The final episode in our OCIA series helps teams understand the Lectionary as "the book" for OCIA and the Gospels as the foundation for topics that form us all in the kerygma. This conversation with Leticia Perez and Adrian Aralar is informative and insightful and provides guidance for OCIA directors, coordinators, and team members to present the Good News in a transformative way. It also provides resources and creative ideas to help catechumens and candidates take the Word into their hearts and convert their lives to Christ. Go to lacatholics.org/OCIA-Resources and lacatholics.org/faith-at-home for ideas and handouts. There are many formation events offered as well. Go to events.lacatholics.org and sign up for the Office for Divine Worship newsletter. You can contact Leticia, the OCIA coordinator at [email protected]. And check out all the offerings from the Catholic Bible Institute at lacatholics.org/cbi.

In this story about Jesus healing the Gerasene demoniac there is always the question about the swine and why they jumped off the cliff. Other questions arise about the afflicted man. We try to understand it for ourselves today as trauma, or addiction and these are valid ways to wrestle with this strange story. Isaiah 65:4-5 gives us some clues about it as does the reality on the ground at the time of writing. We hope our conversation and struggle with the text helps you to think about things then and now in new ways.

Many people come to OCIA who were baptized Catholic when they were infants or baptized in another Christian tradition and wish to complete and become part of the Church community. OCIA provides formation and rites for these people who already know Jesus and are part of the Christian life. Terri Palmer, Regional Coordinator for the San Pedro Region and Adrian Aralar, Coordinator of Liturgical Minister Training, share their many years of experience helping our Christian brothers and sisters enter more deeply into the Catholic life and community. Please join us for this very special and important conversation.

Good soil does not just happen. It needs care. Jesus said the seed that falls on good soil is embraced with a good and generous heart and bears fruit through perseverance. There are many kinds of soil and they all need to be weeded, watered, fed, and provided with sunshine. Our hearts need to be nourished too, through the word of God. Join us in this conversation about nourishing the soil of the heart so that we might hear and understand.

St. Augustine said "he who sings, prays twice". Music is an integral and Scriptural part of worship. The hymns we choose express the readings and parts of the Mass. Music reinforces the rites of OCIA and helps to articulate them to the catechumens and the assembly. Please join Victor Wheeler, Coordinator of Sacred Music in the Office for Divine Worship and Fr. Juan Ochoa in this important conversation about the beauty and power of music in the OCIA rites.

The servant song of Isaiah for Catholics speaks of Jesus, for Jews speaks of Israel, but the ambiguity of the Hebrew allows us to explore both and more. This servant is also who we are, while at the same time those who dwell in darkness. The covenant spoken about is a covenant people, a covenant unto the people, a covenant for the people. The nation can expand to the world or be one other person who seeks a life with God. We are the covenant for each other through God's blessing on Israel and through the love Jesus the servant brought to the world.

Interior conversion of the heart to Christ is at the foundation of missionary discipleship. Join Fr. Juan Ochoa and Bobby Vidal as they share with us the thresholds of conversion to life as saint as St. Paul describes. Whether we are well off the path that does not stray or firmly embedded in our parish community our hearts, minds, and souls are always turning toward the way Jesus gave us. Open up to the love of God and be transformed!

Psalm 13 is a lament for a heavy heart, a sorrowful soul that cries out to God, How Long! It is a voice of one in relationship that ultimately trusts in the love and mercy of God, in God's faithfulness and promise of salvation. How blessed we are that God gives us words to express these deep feelings of anguish and fear and in the same breath relieves them.

In this podcast Bobby Vidal and Anitra Gil of the Office for New Evangelization and Parish Life in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles share their experience of proclaiming Christ who suffered, died and rose for the sake of world. This is the beginning of faith for all and is necessary to proclaim throughout the OCIA process and the life of the Church. A relationship with Jesus is the starting point of a life of repentance and renewal. Join us!

My dear and gracious friend, Rabbi Jason Fruithandler, suggested in this week's podcast that we honor the life of Pope Francis by sharing reflections and thoughts about one of his writings. We chose a homily composed from his hospital bed that uplifts and calls artists to be prophets of hope for the world. As people of faith our art is to live the beatitudes in the spirit of humility and love as Pope Francis showed us in his last days among us. Please share this hope with everyone!

Jubilee of Artists and World of Culture

https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/homilies/2025/documents/20250216-omelia-giubileo-artisti.html