Nick Wagner is the cofounder and codirector of Team Initiation.
Jane (not her real name) was initiated at the Easter Vigil. She had some doubts about going through with it. During Lent, her RCIA leader told her she had to take a test to see if she knew enough about Catholic teaching to get baptized. Jane had never been very good at tests, so she […]
Rejoice and be glad: An RCIA story of mystagogy
Does your RCIA team struggle with the period of mystagogy? If so, you are not alone. Most teams report that this is the most difficult period of the catechumentate process for them. If that’s true for you, I have good news. The period of mystagogy is probably a lot easier than you think. The reason
Mystagogy in the RCIA is easier than you think — and more challenging
What is your RCIA team’s goal for the catechumenate? If a Martian were to land in a random parish on Easter Monday, he might draw a false conclusion based on what he observes during the Period of Postbaptismal Catechesis or Mystagogy. Baptism forgives sins In a given parish, the Martian might conclude that the purpose
Four Martians walk into an RCIA…
Someone e-mailed recently to tell us about a high-school-age catechumen who had been denied baptism at a previous parish. The reason she could not be baptized, she was told, is because she failed the RCIA test. The test was a written exam, presumably about Catholic doctrine, that was more difficult than a college entrance exam,
Are you having trouble getting your parish involved in your catechumenate process? Do you sometimes feel like you and your team are working off in a corner somewhere, unnoticed by the larger community? When you celebrate catechumenate rites at Sunday Mass, do you sense the assembly is disgruntled because the liturgy might go longer than
10 ways to involve parishioners in the catechumenate process
Should baptized candidates celebrate their sacraments at the Easter Vigil? Probably not, but there are exceptions. The National Statues for the Catechumenate tell us that baptized candidates should not celebrate their sacraments at the Easter Vigil so there won’t be any confusion between them and those who are being baptized (see no. 33). Within the
Six common RCIA questions about Easter Vigil
“How do we explain the scrutinies to the catechumens without scaring them?” That was a question we received recently at a Rites of the RCIA institute. The question stumps me a little. As I look at the structure and prayers of the rite, I don’t see anything particularly frightening. I think that if there is
How to Celebrate the Scrutinies without Scaring the Catechumens
Recently, I met with about 120 RCIA leaders from the dioceses of Belleville, IL, Springfield, IL, Springfield-Cape Girardeau, MO, and the archdiocese of St. Louis. Our agenda was to discuss the vision of the restored catechumenate and how that vision unfolds all year round; it cannot be confined to a few months of the liturgical
How to Rekindle Your “Desire for the Infinite” in Ministry
Ruth turned over for maybe the twentieth time, fluffed her pillow, rearranged her blanket, and tried some deep breathing exercises. She had already tried thinking of multiplication tables and counting sheep. But she just couldn’t fall asleep. Tomorrow, she had to turn in to the diocesan office the names of those catechumens who would become
Are you worried that your RCIA seekers aren’t ready?
In all my years in RCIA ministry, one of the easiest things to do was to match inquirers with sponsors — in my head. One of the hardest things to do was to get those perfect sponsors-in-my-head to become real, live, actual sponsors for someone. I think other RCIA team members must have struggled with
Who else wants to have all the RCIA sponsors they need?
