One of the most powerful aspects of the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults is its emphasis on immersing those seeking Christ into a living, active parish community (see OCIA 75.2). The rite teaches that faith is not merely a set of intellectual beliefs but a way of life that is learned through participation and […]
Igniting faith: The apprenticeship model in the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults
Who do you need on your team for catechumenate ministry? That’s what we’re going to discuss in week two of the speaker series, “Building Blocks of the Catechumenate.” While the Order (Rite) of Christian Initiation of Adults itself never uses the word “team,” anyone who has ever worked in this ministry knows it’s impossible to
It takes a parish: Assembling your catechumenate dream team
Did you know the United States has national guidelines for the catechumenate? In the current translation, they are in an appendix at the back of the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults. In the new translation, they will be right up front and much easier to find. The current statutes have been in effect since
Deeper look into the new National Statutes for catechumenate teams
As we get ready for the new translation of the initiation rites, I want to look at one major change we will need to implement However, this change isn’t new. It is already embedded in the current translation of the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults. We may start using the new translation of the
The biggest change in the initiation rites
From the beginning of his papacy, Pope Francis has emphasized the difference between being a catechist and working as one. “To ‘be’ catechists! Not to ‘work’ as catechists: this will not do. I work as a catechist because I like to teach… But unless you ‘are’ a catechist, it is no good! You will not
Going forth: The audacity of being a catechist
When I started out in catechumenate ministry, I worried I wouldn’t cover all the necessary teachings for seekers to become good Catholics. I had a literal checklist of doctrines to ensure I didn’t miss anything. What I had to learn is what Pope Benedict XVI later said about faith: “Being Christian is not the result
The art of spiritual accompaniment: Going beyond doctrinal checklists
One of the most powerful aspects of the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults is its emphasis on immersing those seeking Christ into a living, active parish community. The rite teaches that faith is not merely a set of intellectual beliefs, but a way of life that is learned through participation and example. The Mystical
The call to community: paragraph 75.2
As parish catechumenate leaders, the church expects us to provide an appropriate catechesis for the catechumens. The directives in OCIA 75.1 describe what an appropriate catechesis looks like. Let’s take a look at what it says. 1. Divided into steps and fully presented OCIA 75.1 emphasizes the need for a catechesis that is “divided into
Forming hearts through God’s Word: paragraph 75.1
Many of us on parish catechumenate teams have been stuck in a school mindset for far too long. We’ve gotten comfortable with the school model — where there are teachers and students, a defined curriculum, and a clear beginning and end to the process. But Pope Francis is calling us to embrace a new paradigm,
Moving from teachers to accompanists in the catechumenate process
As I’m writing this, we are about two weeks away from the Triduum. And — spoiler alert — Jesus is risen! It seems like everything has spoiler alerts attached to it these days. The ubiquity of social media has caused many of us to avoid all our screens after the big game that we recorded
Let the mysteries speak for themselves: A pedagogy of silence
