Easter, especially the Eucharist.  Specific catechesis on the Mass, the Sacraments, and especially the Eucharist are the focus of this stage.  The Mass and the Eucharist are the "source and summit" of the Christian life in the Catholic Church, and this period is designed to help you understand, appreciate, and live more deeply this center of Catholicism.

Remember that the Catholic OCIA stages are a good model of basic faith development, so you can learn a lot from them even if you're not in the OCIA process.

To register call  815-933-8285, ext. 310

or contact Fr Moses Mesh for more information (815) 922-8285 ext. 313