As a way to move to a year-round process, I recommended last time that you should throw out your syllabus. And while I feel there’s good reasons for doing this, it does create something of a problem: What do I do now? How do I convey to our catechumens and candidates everything they need to […]
Is your RCIA open all year-round? Let the liturgical seasons be your guide (Part 1)
After team formation, the next step to moving to a year round process is simple: Throw out your syllabus. Hear me out on this one… Have you noticed there’s not much out there when it comes to an “off the shelf” program for the RCIA? There’s a reason for that… but more on that in
Is your RCIA open all year-round? Throw out your syllabus!
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,
Change can be hard. As human beings we are, by nature, resistant to change…especially when we think what we have right now is just fine as it is. But God and his creation are not static. Our relationship with God is dynamic…living, breathing, and constantly evolving, and sometimes that means altering course to keep moving
Is your RCIA open all year-round? It’s easier than you think
“Greetings. I coordinate the RCIA process for our parish, and I am kind of new to this. Our pastor asked me to take on this role, and I’m learning as I go. Can you give me some direction on what I should be doing?” We get some version of that question about once or twice
The Secret to Leading RCIA Catechesis
The most recent events in Las Vegas involving gun violence have put the spotlight on not only lawmakers but also on people of goodwill who genuinely want to offer prayers and thoughts for those affected by such overwhelming tragedy. As Christians, we indeed are called to pray for those affected and for change in our
Three ways Catholics can respond to gun violence – infographic
As RCIA catechists, we tend to think of ourselves as teachers. While we are pretty clear on that, we tend to be less clear on what we teach. The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults says that we are to teach “an appropriate acquaintance with dogmas and precepts” (75). But in the same sentence, the
Share your salvation story with your RCIA group
At a recent Making Disciples Institute, Diana and I were making the point that the encounter of a seeker with the mystery of Christ is first of all an emotional experience. The Holy Spirit moves the heart of the seeker, causing her to be restless and to long for something that she cannot yet name.
For RCIA to be effective, it has to be affective
Recently, Diana and I were leading a Making Disciples Institute for the archdioceses of Winnipeg and St. Boniface. We had been advocating, as we always do, that the RCIA teams move their catechumens and candidates out of the “classroom” and into the life of the parish community. One of the participants asked, “If we do
