I remember watching Joan talk with a group of middle schoolers who were just beginning the RCIA process. All the kids seemed to be smiling and engaged. Afterwards, I said to her, “You are a master!” She very casually replied, “Nah. I just love kids and I love Jesus.” This simple encounter got me thinking
Six skills every children’s RCIA catechist must have
An old African proverb says: Every morning, a gazelle wakes up. It knows it must outrun the fastest lion or it will be killed. Every morning, a lion wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the slowest gazelle, or it will starve. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a lion or gazelle — when
Do your RCIA catechumens wake up running?
The RCIA is a training process. If we look at other training processes, we begin to see how the RCIA is perfectly designed to train seekers in the Christian life (see RCIA 75 and Decree on the Church’s Missionary Activity, 14). Three levels of training Let’s take running for example. If you are a running
RCIA training level one: evangelization
A Catechumen’s Prayer Before the Rite of Election Creator God, even before I was born, you called me and named me. Even before I understood, you sought and summoned me. All this time, you have been choosing me, Lord, in secret and intimate ways. Now, you call me to stand before you, before your people,
Prayers for Catechumens around the time of the Rite of Election
The first time I heard about the RCIA, it was like a “should’a had a V8” moment. I got it. I understood the pontential power of this collection of progressive rites to transform not only seekers, but entire parishes. Or at least I thought I did. In those early days, my insight was focused almost
How I discovered the RCIA is the Grand Prix of catechesis
To fully understand the purpose of the scrutinies, it helps to have a little history. The three scrutinies that we celebrate within the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults are derived, in part, from the fourth century church’s practice of exorcism. The word “exorcism” sets many of us on edge. Most of us know the
RCIA vs. Hollywood—the true meaning of “exorcism”
“Why can’t we use Year B readings this year for the Scrutinies?” “The assembly is missing out on hearing the readings for Year C. How come we always have to do Year A at the Scrutinies?” “We’ve written new scrutiny rites for the Year B readings. Can we use those?” I hear those questions every
Do we have to use Year A readings for the RCIA scrutinies?
Our friend and fellow catechumenate minister, Rev. Andrew Varga, shared this blessing with us for the New Year. Thanks, Fr. Andy! (Click the image for a larger version.)
A Blessing of Calendars for the New Year
To order your copy of Discerning Disciples, click here. If you would like to learn more about the discernment process and how it works, view the recording of our online workshop during which Diana Macalintal and Nick Wagner explored basic discernment skills for every Christian. Click here for more information.
Instant Review: Discerning Disciples
Sometimes we think of “God’s will” as an inscrutable puzzle that only wizened old monks who have meditated in caves or on mountain tops for decades can discern. But that simply isn’t so. God wants us to know God’s will. St. Paul tells us, “He has made known to us the mystery of his will”
The key to understanding God’s will in RCIA discernment
