13 students join the Catholic Church

On Sunday, the Order of Christian Initiation for Adults (OCIA) ceremony was held at Sacred Heart Chapel on the CSB campus. There were 13 CSB+SJU students welcomed into the Catholic Church this year, a record number for the past decade.

Margaret Nuzzolese, director of SJUFaith and the SJU cohort OCIA director, commented on this steep increase in OCIA program interest.

“I’m amazed that this year 13 students received Sacraments of Initiation between CSB and SJU. This is a testament to the strength of the faith community and the loving welcome that students have made within the Catholic Church. I am so proud of them all,” Nuzzolese said.

The OCIA is a year-long process by which non-Catholics can become Catholic. The Mass took place on the second Sunday of Easter, also called Divine Mercy Sunday. Presiding over this Mass was Bishop Patrick M. Neary, the tenth bishop of the Diocese of St. Cloud.

The Bennies and Johnnies who were featured at this Mass began their journey at the beginning of the fall 2024 semester, which is also the beginning of the liturgical year.

Cindy Gonzalez, the director of Campus Ministry at CSB and leader of the OCIA program, said that becoming a Catholic through this process, requires a significant amount of faith.

“Anytime you enter formation, it is a radical act of hope,” Gonzalez said.

She said the students who look to enter into the church sacramentally have had frequent meetings throughout the school year. Br. Denys Janiga commented on the students’ dedication to those meetings.

“What amazed me is that each student remained committed to the process amidst their very busy schedules involving classes, assignments, sports and band practice, as well as work. Juggling all those tasks while asking fundamental questions testifies to their readiness to take the leap.” Janiga said.

“We gather in community, talk all about the Catholic faith, doctrine, spirituality (specifically Benedictine spirituality), and this year we talked a lot about Pope Francis,” Gonzalez said.

During the Mass, the Celebration of Baptism was the first sacramental blessing. The two recipients of baptism, Janessa Nelson and Christopher Nguyen, were asked to profess their faith and denounce sin before being baptized with the blessed water. They were then clothed in white and officially welcomed into the church.

“You die in baptism, and you rise,” Neary said in his homily.

After the baptism is the Celebration of Reception, where Neary said the students will publicly profess their Catholic faith. The students who were already baptized but had not yet received other sacraments in the Catholic faith were then welcomed as newly Catholicized Christians. The other Bennies and Johnnies being received into the church were Samantha Anderson, Jack Klein, William Klein, Alexis Torres, and Kelly Rivera.

Gonzalez said the final sacrament, the Celebration of Confirmation, calls upon the Holy Spirit for guidance, and is meant to deepen the faith and commitment of those entering adulthood.

“For those students seeking confirmation this year, which was all of them, you’re seeking to receive the fruit of the spirit, which are gifts from God that will help you accomplish your life’s purpose,” Gonzalez said.

All of the Bennies and Johnnies involved in the ceremonies were anointed with Chrism, presented before Neary and blessed in the Holy Spirit. Gonzalez said it is a unique experience to receive these sacraments on the campus in which you attend college. She added that it is special that the OCIA students receive communion for the first time in front of not only their family but also their peers.

“They are all so different from one another, but all so similar at the same time,” Gonzalez said about this year’s cohort of students.

She continues to pray for each of these newly confirmed Catholics and is excited to see which new students will be a part of the OCIA program in the coming years.

CSB senior and OCIA cohort graduate Alexis Torres spoke on her experience in the program.

“Going through the OCIA process at CSB Campus Ministry has been one of the most meaningful experiences of my past four years. The director of OCIA, Cindy Gonzalez, truly embodies what it means to be a minister. She meets everyone where they are on their faith journey and makes each person — myself included — feel loved, seen and accepted. Cindy lives out the Benedictine value of hospitality to the fullest. She serves with such genuine love and compassion that it inspires you to learn more about Jesus,” Torres said. “I am deeply grateful to CSB+SJU Campus Ministries, the monastic communities and my peers for the constant support and love I felt throughout the OCIA process. If you’re reading this and feel even the slightest nudge to explore this path, I encourage you to take the leap — you won’t regret it.”