Please join Erick Rubalcava, Chief of Mission and Catholic Identity, Department of Catholic Schools in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles with Fr. Juan Ochoa of the Office for Divine Worship as they share their experience and vision for OCIA and Sacramental formation for our parish children and families. Often the church and school are separate communities and in this conversation Erick and Fr. Juan offer practical ideas and resources to help pastors, principals, teachers and families be unified in the Body of Christ.

Episode 11: Go and Make Disciples - OCIA in Catholic Schools

Mystagogy takes place after Easter Vigil and is a time for neophytes to reflect on what God has done for them in the Sacraments. It is a time often misunderstood or even ignored. In this podcast Fr. Juan Ochoa, Leticia Perez, and Adrian Aralar articulate what mystagogy is and its importance to those newly received into communion with the Church, and for the whole community. Please do not miss this podcast, or mystagogy for your OCIA minsters and your entire parish!

Episode 12: Go and Make Disciples - Mystagogy

Catholic Social Teaching is the guide of our Christian life. We are called as missionary disciples to works of charity for our neighbor based on the story of the Good Samaritan. The Letter of James tells us that underpinning all our work is faith in Jesus Christ. Paragraph 75 of the OCIA Rite instructs all of us to reach out anyone in need, no matter who they are, what they believe, or their status in life. Michael Donaldson, Director for the Office of Life, Justice, and Peace along with Fr. Juan Ochoa share beautiful insights and offer practical ways to ground our works in Christ so that all we do reveals God to the people we encounter. We are all made in the image of God and to see each other through the eyes of Jesus will transform the world. Join us.

Episode 13: Go and Make Disciples - Living the Christian Life: Works of Charity

In this podcast Fr. Juan Ochoa and Adrian Aralar walk us through the beauty and mystery of the Easter Vigil, from darkness into light. From the lighting of the fire and Paschal candle through the sacraments of Initiation of our elect. The Elect have prepared for many months and this is the night on which they now share at the table of the Lord. 

Wishing each one of you many blessings this Easter as we all renew our faith through the waters of baptism and are once again called to serve.

Easter Blessings!

Episode 14 : Go and Make Disciples - Easter Vigil Sacraments

Please join Terri Palmer and Adrian Aralar for our conversation about discernment in OCIA. Discerning Christ in our lives is not limited to our catechumens and candidates but part of the life of the OCIA team and the entire community of faithful. Listen to stories of the faithful who seek to become part of the Church and those who have dedicated their gifts to guiding others to Jesus. Through each other we discern our faith and hope is renewed.

Episode 15: Go and Make Disciples - Discernment

In this podcast Bobby Vidal and Anitra Gil of the Office for New Evangelization and Parish Life in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles share their experience of proclaiming Christ who suffered, died and rose for the sake of world. This is the beginning of faith for all and is necessary to proclaim throughout the OCIA process and the life of the Church. A relationship with Jesus is the starting point of a life of repentance and renewal. Join us!

Episode 16: Go and Make Disciples - Proclaiming Christ - the Kerygma

Interior conversion of the heart to Christ is at the foundation of missionary discipleship. Join Fr. Juan Ochoa and Bobby Vidal as they share with us the thresholds of conversion to life as saint as St. Paul describes. Whether we are well off the path that does not stray or firmly embedded in our parish community our hearts, minds, and souls are always turning toward the way Jesus gave us. Open up to the love of God and be transformed!

Episode 17: Go and Make Disciples - Conversion to Christ

St. Augustine said "he who sings, prays twice". Music is an integral and Scriptural part of worship. The hymns we choose express the readings and parts of the Mass. Music reinforces the rites of OCIA and helps to articulate them to the catechumens and the assembly. Please join Victor Wheeler, Coordinator of Sacred Music in the Office for Divine Worship and Fr. Juan Ochoa in this important conversation about the beauty and power of music in the OCIA rites.

Episode 18: Go and Make Disciples - Pray Twice: Music and OCIA

Many people come to OCIA who were baptized Catholic when they were infants or baptized in another Christian tradition and wish to complete and become part of the Church community. OCIA provides formation and rites for these people who already know Jesus and are part of the Christian life. Terri Palmer, Regional Coordinator for the San Pedro Region and Adrian Aralar, Coordinator of Liturgical Minister Training, share their many years of experience helping our Christian brothers and sisters enter more deeply into the Catholic life and community. Please join us for this very special and important conversation.

Episode 19: Go and Make Disciples-OCIA for the Baptized

The final episode in our OCIA series helps teams understand the Lectionary as "the book" for OCIA and the Gospels as the foundation for topics that form us all in the kerygma. This conversation with Leticia Perez and Adrian Aralar is informative and insightful and provides guidance for OCIA directors, coordinators, and team members to present the Good News in a transformative way. It also provides resources and creative ideas to help catechumens and candidates take the Word into their hearts and convert their lives to Christ. Go to lacatholics.org/OCIA-Resources and lacatholics.org/faith-at-home for ideas and handouts. There are many formation events offered as well. Go to events.lacatholics.org and sign up for the Office for Divine Worship newsletter. You can contact Leticia, the OCIA coordinator at Lperez@la-archdiocese.org. And check out all the offerings from the Catholic Bible Institute at lacatholics.org/cbi.

Episode 20 - Go and Make Disciples - The  Lectionary and Resources

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Connecting Scripture and Life podcast explores the way God speaks in different times and places with the same wisdom that lead to a happy life. Scripture teaches us how to live. Through conversations with people who love, teach, and live it we will explore our own lives in the pages of the sacred.

Connecting Scripture and Life is a ministry of the Catholic Bible Institute, Office of Religious Education, Archdiocese of Los Angeles.

New tracks tagged #Order of Christian Initiation of Adults