Catholic Curious
“To fall in love with God is the greatest romance; to seek him the greatest adventure; to find him, the greatest human achievement.” – St. Augustine
Are you curious about the Catholic Church? Has your hunger for God, for truth, goodness, and beauty found satisfaction? Do you wonder why the Church still stands strong despite countless attempts from within and without to destroy it? Why hasn’t its moral code changed in 2,000 years? How did the Church produce incredible figures like Mother Teresa? Could God be in the Catholic Church? Could the Catholic Church possibly be the only true Church that God Himself established?
If you ask these, or any other questions about the Catholic faith, you are in the right place.
I encourage you to reach out to Light of the World via the form below; someone will respond, usually within a business day. Any inquiries come with zero commitment. We will meet you at a coffee shop near the church and provide a space where one of us can hear your story and answer any initial questions you might have. The best way to get to know the Catholic Church is to talk with a Catholic, and we are more than happy to provide an opportunity for you.
However, if you are not yet comfortable reaching out to us to meet in person, I encourage you to exercise your curiosity in a familiar space for many of us: Youtube! The following Ascension Presents video explains why the Catholic Church stands above other Christian Churches (and it is short!). We recommend any video by Fr. Mike Schmitz or Ascension Presents.
Additionally, the second video below is from a long-standing philosophy professor who delivers an engaging and simple talk on why any person, regardless of his or her background, should be Catholic.
Know of our prayers for you in your faith journey! God Bless!
frequently asked questions
OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) is the process of preparing to enter the Catholic Church.
Though there is a class component, OCIA is much more than a class. It is a time of serious, intentional discernment and formation for those who are actively considering whether God may be calling them into the Catholic Church.
If exploring the faith is like dating, OCIA is more like engagement. It is a focused season of discernment and preparation toward a possible full “yes” to Jesus Christ and His Church. This includes learning what the Church believes, how she worships, and how Catholics live, while also growing in a real relationship with God through prayer and preparation for the sacraments.
The journey unfolds in stages and leads, for those who are ready, to being received into full communion with the Church in the Spring.
OCIA is for those who are seriously discerning the Catholic Church as a real possibility and who are ready to enter into a structured process of prayer, formation, and accompaniment.
OCIA is for those anyone ready to discern becoming Catholic.
This includes:
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Catechumens — those who have never been baptized
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Candidates — those baptized in another Christian tradition
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Baptized Catholics — those who have not yet received Confirmation and/or the Eucharist
If you’re unsure whether you’re ready for OCIA, your first step is to meet with Rachel and discern the right starting point!
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Most people experience OCIA over the course of either one full year, or two semesters. This journey includes:
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Weekly gatherings with teaching, discussion, and prayer (we do not meet during summer or holidays
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Occasional retreats and additional formation opportunities
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Participation in weekly Sunday Mass
That said, the timeline is not identical for everyone.
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Those who are not baptized typically walk through the full 1-year process before entering the Church
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Those who are already baptized may move at a different pace depending on their sacramental background and formation
The goal isn’t to “get through a program,” but to be genuinely prepared to say yes.
Your specific path will be discerned with Rachel.
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You can expect:
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Solid teaching on the Catholic faith
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A space for meaningful questions and discussion
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Personal accompaniment and discernment
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Growth in prayer and relationship with God
What’s expected:
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A sincere desire to seriously discern whether God is calling you into the Catholic Church
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Consistent participation, especially during the main formation phases
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Openness to prayer, learning, and conversion
There are no tests and no cost, but this is a committed process! The more you invest, the more you’ll receive.
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You are not obligated to become Catholic if you begin OCIA. However, OCIA is not meant to be a first step for general curiosity!
OCIA is designed for those who are already seriously discerning whether God is calling them to become Catholic—those who are ready to center their lives on Jesus Christ and are considering the Catholic Church as the place to do that. If you’re still exploring basic questions about Christianity or Catholicism, we strongly recommend starting with Catholic Curious.
OCIA will still include questions, discussion, and discernment, but it assumes you’ve already taken some initial steps and are ready to go deeper.
The best next step is simple:
→ Contact Rachel and schedule a time to meet!
She’ll help you discern whether OCIA or Catholic Curious is the right place to begin!