Becoming Catholic
Welcome! The parish family of Our Lady of Grace is excited that you are considering becoming Catholic or completing your Initiation. We hope that this page will answer many of your questions, but we are here to answer any questions, address any concerns, and assist you throughout this journey. Please do not hesitate to contact us at the parish office, 724-838-9480 x 3002
We are eager to help you!
How do I become Catholic?
An unbaptized person or a person baptized in another Christian denomination is brought into the Catholic Church through the Sacraments of Initiation. For an unbaptized person, these Sacraments would include Baptism, Confirmation, & Eucharist.
For a validly baptized Christian, this would mean receiving the Sacrament of Reconcilation,
followed by the Sacraments of Initiation of Confirmation & Eucharist.
The process that assists people on their journey into full communion with the Catholic Church is formally named the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA). Here at Our Lady of Grace, we have tossed the formality and confusing acronyms and simply call this process what it is- Journey to the Sacraments
The focus of
Journey to the Sacraments is to help form a person in the teachings, beliefs, and practices of the Church,
while at the same time furthering the spiritual development of the person.
Who is Journey for the Sacraments for?
Journey to the Sacraments is for those who have never been baptized, those who have been baptized in another Christian tradition, and those adult Catholics who desire to complete the Sacraments of Initiation (Confirmation and/or Eucharist).
What are the expectations of a person in
Journey to the Sacraments?
All persons in
Journey to the Sacraments are encouraged to join the parish community at Sunday Mass. While there are occasional modifications to the process, the norm is weekly formation sessions led by members of the
Journey to the Sacraments
team. The desire of this time of preparation is conversion through a change of heart and a deepening of your relationship with Jesus Christ.
When and where do the sessions occur?
Beginning in mid-September through the Easter season,
Journey to the Sacraments
sessions
regularly occur on Sunday mornings in the parish hall from 8:30 a.m.-10:15 a.m.
Your faith journey, which has already begun, will continue throughout your life. This journey of conversion is a time for you to grow in awareness of your relationship with God and the Catholic Church. If God is calling you to begin the more formal process,
or ask more questions about it, please contact our Director of Discipleship & Evangelization at 724-838-9480 x 3002