Nick Wagner is the cofounder and codirector of Team Initiation.
The news outlets are filled with speculation and commentary about Barack Obama’s transition team and his choice of cabinet members and White House staff. Yesterday the stock market rose 500 points simply because Obama announced who his Secretary of the Treasury would be. There are a lot of reasons that knowing who Obama plans to […]
An RCIA lesson from Barack Obama—community
The Year of Saint Paul Reading II 1 Cor 15:20-26, 28 Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. The way of faith The title “Son of God” signifies the unique and eternal relationship of Jesus Christ to God his Father: he is the only Son of the
Catechesis for Solemnity of Christ the King
We’re probably all going to see a lot of seekers in our churches over the next several weeks. First of all, we’re moving into the holiday season, and more people tend to think about faith and spirituality at this time of year. Some of them wind up in church—your church—hoping to find an answer to
Put your parish bulletin on your RCIA team
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
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
