OCIA names the process by which interested persons gradually become members of the catholic Church.

The O.C.I.A. is primarily a journey of faith:

• “From the awareness of stirring of faith and curiosity within one’s heart,
  • through all those stages of asking and seeking,
  • through beginning involvement with Christian/Catholic people,
  • through hearing the Gospel proclaimed and by faithful reflection and prayer on this Word of God,
  • through study and discussion about the Catholic experience,
  • through doubts and hesitations,
  • through involvement in the works of charity and justice with those already committed to the catholic way of life,
  • through discernment of God’s call for them as individuals,
  • through the steps of commitment,
  • through the sacraments of initiation (baptism, confirmation, and eucharist)
• to a life of faith, love, and justice lived in communion with Catholics throughout the world.

• The O.C.I.A. as a rite, marks stages along the path to full commitment in the Catholic Church; the O.C.I.A. as a process, describes in broad terms what this gradual commitment means.
• The O.C.I.A. as formation gradually looks both to the inner transformation of the individual to God’s call as given week by week in the lectionary of Scripture readings at the Sunday Eucharist and to the gradual transformation of the person to an active member of the local church wherever he or she lives.

The O.C.I.A. contains four main stages or phases:

• The Period of Inquiry (Also known as the time of Evangelization or Pre-Catechumenate),
• Catechumenate,
• Period of Purification and Enlightenment/Scrutinies,
• The Paschal Triduum with the Sacraments of Initiation and Mystagogia.

The Period of Inquiry

• Period of Inquiry has as its purpose a time
• to become acquainted with the Catholic Church and
• to hear the good news of salvation from Jesus Christ our Savior;
• it is a time to look within at one’s one life story and see connections to or needs for the gospel story of good news.
• During this period, the gospel of Jesus is proclaimed, and inquirers look within their own story to make and mark connections.
• This reflective process becomes a continuing, on-going method used by inquirer and member alike.
• This period lasts as long as the person needs it to last,
  from a few months to several years, if necessary
• During this period, some may decide that this is not the right time for them to consider membership in the Catholic Church, either because of their own life circumstances or because they feel some other Tradition is better for them.

Period of the Catechumenate

• The period of catechumenate embodies the first stages of commitment leading to full membership. For a person to enter this phase, s/he must already have come to faith in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior and sincerely desire to become members of the Catholic Church.
• During this phase, the catechumens gather with the Catholic community on Sundays for the first part of the mass, to hear the Scriptures, respond to them, and reflect on the meaning of God’s Word for us personally and as community through the homily. After the homily, catechumens are dismissed , and with their Catechist, continue a process of reflection and application of the Scriptures to their own lives.
• During this period, the initial conversion is deepened and appropriated; the person comes to know more and more deeply the love of God in their own lives and in the midst of the church community. This period, too, lasts as long as the person needs it to last, from a few months to several years, if necessary.

Period of Purification or Illumination

• The Period of Purification corresponds to that time known in the Catholic Church as Lent, the six-weeks of preparation for Easter become the days of prayerful time for catechumens and candidates.
• This period is begun by the Rite of election for the Catechumens and the Call of Continuing Conversion for the candidates. This rite is normally celebrated by the Bishop in the cathedral on the first Sunday of Lent.
• Throughout Lent, special prayers are offered at the Sunday Eucharist. The scrutinies are celebrated to inspire in the elect a desire for purification and redemption by Christ. The penitential rite is celebrated with candidates as part of their preparation to celebrate the sacrament of Penance.
• During this period, the common reflection on the Scriptures continues; the readings of Lent were chosen with the themes of continuing conversion in mind. Toward the end of the period, the Church continues the custom of “handing over” to the Elect the Creed (the summary of our faith) and the Lord’s Prayer (which represents its practice of continuing prayer after the command of Jesus who taught us to pray).

Celebrating the Sacraments of Initiation

• The Sacraments of Initiation are celebrated at the Easter Vigil, an extended night-watch of prayer, singing and hearing the Word of God.
• By the waters of baptism, a person passes into the new life of grace and becomes a member of the Body of Christ.
• Anointing with special holy oil called chrism seals the initiation by the power of the Holy Spirit and participation at the Table of the Lord in the eucharist marks full membership in the church.

