Come and See
How OCIA Works at St. Anne
OCIA at St. Anne is a year-round journey of conversion and formation for adults who are exploring the Catholic faith. People come to us at different times and from very different places in their spiritual lives, so we don’t treat everyone as though they’re beginning at the same point or moving toward the same next step.
Together, we pray, open Scripture, learn the teachings of the Church, begin living the Catholic way of life, and discern where Christ is leading each person.
Why Year Round?
God does not call people according to a school calendar. Someone may begin asking questions in August, January, or shortly after Easter. At St. Anne, people can begin exploring the Catholic faith when God begins stirring that desire in them, rather than waiting months for a new class to begin.
Year-round OCIA also gives conversion the time it needs. The goal is not simply to complete a set of lessons before Easter. The goal is to become a disciple of Jesus Christ and to be gradually formed within the prayer, worship, teaching, and community of the Catholic Church.
More Than
a Class
OCIA is not simply a course in Catholic information. It is the Church’s way of helping adults become disciples of Jesus Christ. That means formation includes the whole person: the mind, the heart, daily habits, relationships, worship, and participation in the life of the parish.
At our weekly gatherings, we open Scripture, receive the teaching of the Church, learn Catholic prayer and practices, and begin living within the rhythm of the liturgical year. We also share meals, ask honest questions, build friendships, and learn how faith is lived beyond the gathering itself.
The goal is not merely to know what Catholics believe. It is to encounter Christ and learn how to follow Him within the life of His Church.
Every Tuesday evening we gather as a community to pray, listen to the upcoming Sunday Gospel, explore the Catholic faith through Scripture and the Catechism, ask honest questions, and learn how Catholics live their faith in everyday life.
Evenings include small group discussion, prayer experiences, opportunities to learn Catholic devotions, and sharing a meal together. You don't need any prior knowledge, and no question is off limits.
Come as you are. We'll walk with you one step at a time.
What to Expect
What to Expect
OCIA at St. Anne unfolds within the actual life of the Church. Together, we move through Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter, Ordinary Time, the feasts of the saints, and the Sunday Gospel readings. The seasons of the Church are not simply topics we study. They shape our prayer, our practices, our gatherings, and the way we learn to follow Christ.
Over time, participants begin to experience Catholicism not merely as a collection of beliefs, but as a whole way of life—rooted in Scripture, worship, sacrament, community, and the rhythm of the liturgical year.
The Journey Through the Church Year
One Community, Individual Journeys
One Community, Individual Journeys
Everyone who comes to OCIA begins from a different place. Some are preparing for Baptism. Some are already baptized Christians seeking full communion with the Catholic Church. Others were baptized Catholic but never received First Communion or Confirmation.
We gather as one community, but we don’t assume that everyone needs the same formation or should move forward at the same pace. Each person is accompanied according to their own background, questions, spiritual growth, and readiness for the next step.
OCIA is not a graduation program. It is a journey of conversion, and discernment is personal.
St. Anne’s year-round approach is not a new invention. It reflects the Church’s restored vision for the ancient catechumenate: gradual formation in Christian life, shaped by Scripture, prayer, worship, community, and the sacred rites of the Church.
The national norms for OCIA call for serious formation, sufficient time for conversion to mature, and individual discernment rather than moving everyone through the process according to one fixed calendar. For the unbaptized, the catechumenate ordinarily extends through at least one full liturgical year. Baptized Christians are accompanied according to their previous Christian formation and their individual needs.
Our goal is not simply to prepare people for a ceremony. It is to help form lifelong disciples of Jesus Christ within the Catholic Church.
Rooted in the Church’s Vision
Ready To Begin?
Ready to Begin?
You don’t need to have everything figured out before you come.
Bring your questions, your story, and whatever desire God has placed in your heart. Whether you’re just beginning to explore the Catholic faith or you already know you’re ready to take the next step, we’d be glad to meet you and walk with you.