St. Joseph Cathedral OCIA

Seeking the truth? Looking for meaning? Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and He is inviting you to be a part of the Church that He founded... that's the Catholic Church!

Order of Christian Initiation of Adults - OCIA is the process by which adults prepare to be baptized, or received into the Church from other Christian denominations, or complete their Sacraments of Christian Initiation (First Holy Communion and Confirmation)

FAQs:

• Isn't it RCIA? It was until recently. The bishops got together and changed the name either for some very good reason or just to make things confusing.

• Who is OCIA for? It is for non-Catholics who wish to become Catholic, baptized adult Catholics who have not yet received the Sacraments of First Holy Communion and/or Confirmation, or those just curious to learn more about the Catholic faith. 

• Does OCIA cost anything? No, it is completely free. 

• How long does it take? The timeline can vary depending on your ability to attend classes weekly and readiness to proceed, but typically candidates beginning in September can receive the Sacraments of Baptism, First Holy Communion and/or Confirmation by the following Easter.

• When does OCIA meet? We hold classes on Sundays and also attend mass as a group. The total time frame every Sunday is 2.5 hours including mass.

• Do I have to attend every week? Occasional absences due to other obligations or illness are understandable, but otherwise please plan around the OCIA calendar (we have most holiday weekends off). More than occasional absences may result in a longer process.

• I don't live in downtown San Diego, can I still join OCIA at St. Joseph? Catholic parishes have assigned geographical regions, but no one is required to attend the parish closest to their home. If you don't live downtown, there is probably a parish closer to you that also has an OCIA program, but you are welcome to join ours. Please consider whether distance or transportation will be an obstacle to regular class attendance when making a decision.

• I am already Catholic and only need to be confirmed, is there a separate process for that? Some parishes do have a separate process, but at the Cathedral, you need to join the OCIA process.

• Can I receive the Sacraments in time for my wedding? If you haven’t started by September or your wedding is before next Easter, probably not at the Cathedral (other parish policies may vary).

• Do I need to complete my Sacraments in order to marry in the Catholic Church? No. If you are marrying a Catholic, you can be a non-Catholic, a still-in-process Catholic, or a partial Catholic, and still have a valid wedding performed in a Catholic Church. You are strongly encouraged to meet with a priest or deacon about your particular situation– the rules are often not what you think they are.

•  My prior marriages weren’t in the Catholic Church, so I don’t need to worry about annulments, right? You absolutely do need to worry about that if you wish to marry in the Church. The Catholic Church assumes marriages were valid, whether secular or religious, Catholic or Protestant, until shown otherwise. You should meet with a priest or deacon as early as possible in the process to have any prior marriages declared null if you are remarried or wish to marry in the Church.

• I’m not interested in OCIA because I’m getting married, I just want to be Catholic, is that ok? Yes! We are excited to have you join our class and to welcome you as a future member of the Catholic Church.