As Easter approaches, Notre Dame students in the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) program continue to prepare to receive the sacraments of initiation. This year’s program is the largest class ever recorded at Notre Dame, with 55 students taking the next step in their faith journey.
Brett Perkins, assistant director for evangelization and religious education, is the director of Notre Dame’s OCIA program. Fr. Brian Ching, C.S.C., rector of the Basilica of the Sacred Heart, also works closely with the OCIA students.
The OCIA program was previously known as the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA). The Vatican announced the name change in 2021, and it took effect in 2024. The word “order” replaced the word “rite” to more accurately describe the process as a collection of rites.
“There are three steps that people go through on that journey toward becoming Catholic or getting confirmed, and so each of those steps is called a rite. The fact that the whole thing is called an order now, as opposed to a rite, is a little bit more accurate,” Perkins said.
The first step is the Rite of Acceptance, an initial public presentation to the local church community by name.
The second step is a two-part rite celebrated at the beginning of Lent, the Rite of Sending and the Rite of Election. The Rite of Sending happens at every parish church, where the godparents and sponsors of the students give testimony to their spiritual growth. The student is then accepted to be sent to the bishop for the Rite of Election. All people in OCIA programs across the diocese gather for the Rite of Election.
The final step of the process is receiving the sacraments of initiation, which vary for each student.
Depending on the track a student is on, those who are already baptized will celebrate a special Mass at 2 p.m. on Sunday, April 27 to receive their First Communion and Confirmation, while students being baptized into the Catholic Church will receive all three sacraments of initiation at the Easter Vigil.
“We actually have two tracks of sacramental preparation here in campus ministry, which makes us a little unique among campus ministries and parishes as well,” Perkins said.
The first track is a yearlong process, which is typically referred to as OCIA. The second is a semester-long process, which campus ministry calls the short course. The second track is meant for students who are already baptized, have a solid foundation in Christianity and actively practice the Christian faith.
There is one yearlong cohort and two short-course cohorts for the fall and spring semesters. The first part of the yearlong course focuses on what it means to be Christian, while the second half of the course and the semester-long courses focus on what it means to be Catholic.
“They are meant to receive people at different points in their faith journey and accompany them as they seek to become disciples of Jesus within his church,” Perkins said. “But where we hope to get them is the same, moving toward that full commitment, active participation in the life of the church and leaning in on that relationship with Jesus.”
Demetrius Hernandez, a first-year computer science doctoral student, commented on his experience in the OCIA process.
“Something I’ve really appreciated about OCIA is the emphasis on discernment. Growing up, I often felt like questioning things about the church wasn’t encouraged, which contributed to me stepping away for a while. But here, questioning is welcomed, whether it’s in our small group discussions, with my sponsor or from the OCIA leadership. That openness has been so refreshing and has made this process feel natural rather than forced,” Hernandez wrote.
Perkins explains that people who are already baptized outside of the Catholic Church, “would be received into full communion with the Catholic Church and then have their first Communion and confirmation.”
Of the 55 students in the program this year, 27 are unbaptized and 28 are completing their initiation into the church. The OCIA process includes students from first-years to doctoral candidates.
“Sometimes we’ll get faculty or staff, even, that will join our process, though typically, with faculty or staff members, we would try to get them connected with a local parish in town, which might better provide for the community experience,” Perkins said.
Campus ministry welcomes people from all different walks of faith and many students come from a variety of religious backgrounds.
Notre Dame junior Ocean Leto grew up Jewish but after exploring different denominations of Christianity was baptized Protestant.
“One week, I saw a slide in my dorm’s hall council presentation saying if you had any Catholic questions to contact Brett from Campus Ministry. I met up with him with the original intent to understand the Catholic position, slay misconceptions and stay Protestant. He invited me to sit in with the OCIA sessions to further discern my faith. Throughout the process, I came to realize that God was calling me to take a leap of faith and join the Catholic Church,” Leto said.
Leto will be confirmed and receive First Communion this Easter.
The OCIA program has even had many international students who may come from places where they have not experienced Christianity. These students might come to Notre Dame for its prestigious education but end up discovering the faith during their time here.
“We had a couple of students who began the process of OCIA here as exchange students in the fall and then went back to their home universities and are hoping to continue the process there now, and so part of it was helping them find local OCIA processes,” Perkins said.
As for their sponsors, students can choose their own or be matched with another student through campus ministry.
“I chose to have a sponsor chosen for me since at the time I was trying to expand the people I knew into the area of campus ministry, and Brett Perkins put me, an athlete, with someone like-minded and similarly driven and curious, which has been increasingly encouraging,” sophomore William Wheeler wrote.
To accommodate students’ busy schedules, the OCIA program mainly meets on Sundays. The students attend Mass at the Basilica and then have a small group session afterward. They also have other events during the week, such as service experiences on Fridays and Saturdays.
“One seemingly simple thing that I have really been inspired by is the fact that they make an effort to know everyone’s name. (Without getting too sappy.) Just knowing your name also makes you feel unique and special (especially in such a large group), and it makes a big impact. It’s all the little things that the OCIA team does that make a huge difference,” Hernandez wrote.
At Sunday Mass, the catechumens — students preparing for baptism — are invited forward with their sponsors after the Liturgy of the Word. They are then sent out to study the word of God as a community for the rest of the Mass.
“The baptized evangelical or Protestant students wouldn’t yet receive holy Communion, but by virtue of their baptism, their place where they should be is at the worship, right there for the rest of the Liturgy of the Eucharist,” Perkins said.
Paige Ellis, a first-year student, views the experience of OCIA as a journey.
“We are all on this journey together, all encountering these same moments of doubt — maybe at different times — but just having that support system is so helpful and definitely makes me feel less alone during this process,” Ellis said.
After Mass, all the students and their sponsors meet at the Coleman-Morse Center for a session on a particular topic of the Catholic faith and time for fellowship with each other. Students are split into small groups to foster faith and community.
“My favorite part of OCIA has been my small group. We have been encouraging one another, having deep, thoughtful conversations and bonding strongly over our faith and different faith journeys,” Wheeler wrote. “The different minds, viewpoints and characteristics of each person in our small group have made it thought-provoking, encouraging and always something I look forward to.”
Leto highlighted how OCIA helps you answer questions you might be wrestling with in your faith.
“Notre Dame does an excellent job at encouraging questions, navigating sensitive topics and properly catechizing all of us candidates in OCIA. I wish I would have heard about this sooner and that there would be more emphasis on evangelization throughout the world’s OCIA programs,” Leto wrote. “For everyone wrestling with their faith or harboring questions, I want to emphasize the benefit of this opportunity. Check it out and see where God is leading you.”
