OCIA Information for Easter 2026
This year we have 44 people entering the church at the Easter Vigil! We have 20 people being baptized and 24 people entering full communion (they were Protestant) or completing their sacraments (Catholics who were only baptized). Please join us in welcoming them and praying for them!
Over three Sundays in March we will celebrate rituals called Scrutinies. We celebrate these rites to purify hearts, strengthen faith, and renounce sin.
Join us in celebrating the Scrutinies and praying for our candidates becoming Catholic at the 9am Mass on March 8, 11am Mass on March 15, and 5:30pm Mass on March 22.
Most of all, please join us for the Easter Vigil - when our candidates will be welcomed into the church with Cardinal McElroy - on April 4 at 8:00 PM.
Becoming Catholic
If you are interested in becoming a Catholic, join the process called OCIA (The Order of Christian Initiation of Adults). At the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle, the OCIA is composed of Sunday Mass, weekly classes, retreats, and prayer.
The Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) is a gradual process of spiritual formation that includes prayer, sharing, and study and occurs in the context of the parish community. It is intended for adults who:
- are not baptized and would like to be fully initiated and welcomed into the Catholic Church through the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist
- were baptized in another Christian community/tradition* and seek to be received into the full communion of the Catholic Church through the sacraments of Confirmation and Eucharist
- were baptized as Catholics* as infants/children but have not received the sacraments of Confirmation and Eucharist
* Proof of valid Christian baptism is required (by way of certificate or letter of verification from one’s church of baptism).
When Do I Become Catholic?
Sacraments are celebrated at the Easter Vigil, (The Saturday night Mass before Easter Sunday), with Cardinal McElroy on Saturday, April 4, at 8pm.
OCIA Meetings
- OCIA meets Wednesdays from 7 to 8:30pm in the North Conference Room.
- Consistent, regular attendance is expected.
- There are also retreats and opportunities for service and outreach.
Registration Links for 2025 - 2026
Classes Begin August 20, 2025
In November, the group meets for 11am Mass and Breaking Open the Word in addition to Wednesday evenings.
For those who are not Christian and have never been baptized, (you are a candidate seeking Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist): HERE
For Christians who desire to become Catholic (You are seeking “Full Communion”): HERE
For Catholics seeking Confirmation: HERE
For Catholics seeking Confirmation and Eucharist: HERE
Sponsors
Sponsors are vital to the OCIA process. Beginning in the Catechumenate phase, a Sponsor builds a one-on-one relationship with a catechumen or baptized candidate, serving as a companion, listener, mentor, and pray-er; sharing her or his own faith; and attesting to the catechumen or candidate’s faith, intentions, and readiness for reception. Everyone needs a sponsor, that is, a practicing Catholic. Spouses and parents cannot act as sponsors. Otherwise, sponsors need to be at least 16 and practicing Catholics with all their sacraments.
Contact
For more information, email L.J. Milone, Director of Faith Formation.