The Catholic Church is a global community of Christians founded by Jesus Christ, the Son of God, over two-thousand years ago as part of the Heavenly Father's plan for the salvation of the world. Jesus proclaimed the Kingdom of God by His preaching, miracles, and gathering disciples. He established the Church through His Passion, Death, Resurrection, and sending of the Holy Spirit. Jesus entrusted to this community the mission of preaching the gospel and of “making disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Mt 28:20).

There are over 1 billion Catholics on earth. The Catholic Church is made up of many people from diverse cultural backgrounds, all united by the same central religious belief or creed. Hallmarks of Catholic life include faith, worship, loving and serving others, virtuous living, and community.

A program, which runs from September - April, has been designed to welcome and initiate members into the Catholic Church. Adults go through the OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults). Children go through the OCIC (Order of Christian Initiation of Children). Here are the stages of these programs:

I. Period of Inquiry - Prior to beginning the process of becoming a Catholic, an individual comes to some knowledge of Jesus Christ, considers his or her relationship with Jesus Christ, and is usually attracted in some way to the Catholic Church. For some, this process involves a long period of searching; for others, a shorter time. This stage ends when the person decides to formally begin instructions in the Catholic Faith.

II. Catechumenate - This stage is a time for sharing stories, reading the Bible, and studying Catholic Church customs, traditions, and teachings. Participants will learn all about what Catholics believe, how Catholics pray, what it means to be Catholic, as well as how to apply the Catholic faith to our daily lives. This is accomplished through weekly meetings, led by the clergy and parish volunteers, and is attended by all who are thinking about becoming Catholic. Individuals will also have the opportunity to participate in worship services and special Christian rituals.

III. Purification & Enlightenment - This takes place during the season of Lent (the final weeks leading up to Easter). It marks the final steps of one's preparation for becoming Catholic. In this stage, there is a stronger emphasis on the spiritual life as the individual is encouraged to grow in self-knowledge through examination of their lives and repentance, a spirit of thanksgiving for God's blessings, and a deeper desire to grow in charity and one's relationship with Christ. Special prayers and Christian rituals will help to foster this.

IV. Sacraments of Initiation - On the night before Easter, the parish will celebrate a special "Easter Vigil Mass." As part of this celebration, the individual will receive the Sacraments of Inititation (Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Eucharist), and enter into full communion with the Catholic Church. This is when one is officially considered a fully-initiated Catholic.

V. Mystagogy - This is the last step. It consists of one final meeting with clergy, the OCIA volunteers, and the other people who became Catholic. It will allow the individuals to process what they learned over the past year and experienced at the Easter Vigil Mass. Now that they have become Catholic, they will seek to deepen their participation in the life of the Catholic Church, begin in earnest to be a faithful disciple of Christ, and explore how they can be involved in parish life, and how the parish can support them in their journey of faith.