As we prepare for the new translation of the initiation rites, every parish is going to be challenged with developing a catechumenal culture. We have already looked at why that is important and what the church means by a catechumenal culture. In this article, we’ll look at how a catechumenal culture is created in a […]
A catechumenal culture is created by four modes of missionary discipleship
When I was 34, I moved from the Midwest to San Jose, California. That experience was a huge culture shift for me. It is difficult, however, to describe the depths and nuances of that shift. Culture is mostly invisible to the people who are “native” to it. One way to define culture is to say
What does a catechumenal culture look like?
Years ago, I volunteered for a parish catechumenate team. After several e-mails and voice mails went unanswered, I just showed up at one of the team meetings. There were about six people sitting around a cafeteria table, and they were surprised to see a new person. I told them I was interested in helping out.
Why a catechumenal culture is important
As our dioceses and parishes implement more fully the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults for all those who have reached the age of discretion (aka the age of reason), parents sometimes have difficulty understanding why their child would be confirmed at age seven or eight. It is important for all of us to understand
How to think about Confirmation in the initiation of children
Is it time to reconsider following cohort model in our formation processes? The Oxford dictionary defines a “cohort” as “a group of people with a shared characteristic.” It’s a model that has been used in education since the beginning—grouping children into a grade level based on age with the understanding that a similar age corelates
Is your RCIA open all year-round? Having everyone around the same table
You can reflect questions for every Sunday of the year by clicking here.Pentecost – 2nd Reading alternate, Gospel Selection A.Background: In Luke’s chronology Jesus sends the Spirit on the fiftieth day after the resurrection. In John he sends the Spirit on the evening of Easter Day itself. Whatever the chronology, the crucial point is that
Reflection Questions for RCIA Seekers: Year C – Pentecost through the 13th Sunday in Ordinary Time
1. Wait, there’s a new translation? Almost, but not quite yet. The United States bishops have approved a close-to-final translation of the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, and we are waiting on confirmation from Rome. So it’s not yet finished, but will be soon. 2. How soon? Well, in church years, “soon” could mean
Q. My parish has historically confirmed candidates for confirmation at the Easter Vigil — those who were baptized and uncatechized and those who were in need of confirmation only. We have been told recently to celebrate the sacrament of confirmation with the already-baptized at a time other than the Easter Vigil. So when should they
Q&A: When should we confirm baptized candidates?
One thing a lot of people may not know about the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults is that it includes a rite that is not a rite of initiation. There were two important reform movements that let up to the Second Vatican Council in the 1960s. One was the liturgical movement. The restoration of
What the church teaches about making other Christians Catholic
This past Easter Vigil, I was visiting a parish I had never been to before. I was truly uplifted by the beauty and quality of the entire liturgy. It was one of the best Easter Vigil liturgies I have celebrated. The key factor that made the liturgy so good was the effort the planners and
Should baptized candidates celebrate their sacraments at the Easter Vigil?
