• OCIA (The Office of Christian Initiation of Adults)

  Do you know someone interested in learning more about the Catholic faith?  Perhaps you are thinking about what it means to be called to the Catholic way of life.  The Church has a process called the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (O.C.I.A.) whereby adults can learn and discern whether to become Catholic Christians.  The process leads an unbaptized adult to his or her baptism, usually at the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday.  If the adult has been baptized in another Christian tradition, then the process prepares the person to be received into the Catholic Church by making a profession of faith as a Catholic.  The process also prepares the way for someone who was baptized in the Catholic Church to receive First Holy Communion and Confirmation.  Here at Saint Columba, the OCIA meets on Saturday mornings at 9:30 AM until 11:00 AM beginning in September and continuing into June.  Each morning, we explore a different topic with lecture/discussion facilitated by one of the OCIA team members.  Our goal is to help you on your spiritual journey as you come to know Jesus through the Scriptures, the teachings of the Catholic Church, prayer and worship, and the community of Saint Columba.  You will be accompanied on your journey by a Catholic sponsor, usually a friend, who is there to help answer questions and support you.  To know more about the OCIA process, call the Parish Office at 
  301-567-5506 or call Mike Maxey at 301-536-1543.