The process by which adults are initiated into the Catholic faith throughout the United States is now called the OCIA--the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults. "Order" is a clearer translation of the Latin term for the process formerly known as the RCIA--the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults. People preparing for baptism and reception into the Church celebrate several rites as part of the order to which those rites belong--an order whose mission is to journey in the faith. The US Conference of Catholic Bishops adopted the name change in 2021, with American dioceses introducing the name thereafter. For more information, please contact your local diocese.
The ever-popular and long-running OCIA program, Journey of Faith, has a fresh, modern look and expanded leader materials. Written in the engaging, pastoral style of the Redemptorists, Journey of Faith and Jornada de Fe (previously, Camino de Fe) speak more clearly to people where they are in their faith journey and offer more integration with their daily life. For parishes that enjoy Liguori's Catholic Update newsletter, lesson-by-lesson references allow you to easily supplement any topics with timely and enlightening articles.
The Enlightenment lessons cover God's mercy and forgiveness, an introduction to the scrutinies, and the Lenten practices of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. There is also a group Lenten retreat. The Mystagogy material leads the new members of the Church into full participation with their Church and parish communities as they continue their faith formation now that they are fully initiated into the Church and share the joy and enthusiasm they have for the faith with others.
This comprehensive Leader Guide gives you everything you need to walk into your OCIA class and start leading. The expanded materials include:
- New, wraparound design that enables you to see what your participants see so you can spend more time teaching and growing in faith alongside your group
- Complete instructions for how to use Journey of Faith with an explanation of the lesson plan components including schedule options
- Tips on how to be an effective catechist
- Practical suggestions for teaching in a group setting
- Additional discussion points prepare you for their responses and keep the conversation going
- A complete glossary of all new concepts and terms taught in the lessons
- Supplemental material suggestions such as The Word Into Life scriptural study for OCIA groups and the popular Catholic Update newsletters on core OCIA topics
