We have some good news to share! Some of you may have already heard that the new translation of the initiation rites has been officially approved and is scheduled for publication later this year. Publishers may start selling copies of the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults on All Saints Day, November 1, 2024.

So what does this mean for you and your catechumenate team? The most important thing is to understand and promote the profound paradigm shift the catechumenate demands of parishes. This is not new with the new translation. However, the new translation gives us an opportunity to explore the principles of the rite and the call to transform our catechism classes into accompaniment processes for seekers embarking on the journey of faith.

Six things for you to know about initiation ministry

It is no coincidence that we timed the name-change of our ministry (from TeamRCIA to Team Initiation) to coincide with the promulgation of the new translation of the rite. We want to encourage parishes to think carefully about how they talk about and imagine initiation ministry in their parishes. As I wrote in last week’s article, the simplest choice is to change an “R” to an “O” — “RCIA” to “OCIA.”

We urge you not to do that. Please avoid using acronyms to speak of the conversion journey. This is as much a reminder for ourselves since you’ll notice that many of the resources we’ve created over the years used the acronym “RCIA.” But we’re making the commitment going forward to avoid that practice, and we hope you’ll make that commitment, too, with us. See this article for more pastoral ways to speak about this ministry of conversion and transformation.

When we were thinking about the new name for our ministry and what we wanted the name to “say,” we wanted the name to promote the paradigm shift the rite demands. We hope the name “Team Initiation” communicates six shifts:

1. From a September-to-May program to a year-round, gradual process
2. From classes for the “RCIA/OCIA” cohort to apprenticeship within the parish community
3. From learning facts about Catholicism to immersion into Jesus’s paschal mystery
4. From teaching students to a parish-wide renewal and conversion journey
5. From the way we used to do it to an adult-centered learning process
6. From one-size-fits-all to individual accompaniment of each unique seeker

When we were thinking about the new name for our ministry and what we wanted the name to “say,” we wanted the name to promote the paradigm shift the rite demands.

Become a Team Initiation Member

To help implement these shifts, we invite you to become a Team Initiation Member today. Your first year is 30% off for a limited time, giving you access to courses like:

• RCIA Total Training Course
• RCIA in the Midst of the Community
• Five RCIA Inquiry Questions for Making Disciples

All of our online courses, including these three, are free for Team Initiation Members. And right now, your first year of membership is 30% off for a limited time. Don’t miss this opportunity to transform your initiation ministry. Become a member now at this link.

If you have a larger team, you might consider a parish membership. A parish membership allows you to give access to give access to as many people in your parish as you like. Parish membership is also on sale through June. Find out more at this link.

We understand that membership may not be possible for everyone. If that’s the case, we offer a multitude of free resources to support your parish’s paradigm shift. For example, check these out:

• Short Online Course: Rethinking Core Catholic Content (Usually $29.00. Free with coupon code: corecontent)
• Webinar Training: The Church’s Amazing Vision for Creating a Catechumenal Culture
• Training Article: Moving from teachers to accompanists in the catechumenate process

Three books for your library

Another training option to prepare for the new translation is to update your library. Here are three of the best books available to help you become more confident in your skills as a catechumenate minister:

• Your Parish Is the Curriculum: RCIA in the Midst of the Community
• Seek the Living God: Five RCIA Inquiry Questions for Making Disciples
• Field Hospital Catechesis: The Core Content for RCIA Formation

And if you are a diocesan leader, please consider hosting a training institute. We have several institutes available, and every one of them gets rave reviews from the participants. To learn more and to schedule an institute, email Diana Macalintal, diana@teamrcia.com.

We cannot overstate the importance of this initiation ministry and the profound impact it has on the lives of seekers. You are accompanying individuals on the most important journey of their lives. By walking alongside them, you are helping to form disciples who will bring good news to those most in need through the transformative power of the Gospel.

We are deeply grateful for your commitment to this crucial work. We know it is not always easy, but your perseverance and dedication are making missionary disciples every day.

You are accompanying individuals on the most important journey of their lives. By walking alongside them, you are helping to form disciples who will bring good news to those most in need through transformative power of the Gospel.

Helping ministry to be joyful

Our goal and mission at Team Initiation is to support you every step of the way. Our resources are designed to help you gain the confidence and skills you need to engage seekers more deeply. We want to alleviate the stress and burdens that can weigh you down, so that you can experience the profound joy that comes from this ministry.

Whether you join us as a member or simply take advantage of our free offerings, know that you are not alone on this journey. We are your partners and advocates, cheering you on as you form disciples.

Together, we can shift the paradigm and create a radically hospitable, formative, and transformative initiation process in our parishes. The future of the church depends on ministries like yours.