“To fall in love with God is the greatest romance; to seek him the greatest adventure; to find him, the greatest human achievement.”
St. Augustine
Catholic Curious
Are you curious about the Catholic Church? Has your hunger for God, for truth, goodness, and beauty found satisfaction? Do you wonder why the Church still stands strong despite countless attempts from within and without to destroy it? Why hasn’t its moral code changed in 2,000 years? How did the Church produce incredible figures like Mother Teresa? Could God be in the Catholic Church? Could the Catholic Church possibly be the only true Church that God Himself established?
If you ask these, or any other questions about the Catholic faith, you are in the right place.
I encourage you to reach out to Sacred Heart of Jesus via the form on the right; someone will respond, usually within a business day. Any inquiries come with zero commitment. We will meet you at a coffee shop near the church and provide a space where one of us can hear your story and answer any initial questions you might have. The best way to get to know the Catholic Church is to talk with a Catholic, and we are more than happy to provide an opportunity for you.
However, if you are not yet comfortable reaching out to us to meet in person, I encourage you to exercise your curiosity in a familiar space for many of us: Youtube! The first video below explains why the Catholic Church stands above other Christian Churches. We recommend any video by Fr. Mike Schmitz or Ascension Presents.
The second video below is from a long-standing philosophy professor who delivers an engaging and simple talk on why any person, regardless of his or her background, should be Catholic.
If you have questions about becoming Catholic or receiving any of the Sacraments (Baptism, Confirmation, Holy Communion) please contact Henry Schliff, Director of Religious Education: (720) 355-9490, schliffh@shjboulder.org
Let us buy you coffee!
Why be Catholic?
Why be Catholic and not just Christian?
Seven reasons why everyone should be Catholic
Frequently Asked Questions
What is OCIA?
The process by which someone becomes Catholic is called the “Order of Christian Initiation for Adults” (OCIA).
OCIA is about a relationship. Think of it as dating the Catholic Church.
The first stage is called “inquiry” and its title is self explanatory. It is a stage where anyone can come and ask questions of the church and learn about the basics without any commitment. Once someone discerns that they would like to take a step in seriously discerning the Catholic Church, they move on to the next stage.
The goal of the journey is to give a total, free, faithful, and fruitful “yes!” to enter into a lifelong relationship with Jesus and His Catholic Church. Therefore, it is important that the candidate and the Church get to know each other. What does the Catholic Church believe? How does the Catholic Church worship? How do members of the Catholic Church live? OCIA is a process of learning and pondering these aspects of the Catholic Church. The OCIA journey is divided into four periods (Inquiry, Catechumenate, Purification & Enlightenment, and Mystagogy) that respect the individual’s journey of faith. If the individual discerns at the end of each period that he wants to move forward, he is received into the Catholic Church on the night before Easter in a liturgy of great celebration!
Who can join OCIA?
Anyone who is not yet fully Catholic! At Sacred Heart of Jesus, we invite three different groups of people to attend OCIA sessions.
- Catechumens: people who have never been baptized
- Christians who were baptized into another denomination
- Catholics who were baptized Catholic but are in need of First Communion and/or Confirmation
What is the time commitment?
Short answer: typically a 1-2 year journey of monthly meetings, time with sponsors, attendance at Sunday Mass, and a retreat or two!
Longer answer: It depends! If you are new to the Christian faith, this year-long journey will lead you through everything you need to know to fall in love with Jesus Christ and give a full “yes!” to Him in the Catholic Church. If you are a devout Christian who has developed a deep relationship with Jesus Christ, you may only need a few months of instruction on Catholic doctrine to be ready to say a full “yes!” to come into full communion with the Catholic Church. Our OCIA coordinator will be happy to sit down over a cup of coffee and discern alongside you what is the best path for you.
If you have concerns about the time commitment, please reach out to our OCIA Director, Henry Schliff at schliffh@shjboulder.org. We can work with you to make a plan that accommodates your schedule.
What can I expect and what is expected of me?
All that is needed is a sincere desire to grow in relationship with Jesus and learn more about him and his Church. Becoming Catholic is not about perfection. No tests, no perfection (or else our OCIA team wouldn’t be allowed to come either– we’re not perfect!)
Once someone has decided that they would like to seriously discern joining the Church, attendance is expected at all Catechumenate events:
2025-2026:
1) Weekly meetings at 6:00 pm on Tuesday evenings.
2) Mass Attendance Every Sunday
3) Monthly sponsor meetings– every person in OCIA is paired with a sponsor in the parish. This person will help answer questions and make your journey more personalized. Meetings are one on one or two on two and scheduled on your own schedule.
4) Lenten Retreat: Every spring we hold a full day retreat on Palm Sunday at St. Rita Church in Nederland, CO (20 minutes up Boulder Canyon from the city of Boulder). The retreat begins with Mass at 9:00AM and concludes after a shared dinner at 5:30PM.
5) Each member of OCIA is encouraged to spend some time each week in prayer and to prepare for the following week. There is no homework but recommended readings and videos will be given every week for deeper reflection. As with anything in life, your experience will be a direct result of how much you invest your heart and time into it. Ask questions, share observations, and get ready for a wonderful journey!
Weekly sessions and the retreat need to be made-up if missed. We understand if someone is traveling or sick and needs to miss things occasionally and we are willing to work with you.
What is the cost to participate in OCIA?
No cost. Just bring an open heart, ready to receive God’s love for you!
I am not 100% sure I want to become Catholic. Am I obliged to become Catholic if I start coming to class?
No, you are not obliged to enter the Catholic Church if you attend OCIA classes. Anyone seeking information about the Catholic faith is welcome to visit. At each stage of the OCIA journey, you will sit down with a member of our OCIA team to discern where God is leading and if you are ready to take the next step towards becoming Catholic.
