Adult Initiation Overview

It begins with a Conversation

It may be the stillness of the chapel, the throng at Mass, the challenging words of a friend or family member, a bit of study on our own part — you just never know how Jesus calls us to consider the Catholic Church to be ... home.

However that call comes, know that we at St. John Neumann will be thrilled to join in that conversation you're having with God. (See the contact details below.) There's no pressure — we're here to listen and help you know the processes the Church has for becoming Catholic.

Here's just a brief sketch.

If you haven't been baptized, you'll be in a process called the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA). It's a steady path of prayer, reflection on God's Word, and formation in a wide variety of Catholic teachings before being received into the Church at Easter time. The process is almost a year; some choose to take longer as they continue to learn and grow.

If you have been baptized (in other words, coming from another Christian tradition), the process may be similar and together with the OCIA process just described. That will be discerned when we first meet.

Some Catholic adults may have "missed" a sacrament or two along the way (Confirmation, Eucharist) and would now like to receive those. We have a process for you as well.

We all need to grow closer to God, who made us, loves us, calls us by name, and whose Son came in the flesh, died for our sins, and rose again so we might have eternal life with him. Let us know your story, and we're grateful to accompany you on your journey.

Contact Pat Howard (below) for more information for all adults ages 18+ or use this form: Reception into the Catholic Church and/or Catching Up on Sacraments.