Called Home: Stories of Faith and Conversion - Meet the OCIA Candidates
- Mar 11
- 5 min read
Updated: 2 days ago
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.
This is a beautiful story of a Catechumen who wishes to remain anonymous. Please pray for their journey!
OCIA Candidate
Preparing for Baptism
Confirmation Saint: St. Augustine of Hippo
This candidate’s journey toward the Catholic Church began with a quiet but persistent sense that something was missing. While church had been part of life growing up, it was not always a central focus. Over time, however, deeper questions began to emerge—questions about meaning, purpose, and what it truly means to live a life of faith.
That search gradually led to an exploration of the Catholic Church. What began as curiosity soon became something more. The richness of Catholic teaching, its connection to the early Church, and the depth of its spiritual life all stood out in a way that felt both compelling and grounded in truth.
Through OCIA, this candidate has found a space to ask honest questions, reflect more deeply, and grow in understanding. The process has not only been intellectual, but also deeply personal—a time of encountering God in a more intentional way.
The choice of St. Augustine of Hippo as a Confirmation saint reflects that journey. Augustine’s story of restlessness, searching, and eventual conversion resonates deeply.
“Our hearts are restless until they rest in You” is not just a quote—it expresses something that has been experienced firsthand.
As Baptism approaches, there is a growing sense of anticipation and peace, and a desire to fully enter into the life of the Church.
Mariah Sullen
Completing Initiation through Confirmation
Confirmation Saint: St. Faustina
Mariah Sullen’s journey back to the Catholic Church is one that began quietly in her earliest years. Although she was baptized Catholic as an infant, her family left the Church soon after, and she was raised in a Protestant community. Throughout her childhood and adolescence, faith remained an important part of her life. She was deeply involved in Sunday school, youth groups, Bible studies, and church camps—experiences that helped shape both her routine and her values.
Yet even within that strong foundation, something felt incomplete. While her faith was active, it often felt individual rather than deeply rooted in a unified tradition.
When Mariah left home for college, that sense of longing began to take on a new clarity. She found herself asking deeper questions—questions about why and how—and searching for answers that went beyond what she had previously encountered. Over time, she began to feel a growing frustration with the lack of unity across denominations and a desire for a greater sense of reverence in worship.
At the same time, the Catholic Church’s claim to hold the fullness of the Christian faith both challenged and intrigued her.
There was no single dramatic turning point. Instead, there was a steady and growing conviction—a quiet realization that returning to the Catholic Church was where she was being led.
Through OCIA, Mariah has found not only deeper understanding, but also community. Walking alongside others—especially at her age—who are seeking truth and willing to engage in meaningful and sometimes difficult conversations has been one of the most powerful parts of her journey.
Mariah chose St. Faustina as her Confirmation saint. Drawn to her message of Divine Mercy, she found comfort in the reminder that no one is beyond the reach of God’s love. In moments of anxiety, overthinking, and doubt, one simple prayer has become central to her life:
“Jesus, I trust in You.”
As she prepares to complete her initiation into the Church, Mariah carries with her a growing sense of peace—confident that her search for deeper truth has led her home.
Jackie Sims
Entering the Church through Profession of Faith
Confirmation Saint: St. Patrick
Jackie Sims’ journey to the Catholic Church has been long, searching, and deeply rooted in a sincere desire for truth.
Raised in the Pentecostal tradition, Jackie grew up in a home where faith was central. Her mother’s devotion shaped her early life—teaching her to pray daily, read Scripture, and remain close to God. As an adult, Jackie and her husband continued serving faithfully in their church, but over time, they began to wrestle with questions about belief and practice.
Those questions led Jackie into a deeper study of Scripture, Church history, and Christian doctrine—and gradually, she felt a growing pull toward the Catholic Church.
Her journey was not easy. As a wife and mother, she navigated these questions within her family life, especially as her husband remained opposed to Catholicism. Together, they explored other traditions, but the desire for something more—something rooted in unity and truth—remained.
Over time, what once felt like a struggle began to take on clarity. Through years of study, prayer, and perseverance, Jackie came to a quiet confidence that she was being called home.
Through OCIA, she has found both community and a deeper understanding of the faith. For her Confirmation saint, Jackie experienced an unexpected connection to St. Patrick, whose devotion to the Trinity resonates deeply with her own spirituality.
As she prepares to enter the Church this Easter, Jackie does so with deep gratitude—knowing that even the most difficult parts of her journey were guided by God’s grace.