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Starting Your Own OCIA Registration

USER GUIDE

St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church · OCIAHow to start the OCIA intake wizard for yourself, and what the wizard will ask.

Who this guide is for

You are an adult ready to begin or complete your Catholic initiation.

Why the wizard asks these questions

OCIA's path differs by baptism history, so the wizard asks about your baptism first, then your contact details, then the journey ahead — the same information a parish coordinator would ask in person.

What you will do, in one sentence

Click Begin, and the wizard walks you through your baptism history, your details, and what comes next.

Last verified against the staging system on 2026-10-20. Screens shown are the staging system (an isolated copy of production). This capture shows only the blank Welcome step — no personal data was entered. Prepared 20 October 2026.

1. Where to go​

  1. Open OCIA and click Begin — for myself.
  2. Or open the wizard directly at /ocia/start.

No sign-in is required to start. You will be asked to verify your email partway through, so your progress can be saved.

2. Reading the Welcome step​

The OCIA intake wizard's Welcome step, listing what to expect and the current cohort.

The OCIA intake wizard's Welcome step, listing what to expect and the current cohort.

The What to expect card lists what the wizard will ask for:

  • A few questions about your baptism, so the parish can find the right path for you.
  • Your contact details and a little about your background and family.
  • An overview of the journey ahead, sponsor information, and consents.

The card also names the current cohort — the program year your registration will join.

Your progress saves automatically

You do not need to finish the wizard in one sitting. Verify your email when asked, and you can return later to pick up where you left off.

3. Quick reference card​

The whole thing, in two lines​

  1. OCIA → Begin — for myself, or /ocia/start, opens the wizard. No sign-in is required to start.
  2. Verify your email partway through so your progress saves, then continue any time.

When to stop and ask​

  • You are not sure whether this wizard or Begin — for my child is right for your family.
  • You cannot verify your email, so your progress does not save.

Parish office — contact the parish office for help.

Thank you for taking this step in your faith journey.