01
The unbaptized
Adults who have never been baptized and wish to explore becoming Catholic.
Religious Education
OCIA
Order of Christian Initiation of Adults
Program overview
Explore the Catholic faith and journey toward full communion with the Church.
OCIA — the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults — is the Church's way of walking with adults who wish to know Jesus Christ in the Catholic Church. It is ordered toward conversion, and toward the sacraments of initiation: Baptism, Confirmation, and the Eucharist.
At St. Mary, Star of the Sea in Astoria, this path is meant to feel human. You will gather, pray, listen, and ask. You will be given time. No one is expected to arrive already certain.
An adult who has not been baptized and wishes to learn about becoming Catholic may participate in OCIA. Classes are weekly and begin in the Fall. Call the parish office for the current meeting day and time.
Who it's for
A place at the table.
Adults interested in learning about Catholicism.
02
Baptized Christians
Those baptized in another Christian tradition who are considering full communion with the Catholic Church.
03
Catholic adults
Catholics who wish to complete Confirmation or the Eucharist, or simply to be formed more deeply.
What you'll learn
Class topics.
OCIA at St. Mary is conversion-focused. The Church celebrates that conversion through prayerful rites. Classes are weekly and begin in the Fall.
A fuller topical outline lives on the Topics page. Weekly class topics are set with the Religious Education office.
01
The Bible
How Catholics receive Sacred Scripture as the Word of God.
02
The Person of Jesus Christ
The Incarnation, the Cross, and the Resurrection.
03
The Trinity
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit — one God in three Persons.
04
The Sacraments
Visible signs of invisible grace.
05
The Eucharist
The source and summit of the Christian life.
06
The Mass
How the Church prays the sacred liturgy.
07
Prayer
Learning to speak with God as the Church speaks.
08
Catholic moral teaching
The shape of a life ordered toward God and neighbor.
09
The Church
The Body of Christ in history, sacrament, and communion.
10
Mary and the Saints
The family of God across heaven and earth.
11
Salvation
What Christ has done, and how we are drawn into His life.
12
Christian discipleship
Following Christ in ordinary life.
Class schedule
When we gather.
Classes are weekly and begin in the Fall. Call (503) 325-3671 for the current meeting day and time.
August 16Sunday
Religious Education Registration Begins
- Time
- Location
- Parish Office, 1465 Grand Avenue
- Catechist
- Marty Dursse, Director of Religious Education
- Notes
- Religious Education Registration Begins
September 6Sunday
Final Day for Registration
- Time
- Location
- Parish Office, 1465 Grand Avenue
- Catechist
- Marty Dursse, Director of Religious Education
- Notes
- Final Day for Registration
September 13Sunday
Welcome & Introduction to OCIA / Faith Journey (Liguori Inquiry Q1)
- Time
- Weekly
- Location
- St. Mary, Star of the Sea, 1465 Grand Avenue
- Catechist
- Religious Education Office
- Notes
- First Day of Classes
September 20Sunday
What Is Faith? & The Trinity (Liguori Inquiry Q2 & Q3)
- Time
- Weekly
- Location
- St. Mary, Star of the Sea, 1465 Grand Avenue
- Catechist
- Religious Education Office
- Notes
- All Classes
September 27Sunday
The Bible & Sacred Scripture (Liguori Inquiry Q4 & Q5)
- Time
- Weekly
- Location
- St. Mary, Star of the Sea, 1465 Grand Avenue
- Catechist
- Religious Education Office
- Notes
- All Classes
October 4Sunday
Divine Revelation, Mass & Liturgy (Liguori Inquiry Q6 & Q7)
- Time
- Weekly
- Location
- St. Mary, Star of the Sea, 1465 Grand Avenue
- Catechist
- Religious Education Office
- Notes
- All Classes
October 11Sunday
The Church, Mary & the Saints (Liguori Inquiry Q8 & Q9)
- Time
- Weekly
- Location
- St. Mary, Star of the Sea, 1465 Grand Avenue
- Catechist
- Religious Education Office
- Notes
- All Classes
October 18Sunday
Prayer, Personal Devotion & Sacraments Overview (Liguori Inquiry Q10 & Q11)
- Time
- Weekly
- Location
- St. Mary, Star of the Sea, 1465 Grand Avenue
- Catechist
- Religious Education Office
- Notes
- All Classes
| Date | Time | Topic | Location | Catechist |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| August 16Sunday | Religious Education Registration Begins Religious Education Registration Begins | Parish Office, 1465 Grand Avenue | Marty Dursse, Director of Religious Education | |
| September 6Sunday | Final Day for Registration Final Day for Registration | Parish Office, 1465 Grand Avenue | Marty Dursse, Director of Religious Education | |
