If you want to move to a year-round catechumenate but you think it will be too much work or you don’t know where to start, start with baby steps. You don’t have to do everything all at once. For example, I was at Mass at a parish outside my diocese on a July Sunday. At the end of Mass, during the announcements, the presider said something like this:
If you or someone you know is curious about becoming Catholic, I’d like to invite you to come explore your questions. We are currently forming an inquiry group to discuss and answer any questions you might have about what Catholics are all about. It’s a very informal group, and there is no obligation. If you’d like to join us, I’ll be in the back after Mass, and I can tell you more about it.
A lot is happening in this RCIA announcement
This short, simple announcement does a lot of things. It tells seekers that you want to connect with them. It keeps things casual and assures the seekers they don’t have to sign up or register or go through a lot of hoops just to find out if they might want to become Catholic. It solves the problem of telling seekers they have to come back in September “when RCIA starts.” And it alerts the regular parishioners that the parish is actively seeking new members. And notice that they never used the term “RCIA”!
I don’t know what the meetings are like in the parish I visited or how often during the summer they occur. But I do know that you don’t have to do something every week. You can have an effective inquiry process with as few as one meeting a month over the summer. That’s three meetings. The most work you have to do to prepare is put on a pot of coffee.
You can have an effective inquiry process with as few as one meeting a month over the summer.
One more step
Well, there is one more thing you have to do. You have to be prepared to share your own faith story. We should be always be ready to do that anyway, so it really isn’t extra preparation. But I find that lots of Catholics, even active RCIA team members, have a difficult time saying why they believe what they believe. We tend to get bogged down in Catholic jargon that often doesn’t make sense to seekers. I would encourage you to spend some time in prayer and think about when your faith was most tested. Also think about when your faith saved you. Think about where you might be today if you didn’t have faith. Write down some thoughts about that, and see if you can come up with a one to two minute story that is unique to you about why you believe what you believe.
Then, during your inquiry meetings, answer all the questions the seekers have as best you can. If there is something you can’t answer, promise to find out and get back to the seeker with an answer. And finally, if no one asks you why you are a Catholic, ask them if they would like to know. Then share your story.
Share your thoughts
What is your experience? Do you have inquiry meetings over the summer? How have they worked for you? Or, if you haven’t done anything over the summer, what first step do you imagine your parish could take to begin?
This is the first option that seems possible for us a small parish. Thanks for sharing it with us.
Great information! I really like the ideas
All Saints Catholic Church, Dallas, Texas has all year round Inquiry Classes. We have Consicated Sister in charge of Inquiry and RCIA programs. If you have been Baptized in another church using the Trinitarian formula, then depending on where you are on faith journey, then on your own you start working online on the K.of C. Caticism
At Our Lady of the Assumption Parish, San Bernardino, for several years, we have been offering different “Summer Programs” to deepen the lives and faith not only of our neophytes, inquirers and other Adult Initiation participants but also members of the parish. The six + weeks of sessions helps build community as it gives great information and formation. This summer we have been using A BIBLICAL WALK THROUGH THE MASS, Last summer we used CATCHING FIRE, BECOMING FLAME, and the summer before that the CATHOLICISM series, which we offer in both English and in Spanish. This fall we will also be offering SCRIPTURE FROM SCRATCH for those who would like additional formation and information about the Scriptures.
The advantage of these solid (though purchased) programs is that team members prepare and facilitate the sessions but the “presentation and content work” is done by other professional and excellent presenters. It’s a win-win way to keep groups gathered, growing and in formation year round.