Are you possibly interested in becoming Catholic, or at least having some easy conversations about Catholicism? 

Do you consider yourself a Catholic but still need to receive the Sacraments of Baptism, 1st Holy Communion, and/or Confirmation?

Then OCIA is the formation program for you! There are already so many holy desires in your heart by God's grace (Ps 42)! We are honored to serve your interest in Catholicism, and we look forward to walking with you on your honest journey of reason and faith toward the fullness of God's Sacred Goodness, Truth, and Beauty (Ps 23). This wholistic formation program for adults (18+) is designed to foster your growth in holiness and transform your mind, heart, soul, and body into full conformity with Jesus Christ (Rom 12:2; Gal 2:20). OCIA is designed for adults who, after hearing the mystery of Christ proclaimed, consciously and freely seek the living God and enter the way of faith and conversion as the Holy Spirit opens your heart. 

We are so happy you are interested in learning more about the Catholic faith and are considering becoming Catholic. We welcome you with open arms! Place God first in your life and you will find yourself growing in trust and holiness. Ask God to put in your heart the desire to follow him more closely each day. By God's help, you will be strengthened spiritually during your preparation and at the proper time will receive the Sacraments fruitfully. To pursue the process of joining the Catholic Church, please plan to finish the following 12 action items by February 4th. These can be accomplished at your convenience with no specific order: 

• OCIA Registration - Click on the "OCIA Registration" tab to begin. You will be asked a variety of questions that will be personal and religious. Its purpose is to assist the priest in serving you according to your personal situation.  You will be asked about your marriage situation so that the priest can gradually assist you in conforming your marriage situation with the Gospel (Mk 10:1-16). No priest will accuse you of any sins, but rather attract you to the joys of conversion (Lk 15)! It is ok if there are questions you are not comfortable answering on the form. You may speak to the priest about it confidentially in person.
• Catholic Discipleship Meeting - Schedule a confidential one-on-one meeting with Fr. Wanner (usually about one hour long). First, you will take as much time as you want to tell him in your own words the story of your life, including your lifelong journey of faith. Feel free to tell Fr. Wanner whatever you want about your life however you want so that he can assist you most effectively on your journey. Fr. Wanner will then explain the vision of the OCIA formation program, answer any questions, and encourage you to finish all your other action items. To schedule your Catholic Discipleship Meeting, simply reach out to Fr. Wanner, whose contact information is below. The Parish Office is at the back of the Church of St. Joseph between the Church and the School.
• Join Catholic Discipleship - A friendly group of non-Catholic adults from the Williston area who are considering Catholicism. We meet every Sunday 7:00pm-8:15pm at the Parish Life Center at 25 6th St W in Williston (the building between Dominos and the Parish Rectory). Simply join Catholic Discipleship on the GroupMe App for live updates and communication. You may start coming as soon as this Sunday evening! For more information, click on the "Catholic Discipleship" tab.      
• Connect to FORMED - our parish offers you a free subscription to a variety of quality Catholic Resources for all ages and stages of growth! We encourage you to find and enjoy something from this platform that interests you to assist in your routine commitment to spiritual growth. To obtain your free subscription, click on the "Being FORMED" tab.
• Obtain Official Documents - Please obtain official copies of any of the following documents that apply to you and give them to Fr. Wanner at the Parish Office:
  • Baptismal Certificate: whether Baptized Catholic or non-Catholic, ask the Church where you were Baptized for an official copy of your Baptismal Record including any notations, officially sealed, and physically signed by the current pastor/minister (no typed, stamped, or electronic signatures)
  • 1st Communion Certificate
  • Any Marriage Documents (ask a priest to clarify if you have any questions)
    • Civil: Marriage Licenses, Divorce Decrees, Death Certificates of Spouse etc.
    • Church: Tribunal Decrees, Freedom to Marry, Declarations of Nullity etc. 
      
• Have your Home Blessed by a Priest - Having a holy environment in your home is crucial for your personal spirituality. It is best practice to have at least a Blessed Crucifix and a Blessed Sacred Image displayed somewhere prominently in your home and to have all your property and possessions blessed within the Kingdom of God by a Catholic Priest. Get rid of anything contrary to Jesus Christ, including any occult items or sinful things. Make use of the various Catholic Sacramentals and Devotions in your home, such as Rosaries, Scapulars, Holy Water, Holy Salt, Holy Metals etc. The Parish Office (between the Church and the School) has a little religious shop with a variety of holy objects for your convenience. Just remember that once a specific thing is blessed by a Catholic Priest, you are not to sell it (simony), throw it away (sacrilege), or pour it down a drain into the sewer (sacrilege). If you are finished with a blessed object, either burn it, bury it, consume it, or give it to the Church for holy disposal. To schedule a home blessing, simply reach out to Fr. Wanner or Fr. Eberle, whose contact information is below.
  