Period of Mystagogy

• The Period of Mystagogy lasts from Easter Sunday until the completion of the Easter season, fifty days later on Pentecost Sunday and completes the initiation process. Those who have just shared in the sacraments of initiation are now called Neophytes and during this period of Easter joy they reflect on what they have just gone through and look to the future as to how they can now share in the mission of Christ who came to bring salvation and life to the whole world. This period of time reminds the whole church that life in Christ constantly calls us to grow and to look for new ways to live the life of grace, personally and together.

• By means of the processes described in the document, O.C.I.A., interested non-baptized persons become Catechumens, and Catechumens become full members of the Catholic Church by means of baptism, confirmation, and Eucharist, which are referred to as the Sacraments of Initiation.
• However, when one speaks of a baptized person from another Christian tradition, for example, who is preparing for reception into full communion in the Roman tradition, one is speaking of a different matter. A baptized person should not be led automatically through the full catechumenal process or be called a catechumen. Instead, we call him or her a candidate. By this we mean that this person is a candidate for the Catholic Sacraments of Confirmation and Holy Eucharist, and thus becomes a full member of the Catholic Church, the Catholic Communion.
• Frequently candidates for full communion in the Catholic church find certain elements of the catechumenate process helpful in their preparation. For example, the focus on continuing conversion is appropriate for any Christian, especially at a time of transition. An understanding of Catholic beliefs, the practice of Catholic observances in the church year over an appropriate period of time and the experience of Catholic community are all necessary for an informed commitment that will last. The differences in the process must be tailed by the candidate in conjunction with the OCIA Director and the Church-provided Sponsor.
• The O.C.I.A., sometimes generically called the Catechumenate, is a responsibility of the whole Church; this responsibility takes particular shape mainly in parishes, the normal locus of catholic community life; yet there are some other kinds of particular communities with the Catholic Church which serve as adjuncts to parish and service special needs such as this Catholic University community. In view of this commitment and obligation of the Church, we provide an outreach person for each person who presents himself or herself as a “seeker”; these church-provided Sponsors. As spiritual companions as they seek to discover God’s call.

• The Order of Christian Initiation is a process.
• It is the church’s way of ministering sensitively to those who seek membership. For that reason some people will need more time than others to prepare for the lifetime commitment that comes with membership in the Catholic Church. The usual length of preparation is from one to two years. For those already baptized and who seek full communion in the Catholic church, the time may also vary.
• It seems reasonable that catechumens or candidates experience the yearly calendar of Catholic practice at least one time around in order to make an informed decision.
• The process of spiritual renewal and catechesis should not be hasty, especially for those not accustomed to the fasts and feasts and Sundays and seasons the way Catholics observe them.
• One of the best time for the sacraments of initiation or the Rite of reception into full communion is the Easter Vigil. Lent prepare catechumens, candidates and the whole community for baptism,, confirmation and eucharist. The celebration of the Easter Vigil dramatically points to the wellspring of the church’s life:
  the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.”

The Order of Christian Initiation for Adults is a process through which adults who have never been baptized or who have been baptized in another Christian tradition become members of the Catholic Church. In addition, baptized Catholics who have not received First Eucharist or Confirmation complete their initiation. The first stage of this process is the Inquiry Period when participants are given the opportunity to ask questions about our Church, to share stories, and to reflect on the place of God in our lives. Perhaps you or someone you know would like to hear more about the church in a relaxed, non-threatening setting. Our group meets every WEDNESDAY evening at 6:30pm. Individuals can join at ANY TIME.  For further information, please contact Isabella Maguire (732) 341-2496 or Fr. Gregg Abadilla (732)449-5765 x 102.  

There is a similar process called O.C.I.C. Which is designed to accommodate young adults or school age children. Any one in this category should contact the Director of Religious Education Tammy Sablom at 732-449-5765 ext. 110.