| September 13Sunday | Weekly | Welcome & Introduction to OCIA / Faith Journey (Liguori Inquiry Q1) First Day of Classes | St. Mary, Star of the Sea, 1465 Grand Avenue | Religious Education Office |
| September 20Sunday | Weekly | What Is Faith? & The Trinity (Liguori Inquiry Q2 & Q3) All Classes | St. Mary, Star of the Sea, 1465 Grand Avenue | Religious Education Office |
| September 27Sunday | Weekly | The Bible & Sacred Scripture (Liguori Inquiry Q4 & Q5) All Classes | St. Mary, Star of the Sea, 1465 Grand Avenue | Religious Education Office |
| October 4Sunday | Weekly | Divine Revelation, Mass & Liturgy (Liguori Inquiry Q6 & Q7) All Classes | St. Mary, Star of the Sea, 1465 Grand Avenue | Religious Education Office |
| October 11Sunday | Weekly | The Church, Mary & the Saints (Liguori Inquiry Q8 & Q9) All Classes | St. Mary, Star of the Sea, 1465 Grand Avenue | Religious Education Office |
| October 18Sunday | Weekly | Prayer, Personal Devotion & Sacraments Overview (Liguori Inquiry Q10 & Q11) All Classes | St. Mary, Star of the Sea, 1465 Grand Avenue | Religious Education Office |
Class location
St. Mary, Star of the Sea, 1465 Grand Avenue
OCIA gathers at St. Mary, Star of the Sea, 1465 Grand Avenue. Ask the office for the current room.
Instructor
Marty Dursse
Director of Religious Education
Marty coordinates Religious Education for the parish. Call (503) 325-3671 or write to marty@stmaryastoria.com. Office hours: Tuesday–Friday, 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. (closed Mondays).
Important dates
Inquiry
You may begin with a conversation at any time. No one is rushed.
Weekly classes
Classes are weekly and begin in the Fall.
The rites
The Church celebrates conversion through prayerful rites along the way.
Continue
Related pages.
FAQ
Questions, asked plainly.
There is no such thing as being 'Catholic enough' to begin. OCIA is for those who are curious, returning, searching, or standing at the threshold. You do not need a polished faith to walk through the door. You only need a willingness to come and see.
No. Some people arrive having grown up around the Church. Others have never opened a Bible or stepped into a Catholic Mass. Both are welcome. Formation is meant to meet you where you are — and to move at a human pace.
Curiosity is a good beginning. Many saints started there. You are not required to decide anything in advance, join anything, or promise a destination. Inquiry is precisely for those who want to look more closely before they know what they will do.
You are warmly welcome. The Church recognizes Christian baptism when it has been conferred with water in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Your path may look different from that of an unbaptized person, and that is a gift — not a problem. We will walk with you according to your own history.
Then you are in the right place. Discernment is not a failure of faith; it is a form of it. OCIA gives you time, teaching, prayer, and community so that any decision — if one comes — can be honest, unhurried, and free.
The length of OCIA varies with each person. The parish describes it as a formation process focused on conversion, with the Church celebrating that conversion through prayerful rites. Classes are weekly and begin in the Fall. No one is rushed; the Religious Education office will talk with you about what makes sense for your life.
You will never be put on the spot. Conversation is invited, not demanded. Some people share freely; others listen for months before they say a word. Both ways of being present are honored.
The parish has not published a tuition for exploring the Catholic faith. If materials are ever needed, the office will make that clear. No one should stay away because of money — call (503) 325-3671 or write to marty@stmaryastoria.com.
Yes. Those who love you are welcome to accompany you. If you are unsure what would be helpful, reach out to the Religious Education office and we can talk through it together.
Call the parish office at (503) 325-3671, write to Marty Dursse at marty@stmaryastoria.com, or use the contact page. Someone from Religious Education will listen to your story and help you take a first step. The first move is simply human: a welcome.
Registration
Call the parish office at (503) 325-3671, write to Marty Dursse at marty@stmaryastoria.com, or use the contact page. Registration for Religious Education begins in August.
Marty Dursse, Director of Religious Education, or the parish office will listen to your story and help you take a first step.
Quaerite et invenietis
Begin with a conversation.
Tell us which program you are asking about. The first step is simply to be in touch.
Or write to us on the contact page.