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OCIA Regional Discussions
Evangelization Period
The first stage of Christian Initiation (OCIA)! Inquirers are walked with through the different Thresholds of Conversion before entering into the Catechumenate.
Catechumenate
The period between the Rite of Entrance and the Rite of Election in which the catechumenate is formed by their parish to in preparation for the reception of the sacraments.
Purification & Enlightenment
Purify and enlighten the intentions of the elect through more intentional daily prayer and spirituality.
Mystagogy
This period lasts the entire Easter season, up until Pentecost.
Candidates for Full Communion
Candidates for full communion are individuals who have already been validly baptized, but for whatever reason did not receive the other sacraments of initiation.
Evangelization Period
The Office of Evangelization and Family Life Ministries wants to provide on Mission Support the most recent and useful resources we’ve been offering to parishes. We are happy to field questions for more specific resources in particular areas of evangelization.
“The fact that catechesis, at least initially, assumes a missionary objective, does not dispense a particular Church from promoting an institutionalized program of primary proclamation to execute more directly Jesus’ missionary command.”
– General Directory for Catechesis, 62)
Each parish of the Archdiocese of Denver should be working towards “promoting” an “institutionalized program of primary proclamation”. This program would provide both those outside the community and within the community the opportunity to hear the good news of the Gospel (the kerygma) clearly, simply, and with an opportunity to respond to God’s invitation. The path to faith that all follow from their time of being lost to being a Missionary Disciple is referred to as the Thresholds of Conversion.
The Evangelization Period is also the first stage of Christian Initiation (OCIA). In this stage, it is imperative that inquirers are walked with through the different Thresholds of Conversion to ensure their initial conversion before entering into the Catechumenate.
Resources for the Evangelization Period
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- I Once Was Lost by Don Everts and Doug Schaupp
- Intentional Accompaniment by Michael Hall
- Learning and Applying the Thresholds of Conversion Handout
- Hourglass Handout
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- Clear & Simple by Andre Regnier
- SENT Evangelization
SENT Evangelization is an apostolate based in Denver and founded by a former Saint John Vianney seminarian. Their goal is to equip parishes in effective door knocking ministries and educate on paths of evangelization.
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Seeker Small Groups by Gary Poole
The book presents a detailed, step-by-step process for launching seeker small groups strategy in a wide variety of settings. The groups are for seekers whether or not they are attending church. Numerous stories and illustrations provide inspiration and encouragement, so readers are not only equipped but also motivated to launch their own seeker groups.
The Search is a seven part series, specifically designed for groups. Friends, families, small groups and parishes will find this content to be a treasure in helping viewers grow deeper in their relationships with each other, with creation and with the author of all things. Whether a life-long searcher, a devout religious, someone who has left faith or an agnostic waiting for facts, The Search is sure to reignite the love for the journey and open the heart to the transcendent.
Alpha is a series of sessions exploring the Christian faith, typically run over eleven weeks. Each talk looks at a different question around faith and is designed to create conversation. Alpha is run all around the globe, and everyone is welcome. Alpha is also available online.
The JPII Healing Center’s mission is the embody the teachings of St John Paul II by bringing restoration and healing into the lives of those seeking a deeper intimacy with Jesus Christ. Their events are hosted all over the country, with many being hosted in Denver, CO over the next few years. They also have online courses and a podcast!
Sanctuary Mental Health Ministries | Free Church Resources
The Sanctuary Course was created to inspire and equip communities of faith that are asking ” How can a church become a sanctuary—a place where individuals living with mental health challenges feel safe, supported, and a sense of belonging?” Developed in consultation with mental health professionals, theologians, and people with lived experience, this eight-session study guide explores key mental health topics and examines meaningful ways to offer companionship, support recovery, and promote wellbeing. This resource is great for a small group at your parish that might intrigue seekers who are curious about the intersection between faith and mental health.
“Discovery” is a Catholic Christion Outreach Faith Study Series. “Discovery” invites participants to encounter Christ through a simple but challenging look at the gospel message.
The reality today is that many Catholics need to be re-evangelized; to hear the Good News explained in a clear and simple way to which they can respond. Many of our participants first received the gift of salvation at their Baptism through the faith of their parents. They are invited to make that faith their own.
The Rescue Project believes that the most urgent task is the compelling proclamation of the gospel, one that not only shares it in an attractive – and concentrated – way, but that also offers people a way of seeing reality, and of making sense of the world, history, and life that is vastly different from the story our modern culture tells.
