How do I become a Catholic? The Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) is the journey an unbaptized person follows to become a member of the Catholic Church. OCIA programs exist in parishes throughout the Diocese of Fargo. If you are interested in joining the Catholic Church, please speak with the pastor of your local Catholic parish. The OCIA is also the process for baptized non-Catholics to become Catholic, or a Catholic who has not received all the Sacraments of Christian Initiation.
In the Sacraments of Baptism, we become children of God and receive the Holy Spirit. A clear distinction is made for those people are seeking the sacrament of Baptism (called a Catechumen) and those who have already received the sacrament of Baptism, but are not fully initiated (a Candidate). As outlined below, the OCIA journey is slightly different between these two groups.
This journey is never in isolation. Every Catechumen and Candidate has a sponsor (requirements and catechesis, PDF). Additionally, every parish should have an OCIA team to accompany Catechumens and Candidates on their journey into the Church.
Note: All persons who have reached the "Age of Reason" (about 7 years old) must complete OCIA to be initiated into the Church. Please refer to the OCIA / Confirmation permission flowchart.
The Journey of an Unbaptized Person
The Journey of a Baptized Person
Contact Mary Hanbury for information about or resources for OCIA teams.
Parish resources:
The Association for Catechumenal Ministry website also has information about and resources for RCIA.