Each year the church community assembles individuals to discern whether they are being called to full initiation in the Catholic Church. The process is called the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA). Some of those participating are Catholics who didn’t receive their First Communion or Confirmation. Others are members of other Christian churches who would like to become Catholic. There are also some who were never baptized and want to receive all three sacraments of initiation. We meet about three times a month to pray, learn, discuss and socialize. People of various ages participate in these sessions facilitated by parishioners and clergy. Your spouse would be welcome to come along as well to offer support. After this formation, usually we celebrate the various sacraments at the Easter vigil. It is a powerful event. Certainly, you could opt out of the process before then at any time.
 
Join us on Monday, September 11 at 6:30 pm at the priests’ residence (rectory) for Resurrection Parish 2525 St. Anne Drive in Dubuque for our first gathering. Please pray and reflect about whether this process would help you and your family. The sessions last about an hour. Parents who are not Catholic with children preparing to receive Holy Communion for the first time as 2nd graders might be especially interested in this process so that they can all receive Holy Communion together. 
 
For more information and to begin the process, please contact Fr. Phil Gibbs at 563-556-7511 or dbq058@dbqarch.org.