Conversion by Father Donald Haggerty
The Period of Evangelization
February 13, 2025
How to do an intake for an inquirer, identifying where they are in the thresholds of conversion, and what we should do to get them ready to enter the catechumenate or candidate process to receive their sacraments if applicable by creating Seeker Small Groups.
The Period of the
Catechumenate
“RCIA” or the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults” is transitioning to “OCIA” or the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults”. This name change reflects the retranslation of all of the rites that make up an adult’s initiation to the Catholic faith, as well as guidance from the USCCB as to what is encapsulated within the different periods of the faith journey.
The Period of the Catechumenate, which is what we typically think of when we think of “OCIA”, is the period between the Rite of Entrance (formerly the Rite of Acceptance) and the Rite of Election in which the seeker, now called a catechumenate, is formed by their parish to strengthen their initial conversion and prepare their hearts for the reception of the sacraments.
The Office of Evangelization and Family Life Ministries is currently working with Archbishop to give greater clarity as to what should be considered “a full and complete catechesis” in this period.
The Rite of Entrance into the Catechumenate “presupposes an initial ‘evangelization’, a beginning of conversion, faith, and a sense of the Church, period contact with a Priest or some members of the community, and preparation for this liturgical order” (OCIA 68).
Resources, Workshop Recordings, and more!
All about Candidates!
December 5, 2024
Misconceptions, resources, and best practices for the category of seeker that makes the up majority of our sacrament-seeking adults.
Introduction to the New Translation
November 12, 2024
To ease the transition of the newly translated OCIA, the EFLM Office teamed up with the Liturgy Office and held a “town hall”.
Discerning Readiness in Seekers
October 10, 2024
Resources
In this “report from the trenches” the author shows how his parish team was able to transform their process from a traditional academic model to true training in Christian life, focused on the goals of the individual seeker. Through the author’s real-world experience readers will discover how to develop their own roadmap to transform and renew their parish initiation processes.
Curriculum Resources for the Catechumenate
This RCIA curriculum is an incredibly user-friendly guide to teaching the faith, and it can be used by someone with little experience teaching the faith in addition to someone who has been teaching the faith for years. It contains detailed written lesson plans for each topic. It offers a very complete catechesis but will need to be supplemented on the topic of worship. This curriculum would appeal to seekers who are interested in a more academic approach, and those who aren’t academically inclined may need additional support to connect with the material.
Symbolon is an RCIA curriculum that combines video presentations with group discussion and includes both the videos and two books that make up the leader guide. If your parish has a subscription to Formed.org, there is the added advantage of seekers being able to access the videos at home. This curriculum is a slightly more pared down catechesis, but is still complete and rather academic, though a few different topics are combined into lessons, so some jumping around between sessions may be required. Symbolon is also offered in Spanish, which would make it an excellent resource for bilingual parishes that still want an academic approach to catechesis.
This RCIA resource is incredibly accessible, as it has specific curriculums for children, teens, and adults and all are offered in English and Spanish. The lessons are user-friendly and tend to lean more practical and general than heavy theology. In addition to catechumenal resources, Journey of Faith provides lesson plans for Inquiry, Purification & Enlightenment, and Mystagogy.
The Dominicans have created a very beautiful and thorough textbook to the Catholic faith that includes short videos, readings, and lots of discussion and reflection questions, in addition to a separate prayer book to assist in teaching prayer. The morality sections tend to lean more academic, and seekers who do not prefer an academic approach may need additional support. The only area that needs to be supplemented is discussion on Anointing of the Sick. A great resource for those with seekers who read their way into a conversion and want a deep dive into the faith!
This is an excellent resource for RCIA that is simple, easy to digest and understand, and leans much more practical than academic. It needs to be supplemented with examples of bioethics, family morality (theology of the body and IVF teachings) and perhaps a but more biblical reference, but paired with these individually, this is a fantastic resource for those with seekers who need the faith to seem relevant and something that impacts their everyday lives.
Concerning Children and Teens
“The Christian initiation of these children requires both a conversion that is personal and somewhat developed, in proportion to their age, and the assistance of the education they need… Accordingly, as with adults, their initiation is to be extended over several years, if need be, before they receive the sacraments.” (RCIA, 253)
“The children’s progress in the formation they receive depends on the help and example of their companions and on the influence of their parents. Both factors should be taken into account.
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- Since the children to be initiated often belong to a group of children of the same age who are already baptized and are preparing for confirmation and eucharist, their initiation progressed gradually and within the supportive setting of this group of companions.
