As churches across the Diocese of Columbus prepare for Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) classes, the diocese compiled its final numbers from 2025-26.
This past Easter, according to the Diocese of Columbus Chancery, 606 catechumens, or unbaptized individuals, received the three sacraments of initiation (baptism, Confirmation and the Eucharist). Another 220 completed the sacraments of initiation through Confirmation and 147 by receiving their First Holy Communion.
A profession of faith was made by an additional 339 individuals, known as candidates, previously baptized in a non-Catholic church, who received full communion with the Catholic Church. Candidates are validly baptized individuals desiring full union with the Church, including its teachings, sacraments and papal authority.
During a diocesan celebration of the Vigil of the Solemnity of Pentecost in May, eight catechumens were baptized and received the sacraments, 38 were Confirmed and 13 made a profession of faith.
This year’s 614 baptized, 405 completing sacraments and 352 individuals receiving full communion resulted in a total of 1,371 Catholic adults welcomed into or completing sacraments in the diocese.
Numbers varied across geographic areas of the diocese.
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Deanery 1: Marion, Morrow, Delaware, Union and Madison counties
(Ada Our Lady of Lourdes, Delaware St. Mary, Kenton Immaculate Conception, Marion St. Mary, Marysville Our Lady of Lourdes, Cardington Sacred Hearts, Sunbury St. John Neumann, Columbus-Powell St. Peter St. Joan of Arc, Westerville St. Paul, Plain City St. Joseph)
Catechumens- 94
Completing sacraments- 58
Candidates- 78
Deanery 2: Tuscarawas, Holmes, Knox and Coshocton counties
(Coshocton Sacred Heart, Dennison Immaculate Conception, Dover St. Joseph, Millersburg St. Peter, Glenmont Ss. Peter & Paul, New Philadelphia Sacred Heart, Bolivar Holy Trinity, Mount Vernon St. John the Baptist (St. Vincent de Paul/St. Luke))
Catechumens- 31
Completing sacraments- 65
Candidates- 12
Deanery 3: Fairfield, Hocking, Muskingum and Perry counties
(Dresden St. Ann, Mattingly Settlement St. Mary, Junction City St. Patrick, New Lexington St. Rose, Somerset Holy Trinity and St. Joseph, Zanesville St. Nicholas and St. Thomas Aquinas, Lancaster St. Bernadette and Basilica of St. Mary of the Assumption, Logan St. John, Sugar Grove St. Joseph)
Catechumens- 58
Completing sacraments- 7
Candidates- 25
Deanery 4: South deanery
(Circleville St. Joseph, Washington Court House St. Colman of Cloyne, Chillicothe Our Lady Queen of the Apostles, Scioto County St. John Paul II, Divine Mercy Parish (St. Sylvester, Ss. Peter and Paul, Holy Trinity))
Catechumens- 60
Completing sacraments- 2
Candidates- 19
Deanery 5: Licking deanery
(Buckeye Lake Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Granville St. Edward the Confessor, Johnstown Church of the Ascension, Newark Blessed Sacrament and St. Francis de Sales, New Albany Church of the Resurrection)
Catechumens- 30
Completing sacraments- 24
Candidates- 23
Deanery 6: Center-South Columbus deanery
(Columbus St. Joseph Cathedral/Holy Cross, Ss. Augustine & Gabriel, St. Dominic, St. Patrick, St. Mary Mother of God, St. Leo Oratory)
Catechumens- 28
Completing sacraments- 8
Candidates- 40
Deanery 7: Northwest Columbus deanery
(Columbus St. Agatha, St. Andrew, St. Christopher, St. Margaret of Cortona, Our Lady of Victory, St. Timothy, Dublin St. Brigid of Kildare, Hilliard St. Brendan the Navigator)
Catechumens- 35
Completing sacraments- 38
Candidates- 50
Deanery 8: North High/Northland deanery
(Columbus St. Francis of Assisi, Our Lady of Guadalupe Star of the New Evangelization, St. Thomas More Newman Center, Immaculate Conception, St. James the Less, Our Lady of Peace, St. John the Baptist/Sacred Heart, St. Josephine Bakhita, St. Andrew Kim Taegon Korean Catholic, Worthington St. Michael)
Catechumens- 103
Completing sacraments- 79
Candidates- 40
Deanery 9: West Columbus deanery
(Columbus Holy Family, St. Agnes, St. Aloysius, St. Cecilia, St. Mary Magdalene, St. Stephen the Martyr, Grove City Our Lady of Perpetual Help, London St. Patrick, West Jefferson Ss. Simon and Jude)
Catechumens- 95
Completing sacraments- 65
Candidates- 33
Deanery 10: East Columbus deanery
(Columbus St. Catharine, Christ the King/St. Thomas the Apostle, Holy Spirit, Canal Winchester Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Gahanna St. Matthew, Pickerington St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Reynoldsburg St. Pius X)
Catechumens- 72
Completing sacraments- 21
Candidates- 19