Nick Wagner is the cofounder and codirector of Team Initiation.
Ever since the Roman Missal was retranslated and we had to learn all new responses in the Mass, people have been asking if there will be a new translation of the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults. It is likely that there will be, but we do not have one yet. Free download: How long […]
Is there a new version of the RCIA?
It took me a long time to think of myself as a catechist. When I was growing up, a catechist was essentially a religious education teacher. I never wanted to be a teacher. I’ve substituted for classroom teachers twice in my life, and I failed both times. I’ve never had formal catechist training. And I
Look for RCIA catechists who are good at these three things
If you go to any parish website in North America, you will get the very strong impression that children’s faith is formed in a classroom. Parish websites list expectations describing what children are to have learned by the time they reach each grade level. If you were to actually visit one of these parishes, you
Why children in the RCIA need a community, not a classroom
I once overheard a pastoral minister say that she was working with a family who wanted to have their child baptized. The child was six-and-a-half years old. “We got her in just under the wire,” the pastoral worker said — meaning the child was under seven years old and therefore baptized as an infant. She
Pastoral principles for children in the RCIA
While I don’t have children, I take seriously the way that Jesus related with children in the gospels. Jesus, who also didn’t have children, was a model to his followers about how to lead children to a life of discipleship. Jesus welcomed children Most of us know the story found in Mark 10 in which
RCIA with children—five examples from Jesus
Last September, Marcy seemed so relieved. When her pastor convinced her to take over the leadership of the parish’s RCIA program, she was worried that she didn’t know enough to do the job. “All the topics are already chosen,” Fr. Jonas had reassured. “All you have to do is find speakers to cover them.” He
Is the fear of being wrong controlling your RCIA?
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,