- It is to be hoped that the children will also receive as much help and example as possible from the parents, whose permission it required for the children to be initiated and to live a Christian life. The period of initiation will also provide a good opportunity for the family to have contact with priests and catechists.” (RCIA, 254)
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Considering the information in the accordion below, if possible, the Rites should be hosted separately for children and teenagers (although they may be combined with each other). The Rite of Election is optional due to the nature of children’s dependance on their parents’ schedules, but it is highly encouraged.
Curriculum Resources for Children
For unbaptized children between the ages of 7-12, it is insufficient to enroll in religious education class at the parish without supplemental material. It is expected that there is a monthly touchpoint with the child to discuss the content at an age-appropriate level. If possible, the sponsor meetings remain the same in a way that fulfills Safe Environment requirements, and the liturgical requirement can be fulfilled by “Breaking Open the Word” when the child is dismissed from mass after the homily. Validly baptized and previously catechized children, at the discretion of the catechist, may receive sufficient catechesis from attending religious education classes, and should not be pulled out of mass (see “Applications for Candidates for Full Communion” for more information on this.) Age-appropriate day retreats on prayer and the Eucharist for the different seasons would also be appropriate and could be opened to all at the DRE’s discretion so that all children may benefit.
Unbaptized and baptized but uncatechized pre-teens and teens should follow a faith journey model similar for adults, just modified to their age level. In addition, participation in youth group satisfies the requirement for pastoral involvement, and participation in middle school and high school retreats, as well as diocesan wide offerings such as Mountain Madness and the Steubenville of the Rockies conference satisfy the retreat requirements and liturgical requirements, as they contain exposure to Adoration, mass, and group prayer. If possible, organizing a small group of unbaptized children also going through the RCIA process on these retreats would be helpful so that new experiences can be explained and shared together. Baptized and catechized teens, at the discretion of the catechist, sponsor, and the pastor, would follow similar guidelines to adults who are catechized, only attending part B, modified to be age-appropriate for the other requirements with the suggestions above.
Journey of Faith
This RCIA resource is incredibly accessible, as it has specific curriculums for children, teens, and adults and all are offered in English and Spanish. The lessons are user-friendly and tend to lean more practical and general than heavy theology. In addition to catechumenal resources, Journey of Faith provides lesson plans for Inquiry, Purification & Enlightenment, and Mystagogy.
The Purification & Enlightenment Period
This period of the journey of faith is meant to purify and enlighten the intentions of the elect through more intentional daily prayer and spirituality. It lasts the entirety of Lent.
There should be no formal classroom learning happening in this time, but instead times of more intentional reflection and spiritual preparation.
During the period of Purification and Enlightenment, the elect experience the First, Second, and Third Scrutinies, which call them into greater reflection as to what they believe. They also are presented with the Creed and the Lord’s Prayer, so that they will be familiar with them upon their baptism. There are also optional rites that may be pastorally used, such as the Rite of Exorcism and Rite of Purification.
Purification & Enlightenment
Spanish: Edgar Mares, February 8, 2025
English: Hung Pham, April 11, 2022
Mystagogy Period
This is a time to unpack and dive deeper on certain topics that were covered in the Catechumenate but with the graces of baptism enlightening the new Catholics. This period lasts the entire Easter season, up until Pentecost.
There is an expectation that the newly baptized Catholics are continued to be accompanied by the parish in a formal way for an entire year following their reception into the faith, or the neophyte year.
Resources for Mystagogy
Many of us think of mystagogy as the final period of the catechumenal process, occurring in the 50 days after the Easter Triduum. It is, however, a much broader reality. We need to shift our thinking a bit. Mystagogy is not only for the 50 days, but for all our days. From the very beginning, our encounters with the inquirers and later the catechumens should be mystagogical.
Candidates for Full Communion
Candidates for full communion are individuals who have already been validly baptized, but for whatever reason did not receive the other sacraments of initiation. Candidates who are not Catholic will need to give a Profession of Faith before receiving the sacraments. Because a candidate is not required to be a part of the OCIA program at a parish, the Evangelization and Family Life Ministries office has created a list of topics that a candidate should know before coming into full communion with the Church.
Resources for Candidates for Full Communion
Does My Candidate Have Sufficient Catechesis for the Sacraments?
(note: the purpose of this document is not for it to be given to a candidate as a written or verbal exam. Rather, these are areas that would be covered in a complete catechesis and provide a framework to assist you in identifying gaps.)