Diana Macalintal is the cofounder and codirector of Team Initiation.
There is a great and somewhat ironic convergence happening in our calendars. In the midst of the earthquake that struck Haiti on January 13, 2010, the Church celebrated National Migration Week (January 3-9), starting on the Feast of the Epiphany, a week when it focused on the situation of migrants and refugees. The Church also […]
A prayer for dreamers amid the nightmare in Haiti
Here’s the scenario: You’ve just finished a long but wonderful Easter Vigil. After months of weekly meetings, leading dismissal sessions, and doing discernment interviews, all the Elect have been baptized, and you’re looking forward to the last few gatherings of the RCIA post-Triduum before you take a well-deserved summer break. As you’re gathering up all
How will you respond this Easter to visitors interested in the Catholic Church?
The initiation rites of the third, fourth, and fifth Sundays of Lent don’t have the most comforting of names. On these days we engage the elect in rites and prayers called scrutinies and exorcisms. The first connotes probing and critical examination of one’s life, and the second—well, let’s just say many of us have had
History of the scrutinies: 3 things your RCIA team needs to know
Many have interpreted the signing of the Book of the Elect to be a sign of commitment and discipleship. This is certainly true, and when seen in this light, it would seem appropriate for both catechumens (the unbaptized) and candidates (the already-baptized) to sign the Book of the Elect. However, the commitment and discipleship that
Who signs the Book of the Elect?
I’m off to help distribute ashes at Mass later today. I’ve done this a few times in my life, and it’s always a humbling experience. Yes, the ashes remind us of our mortality and dependence on God, but that’s not mostly why I feel humbled. It’s humbling for me because I get to see so
It might seem daunting to discern a person’s readiness for the next step in the RCIA process. But the Rite, itself, gives us some clear guidelines on who does the discerning and what they’re looking for in the daily actions and demeanor of a person seeking to deepen their relationship with God. Note that the
Discernment: What does the Rite say?
Discernment isn’t just for catechumens. It’s for all the faithful to do each day. And it’s not about what we know in our head. It’s about what we know in our heart. This is because discernment isn’t really about having proof, but having faith that God is with us. This is what we learn from
Discernment: Looking backward to move forward
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
The central liturgy for catechumens is the first half of the Sunday Eucharist called the Liturgy of the Word. When catechumens are dismissed, they reflect on what they experienced in the Liturgy of the Word and share how their experience connects to their daily life. One of the United States bishops’ documents on liturgical music
Evaluating your Liturgy of the Word
Part of being Word people is to reflect on our life and faith through the Word. These faith-sharing skills are essential for your team members who will lead dismissal sessions and other gatherings of catechumens because faith-sharing will help the catechumens connect Scripture to their daily lives. People learn best how to effectively lead faith-sharing
Faith-sharing skills for your team
