All children over the age of 7 must attend OCIA For Children preparation in order to be baptized and enter into the full communion of the church. OCIA For Children is a 2-3 year preparation process which runs in cooperation with the Religious Education program on Tuesday evenings. Classes are from 5:25-6:25 on Tuesdays from September to May each year. Each child in OCIA For Children preparation will also attend liturgical rites which bring them into closer discipleship with Jesus and prepare them for baptism. All Religious Education students attend Mass on Tuesdays periodically during the year in place of class time. OCIA For Children prepares a child to receive all three initiation sacraments - Baptism, Confirmation and the Eucharist. This all happens at the Mass in which they are baptized. Everything we do to prepare your child begins and ends with the Mass. The most important thing you can do with your child is attend Mass together each week!
OCIA For Children Year 1 is the "Inquiry" phase of this process. You child will learn about the following: Catholic Prayers & Practices What is Faith? The Mass The Holy Trinity Who is Jesus Christ? The Church Year (Liturgical Year) The Bible Places in a Catholic Church Divine Revelation Who Shepherds the Church? The Church as Community Who is Mary? Who are the Saints?
In OCIA For Children Year 2 your child will learn about: The OCIA Process and Rites Rite of Entrance The Sacraments: The Sacrament of Baptism The Sacrament of Confirmation The Sacrament of the Eucharist The Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation The Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick The Sacrament of Matrimony Reflecting on Our Choices The Sacrament of Holy Orders The Mass Explained Receiving the Eucharist properly Living Lent (time to prepare) Rite of Election Penitential Rite (Saturday) The Creed The Lord’s Prayer Saying “Yes” to Jesus Living Like Jesus Today What is Holy Week? Who are the People of God? The Early Church & Church History Reconciliation for Neophytes If you are thinking "Wow! That's a lot!" You are correct. Your child will begin Year 2 by participating in the Rite of Entrance and become a "Catechumen." They will prepare through several Rites until they are Baptized at Easter. Following Easter they are known as a "Neophyte" or newly planted. They learn then about the Sacrament of Penance and finally complete this preparation by receiving the Sacrament of Penance for the first time about a month later.
In order to participate, please register your child when the announcement for RE registrations goes out in the church bulletin. If you have more questions, please contact the Initiation Ministry Coordinator at (760) 375-2110 or [email protected] .