What if I told you that baptism is NOT the real goal of adult initiation? Surprised? That’s the insight of Hendrik Manders, a Redemptorist priest and sacramental theologian who, along with others, shaped the renewed understanding of the catechumenate process after Vatican II. Manders’ goal was to prevent the not-yet-developed catechumenate process from becoming a […]
Growing committed disciples through the catechumenate
After Mass on Holy Trinity Sunday, an inquirer asked me to explain the Trinity. Standing on my left was a cradle Catholic parishioner, a pillar of our community, and on my right, a neophyte, recently baptized in the name of the Trinity. I first turned to the neophyte, asking if she’d like to share her
In a previous article, we explored the blueprint Pope Leo XIV laid out just days after his election. One of the six priorities he identified was that, as a church, we have to focus on loving care for the least and the rejected among us. This priority echoes Pope Francis and reaches back to Pope
Embracing the margins: What Pope Leo expects of our teams
In the Catholic tradition, we call the Eucharist “food for the journey.” But there is another food that feeds us just as powerfully and richly. At the beginning of a catechumen’s journey of faith, we are reminded that the Word of God is a rich fare upon which we all feast. Hearing the Word is how we
Food for the journey of catechumens
You can reflect on questions for every Sunday of the year by clicking here. Eighteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time Background: In contemporary America this Sunday’s set of readings is profoundly countercultural since only two decades ago we had a head of the Federal Reserve consistently assuring us that “Greed is good!” At this stage in his journey
Reflection Questions for Seekers: Year C – The 18th through the 22nd Sundays of Ordinary Time
Pope Leo XIV, the first U.S.-born pope and a longtime missionary in Peru, brings a fresh pastoral style to the papacy. There has been a lot of news coverage about his election and his first months as pope. However, his early address to the cardinals of the church hasn’t gotten a lot of attention. In
Will Pope Leo XIV’s six priorities change your catechumenate ministry?
This past weekend, Diana and I were in the Diocese of Portland, Maine, for the Maine Mission Summit: Initiation Team Training. We were thrilled to be able to speak to both the clergy of the diocese and to the parish catechumenate teams to help them gain a deeper understanding of the Christian initiation process. During
How to proclaim the gospel: Insights from Bishop James Ruggieri
“I don’t want to go to hell,” she said. That stopped me cold. I was talking with an inquirer shortly after Pope Leo XIV was elected. I was trying to learn what brought her to us. Her words made my heart clutch. Fear of going to hell was a worry throughout my childhood. Well-meaning teachers
Why we’re here: Evangelization is the mission that cannot wait
We like to think of Christian initiation as a gentle journey. But the truth is a lot of people show up to our parishes deeply wounded. And many times, their pain is not that obvious. On first glance, they may seem perfectly fine. But sometimes, beneath the surface, they are hurting from addiction, loneliness, anger
What if we really believed this was life or death?
If the first time your parishioners meet a seeker is at the celebration of the Rite for Entrance into the Catechumenate, you’ve missed an important opportunity! But if you spend time in the months and weeks before the rite to give your seekers an “experience of the company and spirit of Christians” (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults 42), that will
Preparing the parish for the Rite for Entrance into the Catechumenate
