Waiting on OCIA to Start? Try Doing These 3 Things in the Meantime

Lately, many people have been making the jump from other Christian denominations and religions, and even atheism, to Catholicism. And by the looks of it, there are lots of others who are planning to do so in the future. Furthermore, there are also some individuals out there who may not plan on converting, but still wish to learn more about the Catholic Church nonetheless. 

Those who find themselves in either situation may be wondering how they can get started. In most cases, they will find that the first step they need to take is signing up for OCIA, (formerly RCIA), which stands for the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults. This journey is a very exciting time for many students, but one thing they should be prepared to experience, if they do plan to officially convert at the end of the course, is feeling a bit impatient. 

People may experience that while in OCIA, but they might also go through it while waiting on the course to begin. However, there is some good news for those people! There are actually several things a future OCIA student can do to help pass the time while they wait. 

 Think About The Time Mary Spent Waiting 

Waiting on OCIA to start can be a very trying experience for some. One reason why that may be the case is because the devil works really hard to keep people from strengthening their relationships with God, and another reason why this is true is because the course is a really life-changing experience, and waiting on something that important to begin isn’t always easy. 

However, something that may be beneficial for anyone who feels like time is going by a little bit slowly during this time is remembering who else had to wait a while to experience a very life-changing event: the Virgin Mary. While the Bible does not say much about how she may have felt while she awaited the birth of Jesus, it’s certain that waiting was definitely a thing she had to do, so anyone who may be struggling with that before their first lesson can use that time period to form a bond with our Blessed Mother. Focusing on an experience that you have in common with someone else can make bonding with them easier. 

 Attend Mass, But Don’t Be Discouraged If You Don’t Understand Everything That You See 

A great way to make time seem to go by a bit faster while waiting to enter OCIA is to begin attending Mass somewhere. Doing this can give someone a good preview into what living as a Catholic is like. But with that being said, there are a few things newcomers may not understand the first time they go. 

For example, those who are new may struggle to understand why Catholics do not just sit through the whole Mass like people do during church in many other denominations. When someone attends their first Catholic Mass, that may be their first time witnessing people kneeling in front of the Lord during communion, and they also might not yet be aware of transubstantation. 

Furthermore, those who come from non-Catholic backgrounds tend not to know why they cannot receive communion, and they might be confused about some other things that happen during Mass as well. But that’s totally okay! Even some seasoned Catholics do not know all of the details behind what goes on in Mass. In fact, they sometimes attend OCIA as well just to learn more about their faith. Also, something one can do before the course starts is purchase a Catholic Bible and begin reading it. Doing that often helps people see that every single part of Mass is biblical, and that the Catholic Church is the church that Jesus created. 

Get To Know Other Catholics 

Another thing that may help future OCIA students pass time until their classes begin is connecting with other Catholics. Having friends whom one can relate to makes this kind of thing much easier and much more enjoyable. Also, OCIA students who officially become Catholic at the end of the course need people who can serve as godparents, or as sponsors. Which one they might need, or whether or not they will need both, depends on their specific circumstances, so they should speak to their priest about that. 

Also, godparents and sponsors have to be practicing Catholics. Therefore, there are multiple reasons why someone who wishes to attend OCIA classes should seek out friends who are a part of the Church. 

This particular season of waiting is not always fun, but trying those three things can make it much more enjoyable. Also, great things like joining the Church are always worth the wait.