• Choose a Sponsor and Saint Name - To assist you on earth in remaining faithful to Jesus and the Catholic Church, you will choose a practicing Catholic to be your Sponsor, analogous to a godparent for infant Baptisms. You will also choose a specific saint to assist you on your journey from heaven analogous to your Guardian Angel. Click on the "Sponsor and Saint Name" tab for more information and resources to make your prayerful decision.   
• Become a Catechumen or Candidate - Catechumens and Candidates are inquiring adults who officially intend to become fully Catholic. Catechumens intend to receive the Sacrament of Baptism, 1st Holy Communion, and Confirmation. Since Candidates are already baptized, they intend to receive Holy Communion and Confirmation. One's intention to become fully Catholic must be pure and authentic to be received by the Church through this short ritual celebration. Once a person becomes a Catechumen or Candidate, he or she is joined to the Catholic Church in a special way for spiritual growth in the community and even obtains rights to receive a Catholic Wedding and a Catholic Vigil, Funeral, and Burial. After completing the bullet points above and receiving approval from a priest, one can become a Catechumen or Candidate on the first Sundays of December (12/1/24), January (1/5/25), or February (2/2/25) after the Catholic Discipleship gathering. Please plan your work and personal calendar accordingly to prepare to become a Catechumen or Candidate on one of these dates - the sooner the better! Let Fr. Wanner know if there are any scheduling conflicts as soon as possible.
• Finish Preparation Rites - The 1st Sunday of Lent (3/9/25) marks the beginning of a more intense preparation for initiation. The Church reaffirms whether the Catechumen or Candidate is ready to become fully Catholic through a ritual celebration of Election and a call to continuing conversion toward Christ. All Catechumens and Candidates have a right to receive Election by Bishop David Kagan at the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit in Bismarck on the 1st Sunday of Lent. If you would like to make a trip on your own to Bismarck, then let Fr. Wanner know so that the Parish can send you off with a special blessing after the Homily at Mass the week before on 3/2/25 or another convenient date. Otherwise, Election will happen at your parish. As the liturgical season of Lent unfolds, the Church offers weekly Scrutinies to heal what is weak, defective, or sinful in the hearts of the Catechumens and Candidates with the strength of God's grace. These Scrutinies are celebrated in order to deliver the elect from the power of sin and Satan, to protect them against temptation, and to give them strength in Christ, who is the way, the truth, and the life. These rites help complete the conversion of the elect as they deepen their resolve to hold fast to Christ and to carry out their decision to love God above all and to be faithful to his Catholic Church. Since Candidates have already received the spiritual protection of the Sacrament of Baptism, they receive one Penitential Scrutiny on the 2nd Sunday of Lent (3/16/25). Since Catechumens are more spiritually vulnerable without the protection of the Sacrament of Baptism, they receive three Scrutinies: the 1st Scrutiny on the 3rd Sunday of Lent (3/23/25), the 2nd Scrutiny on the 4th Sunday of Lent (3/30/25), and the 3rd Scrutiny on the 5th Sunday of Lent (4/6/25). Catechumens also receive special Preparatory Rites on Holy Saturday (4/19/25) right before being fully initiated that night at the Easter Vigil. Please plan your work and personal calendar accordingly to enjoy all your Preparation Rites. Let Fr. Wanner know if there are any scheduling conflicts as soon as possible.
• Contemplate all the Mysteries of Catholicism - Before becoming Catholic, you are to contemplate and believe in the 7 Great Mysteries of Catholicism: (1) Philosophy, (2) Sacred Scripture, (3) Sacred Doctrine, (4) Sacred Liturgy, (5) Morality, (6) Church History, and (7) Spirituality. The best way to do this is by contemplating each Mystery in 4 sessions of Encounters through the teaching dimensions of Catholic Discipleship. After contemplating each Great Mystery, you will be presented with a gift that symbolizes your gradual journey toward enlightenment. We highly encourage you to ask plenty of questions and to bring up any objections to Catholicism! We hope to assist your mind toward Truth with conversations that are open, critical, and enlightening. Click on the "Catholic Discipleship" tab to access all the Mysteries of Catholicism.
• Register as a Parishioner - Once you become Catholic, or are near the date, officially register at St. Joseph if you live in the Williston area, St. John the Baptist if you live in the Trenton area, or St. Boniface if you live in the Grenora area:               
• Church of St. Joseph
• Church of St. John the Baptist
  
• Church of St. Boniface
  
• Receive Approval from the Priest - It is ultimately up to the judgement of the priest whether you are ready to become a fully initiated practicing Catholic or not. Practicing Catholics profess the entire Catholic faith, pray daily, have their marriage and family situation in line with Catholic Teaching, attend Holy Mass every weekend, enjoy routine Confession (monthly is ideal), hand on the Catholic faith to others, intend to call for a Catholic Priest for the Last Rites when in danger of death, and intend to plan a Funeral Vigil, Funeral Mass, and Christian Burial with all remains buried together. We desire all members of our parish family to become practicing Catholics who are active and flourishing in their life of faith. If you do not ultimately intend to become a practicing Catholic, then perhaps it will be better for you to enjoy another year of OCIA growth before becoming Catholic. Please be diligent in completing all the action items by February 4th to ensure reception into the Catholic Church in the spring Easter season. Please let us know how we can assist you as you approach the joy of fully living out our Catholic faith!