RCIA / Adult Catechesis
Father, this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. (Jn 17:3)
Each year, starting in September, the Oratory runs a series of weekly classes for adults looking to learn more about the Catholic faith. Everyone is welcome; there is no fee and no pressure.
This year, classes will take place on Monday evenings at 7:30pm in the parish hall of Holy Family Church, starting on September 14th, 2026.
Below you can find a list of common questions & answers. Please contact Brother Jeffrey Sullivan here for more information.
Who are these classes for?
Classes are intended for inquirers, for those intending to be baptized or received into the Catholic Church, and also for Catholics just looking to grow in the understanding and practice of their faith.
What if I miss a class or cannot attend in-person?
All classes are live-streamed over Zoom and recorded to YouTube. Contact Brother Jeffrey Sullivan here to get links to live-streams, recordings, and regular updates.
What does RCIA stand for?
The Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults. Also known now as the Order of Christian Initiation for Adults (OCIA), it is the approved process for receiving adult converts to the Catholic Church. It can take different forms in different parishes, but at the Oratory it involves classes which are open to anyone to attend.
I’m already Catholic – what can I get out of these classes?
Far far away, behind the word mountains, far from the countries Vokalia and Consonantia, there live the blind texts. Separated they live in Bookmarksgrove right at the coast of the Semantics, a large language ocean.
I have particular questions I want answered. Can I get personal instruction?
Besides public classes, the RCIA program also involves regular one-on-one meetings with course instructors. This is an opportunity to have your particular questions answered, as well as to ensure that all the relevant steps are taken for receiving the sacraments.
What are the classes like?
Classes follow the sequence of topics found in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Each class is 90 minutes long, including a 15-minute break.
What kind of commitment do I have to make?
There is no fee and no pressure. Come to a class to try it out, or just come to the classes covering topics that interest you. However, if you do intend to be baptized or received into the Catholic Church, there is an expectation that you are attending or catching up on all the classes.
I have children who want to become Catholic too. Should I bring them with me?
Kids are welcome to attend, but classes are generally geared towards adults. Children should follow the course of catechesis for the First Communion / Confirmation classes offered by the parish school.
God, infinitely perfect and blessed in Himself, in a plan of sheer goodness freely created man to make him share in His own blessed life. For this reason, at every time and in every place, God draws close to man. He calls man to seek Him, to know Him, to love Him with all his strength. He calls together all men, scattered and divided by sin, into the unity of his family, the Church.
To accomplish this, when the fullness of time had come, God sent His Son as Redeemer and Saviour. In His Son and through Him, He invites men to become, in the Holy Spirit, His adopted children and thus heirs of his blessed life.
(Catechism of the Catholic Church, para. 1)