I wrote earlier about my image of God as I was growing up. Like many people today, I did not have a very complete understanding of who God is. I thought of God as distant and judgmental. Some people even think that God is wrathful and is specifically angry at, or at least disappointed with, […]
God of Mercy or God of Wrath? Lessons from the Bible
I’ve asked a lot of cradle Catholics about their image of God as they were growing up, and I get different answers. But there is one answer I get a lot, which resonates with my own experience: God was a judgmental father. My father died when I was four, so I had no living image
Teach your catechumens to gush with mercy
You know what one of the hardest parts of my ministry as an RCIA team member is? A catechumen hears something on the news about a poll that says, “X percent of Catholics no longer believe _____.” Or, “Some-huge-percent of Catholics disagree with the pope about _____.” Or “A big bunch of Catholics think it
Are you teaching the five foundations of Christian life?
Last year, Msgr. Edward Deliman of Saint Charles Borromeo in Bensalem, PA, found a note in the collection basket that said, “No more Spanish in the bulletin. Tell them to speak English.” That was the reaction of a non-Hispanic parishioner to the influx of Spanish-speakers from the recently merged Latino parish, Our Lady of Fatima.
How the RCIA teaches us to love the unlovable
The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults says that a suitable catechesis… is gradual and complete in its coverage, is accommodated to the liturgical year, is solidly supported by celebrations of the word leads the catechumens to an appropriate acquaintance with dogmas and precepts leads the catechumens to a profound sense of the mystery of
How to provide a suitable RCIA catechesis
We have all had this happen. We find ourselves challenged to provide a suitable catechesis for an RCIA group that includes a raw beginner—someone who knows nothing about Christianity and has never lived as a disciple. And then in the same group, we have a mainline Protestant who knows more about Scripture than most Catholics
What kind of catechesis is suitable for RCIA seekers?
It may seem obvious that it is important to provide a suitable catechesis for seekers, but there is more to it than meets the eye. In order to grasp the importance of a suitable catechesis, we have to first ask who the catechesis is for and what it is for. Who RCIA catechesis is for In
Why is a suitable catechesis important for RCIA seekers?
We recently asked you what you struggle with most in RCIA ministry, and here are some of your replies: We wonder if the catechumens are “getting it all” in a year-round model. How do we keep from boring folks? We have trouble getting catechumens to come to Mass and breaking open the word. Our biggest
What RCIA teams struggle with most
If you have been reading the training articles on TeamRCIA for very long, you know that the RCIA is the model for all catechesis. But does the rest of the parish know? Who needs to know this stuff? You might consider “evangelizing” other catechetical teams in your parish to begin using the six principles of
Discover a simple way to help the whole parish catechize the RCIA way
We frequently get requests for a good syllabus, textbook, or curriculum for RCIA. The question presumes a model of faith formation that is not found in the RCIA. When a seeker shows up at your door, let’s call her Jane, you cannot possibly know what her needs are based on the sound of her knock.
How to use your parish as your RCIA textbook
