Want to know more about God? Jesus?
Thinking about joining the Catholic Church?

Call OCIA director Kelly Miller at 517-484-5331 ext.316 or
email her at [email protected] 
 

Hello and welcome! Maybe you have already been visiting our church for mass. Maybe you feel a pull to learn more about Catholicism. Perhaps you are dating or marrying a Catholic. Maybe you grew up Catholic but never recieved your First Communion or Confirmation. Life may be so great or so awful right now, you just find yourself wanting to be closer to God.

Whatever your reasons - thanks be to God He has led you to St. Mary's! Our parish regularly welcomes new people and we are eager to meet you. (We even have a group for that! Our Welcome Wednesday group is an informal way to meet parishinors. You do not need to be Christian or Catholic to check it out!)

The process of becoming Catholic (or completing your reception of the sacraments of initiation, if you are a baptized adult Catholic) is called the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA). For those age 7-17, a similar age appropriate process exists.The process starts by notifying the pastor, parish office, or OCIA director about your interest. We will then contact you for a one-on-one meeting to learn more about your faith journey and how we can help.

People who begin the process are called Inquirers, and are able to ask questions and learn more about the faith in a relaxed environment before they formally decide to enter the church or receive sacraments of initiation. The process can take a few months to a few years, depending on the individual. People enter the Church when they are ready, in consultation with the pastor. Usually this is at the Easter in the Spring. Catholic sponsors also help people with the process of joining the community and living as a Christian.

We have an OCIA group that meets weekly, Sept through May. However people can and should begin the Inquiry stage at any time! If you are reading this, the time to call/email is now :) 
517-484-5331 ext.316 or email [email protected]