BECOMING CATHOLIC
The Church is communio; she is God’s communing with men in Christ and hence the communing of men with one another.
~ Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger ~
Christian Initiation for Children and Youth
These classes are for children who are over age 7 and have not been baptized. It is also for baptized Catholics who are age 7 and up who have only been baptized and wish to celebrate First Reconciliation, Confirmation, and First Eucharist.
The length of preparation is approximately one year and the Easter Vigil is generally the time for Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist. Those baptized in another Christian denomination can also be received into full communion with the Catholic Church at the Easter Vigil.
Children age 7 to 5th grade
Catechetical sessions for children (2nd-5th grade) are held during regular RE class times on Sundays at 10:15 am.
Additional Sacrament Preparation classes are held on Wednesday evenings approximately once a month.
Parent Session attendance is required.
Teens (6th-12th grade)
Youth Group sessions for Middle School age teens (6th-8th grade) are held on Wednesdays at 6:45 pm.
Youth Group sessions for High School age teens (9th-12th grade) are held on Sundays at 6:45 pm.
Additional Sacramental Preparation classes are held separately.
If you have more questions or want to sign up, contact the parish office at 303.420.1232.
OCIA
Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) is a process of prayer, reflection, and learning that allows for the continual discernment of God’s will in our lives. No matter where you are on your faith journey, there is a place for you at St. Joan of Arc!
Many people inquire about becoming Catholic for many different reasons. Phase one of the journey starts in the heart of the seeker and continues in a small inquiry group where questions are raised and discussed freely. We call it a process because, like any faith journey, each one’s pace is unique. The general process that the Catholic Church uses to initiate adults is based on the same process that the early Christians used during the early centuries of Christianity. Full initiation takes place with the reception of Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Communion.
Even if you’re not ready to become Catholic, but want to learn more about the Catholic faith, OCIA is a great place to start.
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Are you an adult who is un-baptized or belongs to another Christian Church and is thinking about becoming Catholic or have questions about the Catholic Church?
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Are you an adult Catholic who has only been baptized (Catholic or in another Christian faith) and would like to become a full member of the Catholic Church?
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Are you a Catholic who has never been confirmed?
If you answered yes to any of these questions and want to sign up, click the button below or contact the parish office at 303.420.1232 for more information.
Sessions begin in the fall and are held on Tuesdays from 7:00-8:30 P.M. in Orleans Hall
Learn More
Becoming Catholic is one of life’s most profound and joyous experiences. Some are blessed enough to receive this great gift while they are infants, and, over time, they recognize the enormous grace that has been bestowed on them. Others enter the Catholic fold when they are older children or adults. This tract examines the joyful process by which one becomes a Catholic.
A person is brought into full communion with the Catholic Church through reception of the three sacraments of Christian initiation—Baptism, Confirmation, and the Holy Communion—but the process by which one becomes a Catholic can take different forms.
A person who is baptized in the Catholic Church becomes a Catholic at that moment. One’s initiation is deepened by Confirmation and the Eucharist, but one becomes a Catholic at baptism. This is true for children who are baptized Catholic (and receive the other two sacraments later) and for adults who are baptized, confirmed, and receive the Eucharist at the same time.
Those who have been validly baptized outside the Church become Catholics by making a profession of the Catholic faith and being formally received into the Church. This is normally followed immediately by confirmation and the Eucharist.
Before a person is ready to be received into the Church, whether by Baptism or by profession of faith, preparation is necessary. The amount and form of this preparation depends on the individual’s circumstance. The most basic division in the kind of preparation needed is between those who are unbaptized and those who have already become Christian through baptism in another church.
For children who have reached the age of reason (age seven), entrance into the Church is governed by the Rite of Christian Initiation for Children (RCIC) or Rite of Christian Initiation for Teens (RCIT).
From time to time it’s important to remind ourselves of the basic questions at the heart of our faith. Whether you’re a longtime Catholic or someone looking to learn more about the Catholic faith, we think you will find the quick videos below informative and inspiring.