Sometimes I fantasize about being the RCIA Czar. I don’t really want to be a czar. I just wish parishes could get closer to the vision of what the Second Vatican Council had in mind when it called for the restoration of the catechumenate. Now you might be wondering how I know what the Council […]
Six things that are probably wrong with your RCIA — and how to fix them
During a recent trip, I looked up a parish close to my hotel and headed over there for the 9 a.m. Sunday Mass. Just before the opening song, a parishioner went to the ambo, welcomed everyone to St. So-and-So, and then read the parish mission statement. Mission improbable The statement was kind of long, and
Do your catechumens know your mission? Do you?
When I was young, my grandmother gave me a rolled-up rope ladder. She told me to put it near my bedroom window, and if there was ever a fire, I could use the rope ladder to escape down the side of the house.Of course, from then on all I could think about every time I
How to save your RCIA rites from heresy
“There just aren’t enough hours in the day.” I hear that all the time. I used to say it myself. But it’s not true. There are just enough hours in the day. If we had more hours, we’d complain that there still wasn’t enough time. The secret is not to add more hours to the
Hi Everyone, About 9 months ago Nick Wagner invited me to write a blog. He is patient. Perhaps this is birthing time. Though involved in initiation ministry for over 20 years, I am also now involved as Novice Director in our Sister of Charity congregation. We had a session this past week in which I
When is the last time you went to a workshop or read an article and got a great idea about how to improve your RCIA process? Did you come away thinking, “Wow, we really have to try that!” And then didn’t? When I first got into the publishing business, a prospective author called me to
Why your great ideas for RCIA never get off the ground
My first experience of teaching adults was a lector training I did in the first parish I worked in. I was soooo nervous. I typed out my presentation (on a manual typewriter, pre-PowerPoint days), which came out to be 13 double-spaced pages. Then I stood in front of those suffering souls and read all 13
The secret to becoming a great RCIA teacher
Diana Macalintal and I spent two days in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan recently, where the temperature dipped to minus-20 degrees Farenheit! But while the temperature was frigid outside, the hospitality and enthusiasm were warm inside. We were there to meet with faith formation leaders from across the diocese to discuss ways to inspire active, committed, lifelong faith
Here is an exercise to try with your team that will make you a better RCIA catechist. If your team is small, grab a few other parishioners to help. Or even better, get some folks who have gone through your initiation process in past years. Try to have at least six people involved in this
Become a better RCIA catechist with this simple exercise
The work we do as initiation ministers is important, but do you ever wonder if you are making a difference? If you stopped showing up, would anyone notice? None of us are doing this ministry for fame or money. We just want to make a difference. Making a difference, however, doesn’t have to mean changing
Pope Francis’ secret for changing the world
