2024 OCIA meets on Wednesdays from 6:00PM-7:30PM.

The Order of Christian Initiation for Adults (OCIA) is a general pattern for catechizing adults who have already been baptised, and so are Christian, but wish to come into full communion with the Roman Catholic Church as Jesus' one, true church. This can be personalized depending on the person's background, knowledge, and walk with the Lord. 

The Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA) is a general catechetical course for those who are not baptised. This is a nine month process of gestating in the womb of the Church, learning about her practices, prayers, the doctrines of Christ, in preparation for being born again on the Easter Vigil with Baptism, Confirmation, and first Communion.

At Saint Aelred OCIA/RCIA meets at the same time and is the same course. OCIA allows some personalization so that those who know much about the Church do not necessarily have to go through a 9 month process to become Catholic if they are ready and the priest discerns they are as well. This is in accord with the teachings of the Church on OCIA and our personal mission to evangelize those who desire full communion with Rome.

Click the button below to see last year's syllabus for the topics of what we cover. This year Fr. is changing how OCIA is taught so some changes to this may come. Folks are welcome to learn more about the faith: non-Catholics interested in learning more, non-Catholics wishing to become Catholic, Catholics who were never Confirmed, Catholics who want to get back to the basics, and Catholics who never had a good catechesis and want to remedy that,.