Welcome!

We are thrilled to walk with you as you join the Catholic Church. Our greatest hope is to help you embrace a life of joyful discipleship and grow in holiness—to support you on your unique journey toward becoming a Saint!

To become Catholic, you join the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA), a formation process involving learning Church teachings, prayer, and community life, culminating in the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist, at the Easter Vigil. The process helps non-baptized adults (catechumens) and baptized Christians (candidates) fully enter the Church, preparing them to live as disciples of Jesus.

For Those Never Baptized (Catechumens):

  1. Inquiry: You start by exploring the Catholic faith, attending Mass, and learning about Jesus and the Church.

  2. OCIA/RCIA: You join a program for instruction, prayer, faith sharing, and rituals, preparing for the Sacraments of Initiation.

  3. Sacraments: At the Easter Vigil, you receive Baptism, Confirmation, and First Communion.

For Baptized Catholics and Christians from Other Traditions (Candidates):

  1. Formation: You join the OCIA/RCIA process to understand Catholic teachings and practices.

  2. Reception: You make a Profession of Faith and receive Confirmation and Eucharist (First Communion), often at the Easter Vigil or another time, without being re-baptized.

Key Steps to Get Started:

  • Contact Your Parish: Find a local Catholic parish and ask about their OCIA program.

  • Attend Mass: All are welcome to attend Mass to experience the worship.

  • Learn the Catechism: Read the Catechism of the Catholic Church, available online.

The process is a journey of conversion, culminating in full communion with the Catholic Church.

Complete and submit the form below to begin your journey! Once received, a member of our team will reach out to guide you through the next steps.


Learn more

Meet the Team

  • Fr. Jerry Herda

    Pastor

    As the Pastor, Fr. Jerry is the head and spiritual guide, responsible for overseeing the entire process of conversion and initiation into the Catholic Church, ensuring it aligns with Church teachings and involves the parish community, working with our dedicated team to provide spiritual formation, administer sacraments, and integrate new members. 

  • Brian Jens

    Director of Youth & Adult Formation

    A lifelong parishioner, Brian grew up in our community—he was baptized here, attended our parish school, and has joyfully returned as the Director of Youth & Adult Formation.

    Brian is passionate about sharing Christ’s transformative love and spreading the deep joy found in living our Catholic faith. He looks forward to helping every member of the St. Matthias community grow closer to God.

  • Peter Morello

    Director of Religious Education

    Peter brings a deep love for Christ and a vibrant passion for forming others in the Catholic faith. His ministry focuses on our personal relationship with Jesus and how that bond empowers us to do good in the world. Through prayer, Peter seeks to help us experience the transformative love of Jesus and inspire us to share that love to change the world.

  • Sam Skogstad

    Director of Music & Liturgy

    Sam coordinates the liturgical formation and celebrations for catechumens and candidates, working with Fr. Jerry, Brian, and Peter to integrate them into the parish's worship life, overseeing liturgical ministers, planning rites (like the Rite of Welcome, Election, and Initiation), and ensuring fidelity to Church norms, all to foster active participation in the sacraments and build missionary disciples. 

  • "Life with Christ is a wonderful adventure."

    —St. John Paul II

  • "To convert somebody, go and take them by the hand and guide them."

    -St. Thomas Aquinas

  • "I am not capable of doing big things, but I want to do everything, even the smallest things, for the greater glory of God.”

    —St. Dominic Savio

  • “The future starts today, not tomorrow.”

    —St. John Paul the Great

  • "The difficulty of explaining 'why I am a Catholic' is that there are ten thousand reasons all amounting to one reason: that Catholicism is true."

    —G.K. Chesterton