While the Catholic Church is the largest religion in the world, it is sometimes also the most misunderstood.
The beliefs of the Catholic Church and her beautiful teachings are consistent through the ages.
What We Believe
- We believe that human beings were created by God in love and that everything God creates is good and created out of love. While we have the capacity for sin, the Church believes in the dignity of the human person above all else.
- We also believe that goodness infuses all of God’s wondrous creation. All creation, made by God, reflects that goodness. Catholics see the world and its beauty, renewed by the Incarnation, as sacramental – speaking of God’s goodness and love.
- We believe in stewardship. Everything is given to us by God and our Catholic responsibility is to share our time, talent and treasure with those around us.
- We believe in the Holy Trinity, that God has revealed himself to us as Father, Son and Holy Spirit – a communion of knowledge and love – has created us to share in that life.
- We believe in community and a living Church – believers are a part of the living Body of Christ and, as such, we are a reflection of the communal nature of the Trinity.
- We believe that God loved his creation so much that he became human in the person of Jesus to walk among us.
- We believe in the communion of the saints – models of faith who help us and guide us in our daily lives.
- We believe in Jesus’ crucifixion, death and resurrection, and we hope that one day we will rise to new life with him.
Becoming Catholic today means joining an ancient faith, deeply rooted in the teachings and traditions of Christ,
that is filled with hope and vibrancy as we continue to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ to all the ends of the earth.
ALL ARE WELCOME
Adults or children who have not been baptized and desire to join the Church are invited into the ancient celebration of the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults. During this process, which is marked by regular ritual acts, participants are introduced to the liturgy, the teachings, and the life of the Catholic Church.
Adults or children who were baptized in another Christian denomination prepare in a similar way for the sacraments of Confirmation and the Eucharist during their reception into the Catholic Church.
Order of Christian Initiation for Adults (OCIA)
The Order of Christian Initiation for Adults, or OCIA, formerly known as RCIA, is a communal process for formal initiation of new members into the Catholic Church. This process is a return to the formation of the earliest members of the Church in the first and second centuries.
What is OCIA?
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops describes the Order of Christian Initiation for Adults as a process in which participants “undergo…conversion as they study the Gospel, profess faith in Jesus and the Catholic Church, and receive the sacraments…The OCIA process follows the ancient practice of the Church and was restored by the Second Vatican Council as the normal way adults prepare for baptism.”
Likewise, the language used in the OCIA process is that of the early Church formation programs. Catechumens are those people who are seeking full initiation into the Catholic Church through all of the Sacraments of Initiation – Baptism, Eucharist and Confirmation. Candidates are people who have been baptized in a Christian tradition but are seeking initiation into the Catholic Church through Eucharist and Confirmation.
All are Welcome!
OCIA is a process of study, exploration, faith-sharing, and faith formation with specific liturgical rites for seekers and inquirers. Seekers and inquirers are non-baptized adults who desire to be fully initiated into the Roman Catholic Church and/or baptized adult Christians who desire full communion in the Roman Catholic Church.
Adults or older children who have not been baptized and desire to join the Church are invited into the ancient celebration of the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults. During this process, which is marked by regular ritual acts, participants are introduced to the liturgy, the teachings, and the life of the Catholic Church.
Adults or older children who were baptized in another Christian denomination prepare in a similar way for the sacraments of Confirmation and the Eucharist during their reception into the Catholic Church.
OCIA is a Journey
The Order of Christian Initiation for Adults is a process that proceeds over weeks and months. It has several steps:
Pre-Catechumenate
This is the earliest phase in the process; it is also known as the Period of Inquiry. Catechumens and Candidates acknowledge that Christ is calling them into the Church through the movement of the Holy Spirit. This is a time for seeking and reflection.
Order of Initiation
The first order in the OCIA process, the Order of Initiation, is the accepting of new members into the worshipping community.
Catechumenate
The longest part of the process, the Catechumenate is a time of learning and formation in the traditions and doctrine of the Catholic Church. This is a time for sharing stories, reading scripture, and studying the Church customs, traditions and doctrine. Participants also participate in worship services and various Church rituals.
Rite of Election
Catechumens and Candidates are chosen to be received by the bishop and the community and to receive the Sacraments of Initiation at Easter.
Sacraments of Initiation
At the Easter Vigil (Holy Saturday), all newly elected members of the community who have been journeying through the OCIA process are welcomed formally into the community of believers through receiving the Sacraments of Initiation – Baptism, Reconciliation, Eucharist and Confirmation.
Mystagogy
This is a time of reflection and celebration after the formal reception into the Catholic Church. Mystagogia means “leading into the mystery” and it is a time to explore the deep mystery of our faith and go forth to help build the reign of God on Earth as new members of the faithful.
OCIA Team
People journeying through the OCIA process need sponsors and community support to help them grow in faith. The OCIA team of sponsors help guide, support and instruct those discerning whether to become members of our Catholic community.
Team members share their faith with inquiring adults who are seeking more information about the Catholic Church, many of whom seek to celebrate one or more of the Sacraments of Initiation: Baptism, Eucharist and Confirmation.
Our Lady of Lourdes Team
The Our Lady of Lourdes OCIA team is composed of ten parishioners who work closely with OCIA catechumens and candidates in weekly sessions throughout the year.
OCIA sessions are on Wednesday evenings from 6:30pm to 8:00pm year-round.
Two members of the team are scheduled for each session.
One part of the session covers the upcoming gospel readings and their relevance in our lives and the second part of each session covers a scheduled topic.
