As we enter the Season of Lent it becomes for Directors of the OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) a very busy time. It becomes a time where we try to balance the solemnity of Lent and the joyful excitement of the Elect growing closer to Baptism and Full Communion in the Catholic Church.
What I would like to share with you is my journey as a director of OCIA. Thirty-five years ago, when I started ministry at Sacred Heart Church in Saticoy, California and started an OCIA program, I did so to the sacraments, teachings of Jesus, the Church and history of the Catholic Church. It wasn’t until I began my ministry at St. Dominic’s in Eagle Rock, CA that my whole approach as Director of OCIA changed. My second year at St. Dominic’s we got a new pastor, Fr. Michael Fones, OP. Fr. Mike was very involved with the Catherine of Siena Institute, and he wanted the parish formation teams to be trained under Sherry Weddell’s, Forming Disciples. For three summers Fr. Mike accompanied the teams to Colorado Springs, CO for these workshops and this changed my whole approach to the OCIA process and my own spiritual life.
One of the most important factors for me was to be quiet and listen to what Jesus was saying to me, where He wanted me to be and be open to the movements of the Holy Spirit in my own life and in the lives of the seekers. Long story short, I started spending more time with the Seekers on: Who is Jesus the man, the teacher and who is He to you, the Seeker. Well into the sessions I ask one question that causes perfect silence: “Why are you here; to get the ticket punched so you can get a Catholic Wedding? Or are you here to develop a lifelong deeper relationship with Jesus?” I tell them it is not enough to be “just Catholic” you need to be a disciple of Jesus. After they receive Full Communion, I encourage them to keep learning our faith through Bible Studies, Formation Presentations that our great Dominican priests offer to the parish and be involved with the various parish ministries.
When Covid hit we kept sessions going with zoom, and we found that zooming the meetings brought more seekers to our OCIA. Our parish has a very large number of First Responders and people in the medical fields, and I am blessed with a wonderful team. We developed sessions to fit the schedules of seekers who work nights. Yes, it is more work for us, and we are ongoing, we do not have a school calendar set up. But it is worth it. One of our firefighters, during high fire season could not leave the station so we zoomed while he was at the station, and it turn out all the firemen at the station watched the video of Bishop Barron on the Real Presence with the seeker fireman and joined in the discussion.
One of the firemen had been away from the Church for 25 years and said this was not the church he left. I walked him through how to come home to the Church. The seeker fireman was evangelizing. This is the story of most of the people we have in OCIA. They are with us because of a family member, a friend and/or a co-worker who has gone through the OCIA. One of my team members went through the OCIA three years ago and is a wonderful gift to our sessions. He related the other week that this program is giving you a toolbox for the rest of your life. I feel I am forming disciples who are encouraging people in their lives to come and follow Jesus.
Sr. Joyanne Sullivan, SND
Director of Catechetical Formation
Saint Dominic Catholic Church
Eagle Rock, CA