Called Home: Stories of Faith and Conversion - Meet the OCIA Candidates
- 51 minutes ago
- 2 min read
The journey to the Catholic Church rarely happens overnight. For many, it begins with a question, a conversation, or a quiet sense that God is leading them somewhere deeper.
Each person’s path has been different—some were raised in other Christian traditions, some rediscovered faith after years away, and others encountered the Church for the first time as adults. Yet each story reveals the same quiet truth: God continues to call people to Himself.
We invite you to meet these men and women, learn a little about their journeys, and keep them in your prayers as they prepare to receive the sacraments at the Easter Vigil.
Olivia Ellis
Entering the Church through Profession of Faith
Confirmation Saint: St. Anthony of Padua
Olivia Ellis grew up in the Methodist church and was actively involved in her congregation throughout her childhood. Church was an important part of her life, and she remembers loving the community and the rhythm of worship that shaped her early faith.
As she grew older, however, Olivia began to experience a period of spiritual struggle. Hoping to rediscover clarity, she began attending a non-denominational church. While she appreciated the opportunity to continue exploring her faith, something about the experience felt incomplete.
One particular moment stood out to her. During a communion service, she noticed that there was little preparation or sense of reverence surrounding the Eucharist—something she had even experienced in her Methodist upbringing. The lack of prayer and formality surrounding such an important moment made her pause and begin asking deeper questions about what communion truly meant.
That curiosity eventually led her to explore Catholicism. As she began researching the Church’s teachings, she found herself both challenged and deeply intrigued. What she discovered made sense intellectually, but it also stirred something deeper in her heart.
“It was terrifying but exhilarating,” she recalls.
After speaking with a close friend who is a lifelong Catholic, Olivia attended Mass for the first time. The experience was immediate and unmistakable.
“I knew right away that this is where I was supposed to be.”
Since then, Olivia has embraced the OCIA process wholeheartedly. She especially appreciates the Church’s willingness to address difficult questions directly and honestly, without avoiding challenging topics.
For her Confirmation saint, Olivia chose St. Anthony of Padua in a moment that felt both unexpected and meaningful. While searching for something she had misplaced on her desk, she suddenly remembered St. Anthony’s reputation as the patron saint of lost things. The moment sparked a realization, and she began learning more about his life and witness.
Today, a small image of St. Anthony sits on her desk as a reminder of the journey that led her into the Catholic Church.
As Olivia prepares to enter the Church, she looks forward to continuing to grow in faith and to receiving the sacraments within the community she now calls home.