Imagine a parish where every so often the pastor introduces an inquirer to the worshiping assembly saying, “This is Jose; this is Barbara. They have a desire to become part of our church.” Then the Pastor simply leaves the rest to the people in the pews. We could make a case that this is the […]
5 questions for every RCIA team
The Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, which is the premier Vatican II liturgical document, says that the “aim to be considered before all else” is the full, conscious, and active participation of all the faithful in the liturgy because that is the way they will learn the true Christian spirit (14). On Sundays in our parishes,
Evaluating your hospitality at Mass
Last week, I met with a group of RCIA team members from parishes around the country at the Convocation of the North American Forum on the Catechumenate to discuss the question, “Whose ministry is it, anyway?” Aware that in so many situations, the RCIA process is “run” by a team of willing volunteers, we examined
Add 5,000 families to your RCIA team
It’s easy to learn a few basics about Saint Paul and the letters he wrote. You don’t need to have any special knowledge or background. For example, this coming Sunday, November 16, 2009, the second reading is from Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians (1 Thes 5:1-6). Who are the Thessalonians? Grab your New American
Become a Pauline expert in two minutes
Q: What should we do with people who just want to be baptized without participating in any formation sessions or rituals? Some people are shy and do not want to be put on the spot. Should we just baptize them because they desire it, or do we put them through an individual program, ignoring the
Does RCIA work for shy people?
The Year of Saint Paul Reading II 1 Thes 5:1-6 Concerning times and seasons, brothers and sisters, you have no need for anything to be written to you. For you yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief at night. The way of faith At the end of
Catechesis for 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time
I’m in Cleveland for the Fifth International Convocation of the North American Forum on the Catechumenate. We had the unofficial start this afternoon with a meeting of 60-plus Forum Team members and the Forum Board. We discussed two questions, which are derived from Jim Collin’s book, Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap…
Cleveland rocks as RCIA leaders gather
The Year of Saint Paul Reading II 1 Cor 3:9c-11, 16-17 Do you not know that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? The way of faith The church is the Temple of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is the soul, as it were, of the Mystical
Catechesis for Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome
When I train RCIA teams, especially newer teams, someone almost always asks, “How are we ever going to get ______ [Father, volunteers, the parish council, the 10 a.m. Mass community, the DRE] to agree to all this?” The question is understandable, but it is the wrong question. It is the wrong question because it implies
A powerful tool to inspire an RCIA vision
The Year of Saint Paul Reading II Rom 5:5-11 But God proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us. The way of faith Our salvation flows from God’s initiative of love for us, because “he loved us and sent his Son to be the expiation for our