If you are interested in joining our faith community, contact Ms. Lynette Kessinger at:
502-966-7215 or at lynettek@ourlourdes.org
Family Catechesis (Religious Education of Children)
“Education in the faith by the parents should begin in the earliest years…Family Catechesis precedes, accompanies and enriches other forms of instruction in their faith. Parents have the mission of teaching their children to pray and discover their vocation as children of God. The parish is the Eucharistic community and the heart of liturgical life of Christian families; it is a privileged place for catechesis of children and parents.”
Catechism of the Catholic Church #2226
While our program will teach your child a great deal about who God is, it is your example of living the Gospel in your life that will ultimately be his/her greatest spiritual influence.
Our Lady of Lourdes facilitates weekly religious education for children who do not attend our parish school.
Offered on Sunday mornings from 10:30 to 11:30, Family Catechesis runs from September through April and includes a 2-year sacrament preparation for First Eucharist, First Reconciliation, and Confirmation.
Please see the handbook for more information.
To enroll your child, fill out the registration form below
and submit to Shelly Cronen, Director of Family Ministry, at shellyc@ourlourdes.org
CATHOLIC ETIQUETTE
Attending Mass
For Catholics, the Mass is a very solemn and sacred event in which they are renewed in faith by their encounter with the real presence of Jesus Christ and grow as a community together with the universal Church. During this sacred moment of prayer it is important to keep a few things in mind when attending Mass:
- Please be considerate and arrive in the church before the Mass begins. It is considered disrespectful to arrive after the Mass has begun.
- Chewing gum is NEVER appropriate in a church. Catholics, especially who will be receiving Communion, should never chew gum prior to Mass or even during Mass for they would violate the Eucharist fast and therefore would not be able to receive Communion.
- Please turn off your phones prior to the Mass beginning. Emergencies are obvious exceptions.
- While the Church never imposes a dress code, it is important to consider dress reveals our interior disposition toward the Mass. It is not appropriate to wear shorts or t-shirts at Mass or dress immodestly. Men must never wear a hat or cap while women are allowed to wear something covering their heads. Sunglasses are also inappropriate in the church unless for health reasons.
- Please do not eat or drink in the church.
- Silence is most appreciated in the church. The church is a house of prayer, please take conversations outside the church.
- While we always welcome and desire to have children be an active part of our parish community, we ask that parents help to keep children well behaved. Patience is always afforded to crying infants, but parents are asked to be as courteous as you can be for others trying to pray and listen. Children should never be allowed to wander around the church, it is appropriate for them to stay with their family.
- When incensation occurs during Holy Days, the faithfull will bow after the priest, make the sign of the cross, and bow with the priest.
- When the Archbishop is present, the Archbishop will kiss the Gospel Book after the Gospel is read, and then the faithful will seat.
Prior to Mass
- As we enter into the church it is part of our custom to bless ourselves with Holy Water while making the Sign of the Cross. This ritual is also repeated upon leaving the church. It is a reminder of our Baptism, that we are children of God, and members of the Body of Christ, the Church.
- As we find our seats, it is important to genuflect as we enter the row as a sign of reverence and respect for the real presence of Jesus in the tabernacle. To make a proper genuflection bend the right knee to touch the ground, while facing the tabernacle and make the Sign of the Cross.
- Once seated, it is appropriate to kneel and prepare spiritually for Mass. This is great opportunity to offer to God gratitude/thanksgiving or make our petitions that we intend to pray for during Mass.
Reception of Holy Communion
- FOR CATHOLICS: As Catholics, we fully participate in the celebration of the Eucharist when we receive Holy Communion. We are encouraged to receive Communion devoutly and frequently. In order to be properly disposed to receive Communion, participants should not be conscious of grave sin and normally should have fasted for one hour. A person who is conscious of grave sin is not to receive the Body and Blood of the Lord without prior sacramental confession except for a grave reason where there is no opportunity for confession. In this case, the person is to be mindful of the obligation to make an act of perfect contrition, including the intention of confessing as soon as possible (canon 916). Frequent reception of the Sacrament of Penance (confession) is encouraged for all.
- FOR NON-CATHOLIC CHRISTIANS: We welcome our fellow Christians to this celebration of the Eucharist as our brothers and sisters. We pray that our common baptism and the action of the Holy Spirit in this Eucharist will draw us closer to one another and begin to dispel the sad divisions which separate us. We pray that these will lessen and finally disappear, in keeping with Christ’s prayer for us “that they may all be one” (Jn 17:21).
Because Catholics believe that the celebration of the Eucharist is a sign of the reality of the oneness of faith, life, and worship, members of those churches with whom we are not yet fully united are ordinarily not admitted to Holy Communion. Eucharistic sharing in exceptional circumstances by other Christians requires permission according to the directives of the diocesan bishop and the provisions of canon law (canon 844 § 4). Members of the Orthodox Churches, the Assyrian Church of the East, and the Polish National Catholic Church are urged to respect the discipline of their own Churches. According to Roman Catholic discipline, the Code of Canon Law does not object to the reception of Communion by Christians of these Churches (canon 844 § 3).
FOR THOSE NOT RECEIVING COMMUNION: All who are not receiving Holy Communion are encouraged to express in their hearts a prayerful desire for unity with the Lord Jesus and with one another, such as praying a Spiritual Communion. It most appropriate for those not receiving Communion to remain in their seats. If they proceed to come forward at the Eucharist, they are invited to cross their hands, and the priest will give them a blessing.