Adults who are not baptized enter a formation process called the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA). After an adequate period of preparation, adult baptisms are celebrated annually at the Saturday night Vigil on the Eve of Easter.
For baptized adults, over the age of 18, who are Catholic and have not been confirmed, we offer sessions to learn more about the process to be prepared to receive Confirmation through OCIA.
A faith journey, an ongoing process, constantly turning to the Lord, continuing through adult life.
Reasons for interest in the Church vary and situations are as many as there are individuals. St. John Vianney parish provides an opportunity for you to step back and freely explore your interest and desire. We will gather with interested people in September, providing an opportunity for you to bring your questions and to hear more about the rich and varied tradition of our Catholic Church.
What do I need to do?
To be fully initiated as a Catholic a person must be baptized, receive first communion, and be confirmed. These three (Baptism, Eucharist, and Confirmation) are called “Sacraments of Initiation”. The church has many ways for adults to complete initiation, depending on circumstances of your own faith journey. Most important, as our parish Mission Statement says, is for each one of us to grow “to know and love Jesus and to follow him in compassionate service”. That is what all preparation of adults for initiation strives to instill. For adults who are not baptized, a process called the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA), following ancient church practice, exists in every parish. This begins with an Inquiry phase and culminates at the Easter Vigil (Saturday Easter Eve) with Baptism, Eucharist, and Confirmation. When an inquirer’s readiness to continue is discerned, you enter Catechumenate, which is a year of hearing the gospel (the good news of Jesus), the good news of Jesus, studying church practices and apprenticing as Catholics as you proceed to the Easter Sacraments.
For adults who are baptized, either as Catholics or in another Christian tradition, but have not had the opportunity to be catechized, (formed as believers and followers), more formation helps to prepare you to make a statement of faith, receive communion or confirmation. You join the unbaptized in Inquiry for as long as you need and later, as Candidates for Reception into Full Communion with the Catholic Church, you participate in their weekly Catechumenate sessions. You move forward to initiation and profession of faith at a pace that fits your religious background. We celebrate these rites with you at any Sunday Mass at any time of the year; we are not bound by Easter tradition as we are with the unbaptized.
If you regularly attend mass at St. John Vianney, you have seen Catechumens dismissed, you probably have blessed them and sent them as they go out to dig deeply into the week’s Gospel. You will also see various Rites of Christian Initiation performed at different times of the year. In the fall we usually celebrate: A Rite of Acceptance and Welcome, the first ritual on the journey for an unbaptized adult and an adult baptized as a child, seeking full membership. In the spring, we celebrate a Rite of Sending to Election at the Cathedral for those nearing the completion of their journey to Baptism at the Easter Vigil.
For adults who have received both Baptism and Eucharist, but were never confirmed, St. John Vianney offers six months of classes beginning in October each year and finishing with Confirmation either at the Easter Vigil or by the Bishop at the Cathedral.
Sacrament preparation can occur at any time in life, not just infancy and childhood. If you are interested in exploring Catholicism as an adult and want more information on our OCIA program (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults), contact Tim Mannix at (925) 891-8921 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.