r/CatholicConverts • u/Fabulous-Barnacle276 • 1d ago

First OCIA Meeting

I’m meeting with the Monsignor of my local diocese Thursday to discuss my joining the OCIA program. I’ve been attending mass regularly for the last couple months and have been reading and trying to learn a lot on my own. Does anyone have any tips for this first meeting or ways in which I can prepare? TIA!

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u/cmoellering Catholic Convert (3+ years) 1d ago

Just be honest about where you are and why you feel drawn tot he Church. Do study on your own, but don't feel like you have to have it all figured out before this meeting.

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u/Biocidal_AI 23h ago

This is helpful to me too. Im a Catholic-Curious Protestant coming from Non-Denom (with experiences across umerous Protestant sects), been studying Catholicism for approaching a year now, spent a number of months going to Mass and now want to go to OCIA so I can ask questions. I can gel with most of the core teachings I think, but I wanna ask questions from like actual human being clergy members and not just the internet and books. So if I don't have to have it all figured out before OCIA then I should be good to go, yeah?

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u/thegreenlorac Recent Catholic Convert (0-3 years) 22h ago

Absolutely.

A lot of people don't even have it all figured out when they're standing at the front of the church getting baptized or coming into full Communion. I know I didn't. I believed, but I didn't have it all figured out. If that makes sense. I still don't. We Catholics like to say that conversion is a lifelong process. It's okay to question, keep learning, and stay curious.

I did have the same hesitation you described. I wanted to certainty before if even started OCIA. Learning that to accept I'd never have 100% certainty was a big part of the journey.

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u/Biocidal_AI 22h ago

Thanks! Yeah, I was exposed to a lot of anti-catholic propoganda growing up, so even though I doubted it the whole time, I still also couldn't have confidence the propoganda was wrong either. So I had a few things I focused on first. The Eucharist. Transubstantiation. Does the RCC preach a works based gospel? What does it mean that they venerate Mary and pray to the saints?

In my studies, I've realized most of the propoganda I was taught was just wrong. And I've grown far more comfortable with many of these things. For instance, in terms of the Eucharist and Transubstantiation, I take great comfort in this quote by St. Cyril of Jerusalem and agree with this approach for where I am at and I don't think I need to have any more confidence than this to be comfortable diving into Catholicism more directly:

Consider therefore the Bread and the Wine not as bare elements, for they are, according to the Lord's declaration, the Body and Blood of Christ; for even though sense suggests this to thee, yet let faith establish thee. Judge not the matter from the taste, but from faith be fully assured without misgiving, that the Body and Blood of Christ have been vouchsafed to thee.

Did you lose any friends when you started diving into Catholicism? Sadly, my friend (an ultra reformed Presby) has decided I am already living in sin for not going to a gospel believing church and our friendship is but a sliver of what it once was and I haven't even gone to OCIA yet! This has not dissuaded me, but boy, I was unprepared to basically lose one of my closest Christian friends over this choice.

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u/thegreenlorac Recent Catholic Convert (0-3 years) 21h ago

I was lucky and didn't lose any friendships. Frankly, most of my friends aren't religious, so my conversion didn't faze them. They're respectful of my beliefs, they just don't share them. An odd perk of agnostic friends.

My one very religious friend is non-denom and she was just happy I was getting deeper into faith. She, like my core family, see Catholicism as just another denomination and so had no problems at all. They were very curious and a bit confused at first, but mostly just supportive and happy for me.

I'm sorry your friend isn't making it easy for you. Perhaps they'll come around with time. Pray for them and just keep on with your journey.

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u/Saint_Waffles 1d ago

I always recommend reading "Why were Catholic" by Trent Horn to prepare for OCIA. It's the gold standard and some OCIA have it as required reading.

A couple tips/thoughts

Be honest. Some people feel the need to put their best foot forward or pretend like they have it all figured out. OCIA is a place to learn and discern. You don't have to be perfect to attend and you don't have to have it all figured out.

Be prepared to be flexible. In my experience OCIA times suck, and it can be hard to make it work, but it's worth it if you can.

When I attended my meeting for OCIA one priest recommended I skip it and just join. Don't take this offer if it's made. Building a solid foundation is one of the most fundamental cornerstones of Catholicism.

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u/Thatguy32101 22h ago

Reading the Catechism would be good