A foundational principle of the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults is that it bears “a markedly paschal character” (RCIA 8; see also 4 and 75.1). This has to be so because the church itself is born out of the paschal mystery. The Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, the first document produced by the Second […]
What RCIA teams need to teach about church
Do you have a list of texts, catechetical resources, or other material you recommend to teach catechumens in the RCIA?
Q&A: Do you have a list of resources for teaching catechumens?
What would you say if I told you that none of us are actually catechists or teachers? That’s what the Catechism of the Catholic Church says: In catechesis … “It is Christ alone who teaches — anyone else teaches to the extent that he is Christ’s spokesman, enabling Christ to teach with his lips.” (427)
Ten ways RCIA teams teach like Jesus
If I said that through baptism, a person is made one with Christ, we would all agree to that. If I said that a person who is baptized outside of the Catholic Church is made one with Christ, there might be some resistance. We would want to know who baptized the person, how the baptism
Does your RCIA teach one baptism — in both words and actions?
Dear readers: This article is longer than usual. It is an important summary of what Pope Francis is asking of us as catechists. If you can take a few extra minutes to read it, you will come away with a clear understanding of what the pope expects us to teach in the RCIA. Thanks for
The nine most important steps for making disciples
When Apple founder Steve Jobs and the team that developed the Macintosh computer completed the final design, they signed it. Inside every Macintosh that shipped in 1984 are the signatures of each of the 46 members of the team. As Jobs explained to them, “Real artists sign their work.” St. Augustine said something similar to
RCIA catechesis is performance art
The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults intends the period of the catechumenate to be “aimed at training [the catechumens] in the Christian life” (RCIA 75). An essential component of that training is our liturgical life. Our participation in the worship of the church is so important that it is the first reform that was
How to teach catechumens the meaning of liturgy
At a recent TeamRCIA Institute, a participant was flummoxed about the dismissal of the catechumens after the homily. Why, he wanted to know, would we dismiss people who are learning about Jesus before Jesus is made present in the Mass (at the moment of consecration)? Free download: 8 ways to make mystagogy work in your
Why dismiss the catechumens before Jesus becomes present?
The first sentence of Pope Francis’s letter announcing the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy is, “Jesus Christ is the face of the Father’s mercy” (1). As catechists, this sentence is the key to understanding what the church means by “mercy.” For most people in the world, mercy is an optional act of leniency toward an offender.
What Pope Francis wants RCIA teams to teach about mercy
There is a story about a new school and the way the children of the school played during recess. The school yard was enclosed by a high fence and furnished with state-of-the-art playground equipment. Every day during recess many of the children would race to the edges of the school yard and clamor up the
Does being merciful mean letting people off the hook?
