October 2, 2024

By Father William Muench
NCC columnist

When I was a pastor, one of the most meaningful parish programs for me was the RCIA, the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults. Each year several individuals who were not Catholic entered this program seeking to become Catholic. This program included several classes and events that presented Jesus and his message, as well as the teachings of the Catholic Church.

Today, I would like to share with you a unique change in this program. The U.S. Conference Catholic Bishops have decided to change RCIA into OCIA. They feel that this program is better named an “order,” so now it will be The Order of Christian Initiation for Adults (OCIA). Calling it an “order” indicates that this program involves a series of steps as it leads a person to membership of the Roman Catholic Church.

OCIA is a program of adult faith formation leading candidates and catechumens through each rite from “the Signing of the Book” to “Reconciliation.” The word “order” recognizes that there is a collection of all the “rites” involved bringing a person to enter the Church.

To show you what this means, I recently discovered in a parish bulletin an announcement that this parish’s program was beginning. It read like this – “OCIA (the Order of Christian Initiation for Adults) formerly called the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) is the process through which one becomes a full member of the Roman Catholic Church. Full membership in the Catholic Church involves a whole formation process which includes the reception of the Sacraments of initiation, Baptism, Confirmation, and the Most Holy Eucharist. While coming to know Jesus and His invitation to become a disciple, the OCIA involves the journey of faith and conversion. A person is introduced to the beliefs, the liturgy, and the apostolic works of the Catholic Church.”

So, this change wants to show that the Church’s program to prepare and guide a person for entrance into the Church is extensive and transformative. I want you to know how impressive and unforgettable this program is for a parish community. The hope is that those seeking entrance into the Catholic Church will become active Catholics and that they will become active members of a parish. I have had the honor of welcoming many into the Church and can tell you they were actively involved in parish life.

I want to share with you that each year when I announce the beginning of our program (now to be called OCIA), I encourage the people of the parish to invite anyone that they know who has expressed an interest in becoming Catholic. I always add that it is important for them to promise to walk with this friend or family member throughout the whole OCIA program.

I still remember one of my favorite converts. It was early on a Saturday morning years ago. The ringing of the doorbell surprised me. When I opened the door, the man looked me in the eye and said, “I want to join up.” So, we sat down and talked a while and made a plan. He was an active learner through the whole program, asking many questions. He became an active Catholic, involved in the parish life. I was able to tell his story at his funeral.

Let me close by sharing with you how often my life and my spirituality has been influenced by converts to our Catholic faith. I have often written here of how Thomas Merton and his writings had a profound effect on me and my vocation as a priest. Merton writes of his story and conversion that led him to become a Trappist monk; he wrote in “The Seven Story Mountain.” I was encouraged to read this when I was in high school, and it certainly led me to becoming a priest.