OCIA Formation Day
English | Español
OCIA Diocesan Formation Day
Saturday, February 8, 2025
8:00 AM - 2:30 PM
Keynote & Workshops | Presenters | Speaker Bios | Contacts
Change can be scary, but Jesus tells us, “Be not afraid!” Come dispel your fears of the new Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (& Adapted for Children) at our annual Diocesan OCIA Formation Day. You’ll learn about the changes to the OCIA, the reason for those changes, what hasn’t changed, and what this means for how you serve in your ministry.
All diocesan staff and volunteers who work in OCIA or OCIA-Adapted for Children are encouraged to attend this important event.
|
Location Most Blessed Sacrament |
Keynote & Workshops
Keynote Talk
Be Not Afraid: I Have Called You By Name
by Scott Sollom, PhD
The OCIA process is both exhilarating and exhausting, wonderful and frightful, rewarding and demanding. Meanwhile, the Lord invites us to rest in him, to trust in him, to be not afraid. This presentation is addressed to your own heart, meditating on our own conversion process and the abundant graces available so that every one of us can be made anew, so that we can minister more effectively whom the Lord is entrusting to us.
First Workshop (English)
OCIA: Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed…but nothing to be afraid of!
by Scott Sollom, PhD
The new OCIA ritual text is strikingly similar to the ‘old’ text: the catechumenal process is still the same in large lines, but there are some major and minor changes that merit closer inspection. This presentation intends to solidify what you already know while opening a few new doors and inviting us to reflect, gently, on opportunities for growth.
Second Workshop (English)
Evangelization: Myths, Legends, and How-Tos
by Laura B. Nelson and Jason Whitehead, MA
Evangelization can sound scary and overwhelming, but it can also be as easy as recommending a favorite book to a friend. Don't let fear and intimidation keep you from sharing the Good News. Come learn why evangelization is the key to lifelong discipleship, dispel some myths about evangelization, and learn how to build up the Kingdom of God on earth by proclaiming the Gospel to both individuals and groups.
Presenters
Dr. Scott Sollom
Director of Catechetical Institute at Franciscan University
Dcn. Joel Rodriguez
Deacon, St. Jude, Mansfield
Jason Whitehead
Director of Evangelization and Catechesis
Laura B. Nelson
Director of Faith Formation
Victoria Ramón
Director of Youth Ministry
Speaker Bios
Click on the sections below to expand them and view more information.
Scott Sollom
Director of Catechetical Institute at Franciscan University
Scott Sollom, STL, Phd. Scott has been helping coordinate RCIA (now OCIA) for over 25 years including parish, college campus, and parish cluster settings. He co-authored the Association for Catechumenal Ministry’s Leader’s Guide and Catechist’s Manual and contributed to the Symbolon series. Scott and his wife, Mary, and their five children live in Steubenville where he serves as the associate chair of the theology department and the Director of the Catechetical Institute at Franciscan University. Scott currently serves on the USCCB Institute for the Catechism committee and formerly served on the working group for the ‘Implementation of OCIA in the United States’ from 2022-2024.
Jason Whitehead
Director of Evangelization and Catechesis
Jason Whitehead was received into the Catholic Church in 2012 and subsequently received a master’s degree in Theology from Holy Apostles College and Seminary. He began working for the Diocese of Fort Worth in 2014 and currently serves as Department Director of Evangelization and Catechesis.
Laura B. Nelson
Director of Faith Formation
With nine years' experience in children's catechesis at the parish level, Laura Nelson joined the Diocese of Fort Worth as director of faith formation in 2024. The mother of three grown children holds a bachelor’s degree from University of Texas at Austin and is currently enrolled at Franciscan University of Steubenville, Ohio, where she expects to complete a Master’s degree in catechesis and evangelization in 2025.
Deacon Joel Rodriguez
Deacon, St. Jude, Mansfield
Deacon Joel Rodriguez is a Catholic convert and permanent deacon ordained in August of 2022. Born in Brooklyn, New York, and raised in Puerto Rico, Deacon Rodriguez is the former Director of Hispanic Ministry for the Diocese of Fort Worth and is currently serving the diocese at St. Jude in Mansfield.
Victoria Ramón
Director of Youth Ministry
Victoria Ramón serves as the Director of Youth, Young Adult, and Campus Ministry for the Diocese of Fort Worth. She has nine years of experience in parish and diocesan catechetical ministry. Victoria holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from UT Arlington and a Master’s degree in Catechetics and Evangelization from Franciscan University.
Contacts:
Laura Nelson
Director of Faith Formation
817-945-9351
You may enable JavaScript to see this email address.
Julie Kiehlbauch, MS
Executive Assistant
817-945-9358
You may enable JavaScript to see this email address.
The Diocese of Fort Worth is dedicated to a Safe Environment. We offer extensive and mandatory training for all employees and volunteers. Please contact the Safe Environment office if you need assistance or to report an abuse or concern.
Broken link or website issue?
You may enable JavaScript to see this email address.