One Sunday morning during the Easter season, a neophyte walked in with a bounce in her step and an inner glow. The joy of her conversion shone all over her face! The pastor asked Mary if she would share her initiation experience with the parish. Mary’s reflection not only touched the hearts of many people […]
A blueprint for RCIA formation
Billy Wilder is one of the greatest filmmakers of all time. He was nominated for 21 Academy Awards, 12 of them for writing. I’m sure he had no idea what Christian catechesis was, but his storytelling tips for screenwriters can take your RCIA process to a powerful new level of formation. 1. The audience is
A Jewish screenwriter’s tips for RCIA catechesis
Graphic designer Alan Fletcher once wrote: Space is substance. Cézanne painted and modeled space. Giacometti sculpted by “taking the fat off space.” Mallarmé conceived poems with absences as well as words. Ralph Richardson asserted that acting lay in pauses… Isaac Stern described music as “that little bit between each note—silences which give the form”… The
RCIA’s crucial three-step communication system
“Lead with the beautiful.” That’s what theologian Robert Barron told a roomful of catechists at the Los Angeles Religious Education Conference earlier this year. He insisted that our Catholic tradition is imbued with breathtaking beauty from our art, our music, our devotional practices, our care for the poor, and most of all our love for
Conversion and the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults
Why is mystagogical catechesis—the kind of catechesis envisioned by the RCIA—so important? Why not just give seekers a catechism, tell them to memorize it, come back when they have, and zap them into the church, no muss, no fuss? The reason lies in the deepest wish Jesus has for those who earnestly search for God:
Why is mystagogical catechesis important in the RCIA?
Here is a simple process for helping your catechumens find their way around the Bible. If you would like to know more about the Bible, check out this webinar recording: “What your RCIA team needs to know about the Bible.” Click here for more information.
Finding your way around the Bible: basic steps for RCIA
My first experience of teaching adults was a lector training I did in the first parish I worked in. I was soooo nervous. I typed out my presentation (on a manual typewriter, pre-PowerPoint days), which came out to be 13 double-spaced pages. Then I stood in front of those suffering souls and read all 13
The secret to becoming a great RCIA teacher
Here is an exercise to try with your team that will make you a better RCIA catechist. If your team is small, grab a few other parishioners to help. Or even better, get some folks who have gone through your initiation process in past years. Try to have at least six people involved in this
Become a better RCIA catechist with this simple exercise
TeamRCIA is considering starting a Catechist School specifically focused on catechists who work in initiation ministry. Please help shape the form and direction of this exciting program. Add your thoughts to the survey below. Or e-mail your great ideas to Nick Wagner Loading…
TeamRCIA Catechist School Survey
One year in high school, I worked a part-time job at K-Mart to pick up some extra gas money. Early in November, there was a notice in the employee break room asking for associates to work on Thanksgiving Day to stock the shelves in preparation for “Black Friday.” The store was not going to be
Does your RCIA team have a recipe for a greed-free Thanksgiving?
