Unbaptized Adults: The OCIA serves unbaptized adults, who, upon hearing the Gospel message and receiving formation in the Christian way of life, choose to become followers of Christ by receiving the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist in the Catholic Church.

Adults Baptized as Christians: The OCIA process also serves adults baptized in a Christian denomination or community who are now interested in living out their Christian life in the Catholic Church. Any baptism that has been performed with water and the Trinitarian formula (invoking the Father, Son and Holy Spirit) is considered a valid baptism; therefore baptism is not repeated. Rather, we welcome these men and women into the Catholic Church through their profession of faith and reception of the remaining sacraments of initiation: Confirmation and Eucharist.

Adults Baptized Catholic: Sometimes adults who were baptized in the Catholic Faith were never confirmed or received First Communion. There is a program (separate from the OCIA program) that allows adults to receive these sacraments. This program typically begins in December and culminates the following March. Individuals meet once a week for 75 minutes (typically on a weekday night and according to the school calendar). For more information please contact Fr. Walsh at pastor@stpiusxloudonville.org

Our Journey begins every September. We meet following the 10:00am Mass for 75 minutes with our OCIA team members (according to the school schedule). There is plenty of time to ask questions and discern if this is the right step for you. The OCIA team will offer you information about the Catholic faith as well as time for faith sharing and questions.

In November, we celebrate the first ritual which publicly marks a desire to officially enter formation for initiation into the Catholic Church.

At the beginning of Lent, (the 40 days prior to Easter), we celebrate another ritual to recognize the progress of being formed in the faith and signals a readiness to bring final preparations for receiving the sacraments.

We celebrate the Sacraments and full initiation into the Catholic Church at the Easter Vigil Service (on Holy Saturday – the evening before Easter Sunday). However, this is not the end, but rather the beginning of your life as a fully initiated disciple! We continue to meet, gathering a few times during the Easter Season (the 50 days after Easter) to help launch you into the next step of your faith journey and the rest of your lives as Catholic disciples of Christ.

There’s a good chance we can work out a program for you if you are unable to begin in September. Contact Father Walsh at (518)-462-1336. The OCIA process is definitely a commitment of time and energy, but each Easter we hear folks say it was time well spent and the months really flew by. We work hard to give you the experiences and tools you need to not only make this commitment of faith, but also to keep it!