EXALTATION OF THE CROSS AND OCIA
Do you have the feeling that God is looking for YOU? He IS seeking you and is calling you to Himself. Wherever you are in this walk of life: a full-on believer or a turned off doubter, He wants to find YOU. And when you respond to his insistent invitation, you will be led to the cross of Christ. It is there that we all, one way or another, face ourselves while at the same time facing our Creator and Savior.
The cross is that sublime, mysterious, contrary sign of life that at the same time is a sign of execution. Jesus dying on the cross to take away sin and suffering and death is the central belief of Christianity. When we approach that cross we must face the death of our own selfishness and sin so that we can see beyond the bad to a glorious freedom that we could not even imagine. On the cross Jesus trades places with us. He wants to take you out of captivity and give you the freedom of God.
If you are a fence-sitter, uncertain, jaded, or even bitter toward the idea of Jesus and his Church: we invite you to come and explore with us. No obligation, no requirements, no prerequisites, no judgment. If you have been feeling that tug, something in your heart leans toward the cross, or loved ones in your life have been gently nudging: come and see. Even if you are a baptized Catholic who has been distant for some time, or a life-long Christian who knows there is more: please hear our invitation.
We have a place for you if you want to explore, or if you know you want to follow the path to Catholicism! We call it CATHOLICISM 101, more formally it is The Order of Christian Initiation for Adults (OCIA). This is not just a class or program. It is a process of conversion, turning our life toward Jesus and the Catholic Church. It is the process of making disciples (followers, students) of Jesus and prepares a person for a lifelong commitment as a Catholic. The initiation of new members through Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Eucharist is celebrated each year, typically at the Easter Vigil, the night before Easter. At St. John we do have other options and dates to fit individual needs.
We have two options for learning sessions: Sunday mornings at 8:30am or the same topics are repeated on Wednesdays at 6:30pm. The Wednesday evenings include a potluck dinner at 6:00!
Everyone’s journey of faith is unique. Some people have done many years of extensive study on their own, they may have been attending other denominations or even the Catholic Mass for years; others may enter the OCIA who have never set foot inside a church. Some folks missed Confirmation when they were younger; some are married to a Catholic and decide it’s time for them to be Catholic too; others are engaged to be married and want to explore Catholicism. Every story is different, and inquirers do not all show up with questions in September, neatly fitting into a school-year program. So, we do not think of OCIA as a “calendar call”: we offer a Year Round OCIA. We will work with your time and calendar and do our best to meet your needs wherever you are in your faith walk. We want you to experience a real sense of community while you make your way to Jesus in the Sacraments of the Church. Our aim is to help you make some space to hear and to respond to Jesus.
Anyone can attend CATHOLICISM 101. There are a couple of dozen people every year who are already practicing Catholics but still want to learn more, go deeper, and walk alongside the new disciples. This is a great opportunity for those in OCIA to meet other people of the parish, and to be integrated into the community life, not separated out in a special class.
We have quite a few people who have inquired and asked about OCIA, and are planning to attend. We’d LOVE to have you on board as well!