Adult Education and OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults)

OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults)

All are welcome to an enriching program of learning that will bring a closer understanding the Catholic faith, our prayers, the Order of the Mass and God’s Word.  If you are hungry to learn more about your faith, receive the sacraments, and be around a community of like-minded people, please join us on this rewarding journey.

Registration with a meet-and-greet will be held Sunday, September 8 from 8:00-10:00am at St. John Paul the Great Pastoral Center, 160 Main St., Torrington CT.

Classes begin Sunday, September 15, 8:00-9:45am and will be held weekly at St. John Paul the Great Pastoral Center.

OCIA CANDIDATES must register either online or at the parish office. OCIA students will be welcomed into the Faith at the Easter Vigil on April 20, 2025.

Who is OCIA for?

1. Persons in need of Baptism.
2. Persons baptized in another Christian tradition who desire to become Catholic.
3. Persons baptized Catholic in need of First Communion and/or Confirmation.

Remember, then, that you received a spiritual seal: the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of knowledge and reverence, the spirit of holy fear. Keep safe what you received. God the Father sealed you, Christ the Lord strengthened you and sent the Spirit into your hearts as the pledge of what is to come.

Adult Confirmation 2024

Confirmation will be held at the Cathedral of Saint Joseph on Wednesday, November 6.

Classes begin Monday, September 23 at 6:00pm at St. John Paul the Great Academy, 360 Prospect St., Torrington

What is required to be eligible for adult confirmation?

• Be at least 18 years of age
• Have been baptized in the Roman Catholic Church
• Have received the sacrament of first holy Communion
• Can provide sacramental records or other suitable proof of having received those sacraments
• If married, must be in a valid Catholic marriage, or have resolved all questions of sacramental marriage

What are the necessary documents to be confirmed?

• Completed Data Collection Form – given to you when you register with your parish coordinator.
• Sacramental records – baptismal certificate and certificate of first communion, or other suitable proof
• If married, proof of sacramental marriage/convalidation/resolution to marriage impediments
• Sponsor form – signed by sponsor

Contact Lina Calabrese at dreatstjohn@gmail.com or 860-482-4433.

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From the USCCB about the Christian Initiation of Adults:

What are the steps of Christian Initiation? Prior to beginning the process of becoming a Christian, an individual comes to some knowledge of Jesus Christ, considers his or her relationship with Jesus Christ and is usually attracted in some way to the Catholic Church. This period is known as the Period of Evangelization and Precatechumenate. For some, this process involves a long period of searching; for others, a shorter time. Often, contact with people of faith and a personal faith experience lead people to inquire about the Catholic Church. After a conversation with a priest or a parish director of Christian Initiation, the person, known as an "inquirer," may seek acceptance into the Order of Catechumens, through the Rite of Acceptance. During this Rite, the inquirer stands amidst the parish community and states that he or she wants to become a baptized member of the Catholic Church. The parish assembly affirms this desire and the inquirer becomes a Catechumen.

Find out more at www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/who-we-teach/christian-initiation-of-adults.