Field Hospital Catechesis

The Core Content for RCIA Formation

Nick Wagner

If, as Pope Francis says, the church is a field hospital, then what does it mean to care for the wounded and heal the wounds? What would we do first? Indeed, God sends all of us—especially catechists and teachers—to heal the world. And the first thing we have to do is this: proclaim that Jesus Christ saves us. This first proclamation heals the wounds of unbelievers, seekers, and believers alike.

Why this book matters

Field Hospital Catechesis: The Core Content for RCIA Formation explores the nine core teachings of the church that make up this first proclamation. Readers will become catechists and evangelists equipped to bring healing to those around them by learning:

how to shift from making name-only Catholics to making Catholic disciples
the first thing we have to say to seekers
a thoroughly Catholic understanding of evangelization

how what we teach and the way we teach heals the suffering of the world and the wounds of the seekers
Pope Francis’s solution to what he sees as an urgent crisis in the world
the true vocation of a catechist and how to live it out
why only nine core teachings of the church should be the consistent focus of our catechesis
how the nine core teachings of the church tell the great story of our salvation

This book will radically change the way you think about RCIA formation and the task of evangelization.

What others are saying about Field Hospital Catechesis

Starting from the ground up is just what Nick Wagner does in his newest book. Our RCIA processes have become encumbered by false understandings that the “program” needs to be a graduate course in theology, and not about a time of catechesis on changing hearts for living the life of a disciple of Christ: a process. So often our contemporary Church is lured away from the wisdom of lived experience by the newest and shiniest `program’ on how to enliven our parishes. Nick starts with what the Church teaches, and he stays the course regarding his solid experience on presenting the richness of the RCIA process for changing hearts. Nick lays out the fact that the RCIA process is not about knowledge only, but about discipleship.

— Dean Daniels, Office for Worship, Archdiocese of Milwaukee

There are few individuals who can identify problems and map out ways to address them better than Nick Wagner has done in Field Hospital Catechesis. Using Pope Francis’s analogy of the Church becoming a field hospital to address the specific needs of our times, the author uses solid examples showing how to build meaningful and fulfilling activities in any RCIA parish program. Wagner continually expresses the importance of “being a dynamic church,” spreading the message that Jesus loves us and died for us.

— The Catholic Library World

In Field Hospital Catechesis, Nick Wagner uses Pope Francis’ image of the Church as a “field hospital” to help us understand the catechumenate. Understanding the Church as a place of healing, aimed at the ailments at hand, reshapes the way we approach catechetical ministry. If we start our approach to the RCIA by attending to the needs of those in front of us, the joy of knowing God’s love will shine through our ministry. Wagner gives us a practical guide in how to bring this central insight into our catechetical ministry, reminding us that, at its core, the proclamation of the Gospel is an encounter with the person of Jesus Christ.

— Michael J. Martocchio, Director of the Office of Catechesis and Christian Initiation, Diocese of Charleston

Nick Wagner has once again written a practical and insightful book for those directing or supporting the RCIA in a parish. This book provides RCIA teams and directors with a place to start, where to go and a good idea of what seekers need. Nick is a great storyteller and this book is rich with stories that enlighten and inform us. In particular, the parallel he draws between the demise of the steel industry and what we do in RCIA is thought provoking and accurate. The importance of the kerygma is central to this book as Nick leads the reader through an uncomplicated core content focused on Jesus and aimed at making not just Catholics but “Catholic Disciples.”

— Cathy Marbury, Associate Director of Religious Education, Archdiocese of Atlanta

Add to cart

Meet Nick

Nick Wagner is the codirector and cofounder of TeamRCIA.com, a free online resource for catechumenate ministry, and is a leading voice and trainer in Catholic liturgical and catechetical ministries. With more than 35 years of experience in ministry and in Catholic publishing, Nick uses his gift for translating theological principles into simple and clear language to inspire joy, commitment, and passion for faith in parish teams. Nick holds a master’s degree from Saint John’s University, Collegeville, Minnesota.

Check out all of Nicks RCIA book resources here.