The OCIA is a process and not a program, so the time frame is flexible according to the needs of the individual, preparing to be received into the life of the Church.

For those who are not acquainted with Christian traditions and the Christian way of life, the period of preparation can be a year or even longer. For those more familiar with the Christian tradition, the process may be shorter.

This stage of the OCIA is a time of unhurried reflection and discovery, whereby a person begins to search out God's call to enter more fully into the life of the Church. Helping the inquirer in this process are members of our own parish family who form the OCIA team.

Team members meet weekly with the inquirers, helping them to discern God's calling through encouragement, prayer, and the sharing of their own faith stories.

Once the inquirer decides to enter into the next step in the process which leads to full initiation into the life of the Church, they move into the second stage of their formation via the Rite of Acceptance. Now an inquirer is called either a catechumen or a candidate.

• A CATECHUMEN is a previously unbaptized person who is seeking membership in the Catholic Church.
• A CANDIDATE is a person, baptized in a Christian Tradition and seeks to be received into the Catholic Church through a Profession of Faith and the reception of the Sacraments of Confirmation and Eucharist.

During this time of formation, the faith of the catechumen or candidate is deepened through prayer, reflection and instruction on God's word at weekly Monday meetings.

The first Sunday of Lent, the catechumens and candidates at the Rite of Election are presented to Archbishop Cardinal Dolan. The period after this rite is a time of purification for the catechumen, the candidate, and indeed for the entire parish community.

The focus is on the call to reform our lives according to the demands of the gospel. At the conclusion of this period, the catechumens and the candidates are initiated into the Catholic Church during the Easter Vigil.

• The Catechumen receives all three Sacraments of Initiation—Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist.
• The Candidate enters into full communion with the Church through a Profession of Faith and receiving the Holy Eucharist and Confirmation.

This is the time set aside to help the new members enter more fully into the mystery celebrated at the Easter Vigil and at every Mass. The Greek word mystagogy means "entering into the mystery." This phase, which occurs after Easter, marks a time when those who have become full members of the Church now have the opportunity to deepen their understanding of the mystery of the faith.