In a previous post, we looked at the institution of the new ministry of catechist by Pope Francis and why that is important for RCIA teams. In the press conference announcing the new ministry, Archbishop Rino Fisichella, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting New Evangelization said, “It is obvious that not everyone who is […]
What is the ministry of the catechist?
On May 11, 2021, Pope Francis instituted a new ministry of catechist. You may be thinking, as I did when I heard the news, that we have had the ministry of catechist since the Second Vatican Council. In fact, we could say that the ministry of catechist or teacher was established in the New Testament
Why is the new ministry of catechist important for RCIA teams?
In a recent interview, Cardinal Joseph Tobin of Newark, New Jersey, said that Pope Francis has opened the church to a strong emphasis on four theological priorities: mission encounter the peripheries mercy Accomplishing a shift to these priorities, he said, “will require changes on how we do and are church.” Cardinal Tobin did not mention the
What would happen if every parish had an ongoing (year-round) RCIA process?
When parishes that use an academic, school calendar model for evangelizing and catechizing seekers, it can be difficult to imagine any other way of doing things. Some common objections for expanding to an ongoing process include: We have limited resources The rest of the world is organized around a school-year schedule It’s just easier The
What is ongoing (year-round) RCIA, really?
There are two dangers posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The first is the danger of serious physical illness. And the second is the danger of convenience. We will eventually overcome the physical danger. But the danger of convenience may linger. Many pastoral leaders are already worried about what will happen to their Sunday gatherings when
Is the pandemic making RCIA too convenient?
Q: What would you do with someone coming from a tradition that baptizes adults and older teens and so was catechized but never baptized? We don’t have an unbaptized, catechized, category. A:This is a great question, and it is actually a fairly common one. In the United States and in some parts of Canada and
Q&A: Does the RCIA have a category for unbaptized, catechized seekers?
The COVID-19 pandemic has completely disrupted our liturgical life. And that disruption has uncovered some previously unspoken assumptions about liturgy and the rites for catechumens. In a recent article in America magazine, for example, Anthony R. Lusvardi, SJ, writes about his struggles with presiding at streamed liturgies. The main point he wants to make is
The pandemic and three unspoken RCIA assumptions
Q: When is the appropriate time for an inquirer or catechumen to begin using the Sign of the Cross? A: You have probably heard the saying, lex orandi, lex credendi (the law of praying establishes the law of belief). The Sign of the Cross perfectly illustrates that maxim. However, there do not seem to be any canonical or juridical
Q&A: When should we introduce seekers to the Sign of the Cross?
The ongoing COVID-19 crisis has forced us all to rethink how we deliver our adult formation and RCIA processes. With so many variables on how we can or can’t meet in person with our candidates, we’ve had to become very flexible in order to meet the needs of our seekers. But even when this crisis
Is your RCIA open all year-round? Being flexible
Philip Lomneth is a husband and a father who works as a Director of Formation at the Co-Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in Rochester, MN. Since 2017, he has helped guide people through the Rites of Christian Initiation where they come to love the Lord with all their heart, their mind, their strength, and
Toward a year-round RCIA process—one thing at a time with small steps
