Formerly known as RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation).

Each year on Holy Saturday during the Easter Vigil, thousands are baptized into the Catholic Church in the United States. Parishes welcome these new Catholics through the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults.

We, the staff of St. Thomas the Apostle OCIA, have walked with well over 100 catechumens and candidates as they prepared for their Sacraments of Initiation. Our mission is to welcome, accompany, inform, and encourage each person on their path to Jesus Christ and full life in his Church.

• Not Christian? Come with us!

• Not Catholic? Come with us!

• Desire reception of the sacraments? Come with us!

• Seeking a greater understanding of your faith? Come with us!

• Have questions about the Catholic Church and her teachings? Come with us!

Our staff has accumulated over 80 years of ministry experience. Each year we are blessed by this ministry as we travel the road to deeper faith with our catechumens, candidates, and those seeking a greater understanding of Christ’s Church in their lives.

We meet regularly after the 8:00 mass each Sunday in the Parish Center from October through Pentecost.

Catechumens are received into the Church during the Easter Vigil when they are Baptized, Confirmed, and receive First Holy Communion. Candidates seeking Confirmation and or Holy Communion celebrate those sacraments at Pentecost. And we all benefit from their experience.

The staff and those who accompany the catechumens and candidates as sponsors or inquirers are blessed by breaking open the Word of God and learning the promise of his Church. It is a great blessing to our lives of faith.

Frank and his family are 38-year parishioners at St. Thomas and have been active in many ministries over the years. He has been assisting our OCIA process for over 30 years. Frank is a retired mechanical engineer and now a consultant. His years in the OCIA led him to a B.A. in Philosophy and Catholic Thought and M.A. in Theology and Philosophy.

Contact Us
Frank Miller, Director of RCIA
(201) 207-0020
ocia@stachurchbloomfield.org

Meetings are on Sundays from 9:00-10:30 am in the Parish Center from October through Pentecost.