Why Three Scrutinies?
The Scrutinies—three of them—are experiences of the freeing touch of grace, which restores our sight, letting us see good and evil, sin and grace, as they really are.
Discernment
Discernment skills for your team
How do you know if the catechumens are ready for the rite of election? Who decides? What is the process for discerning their readiness? Take a look at Sr. Miriam Malone’s invitation to a one-hour, live training workshop to answer these questions and more. Click here here for more information and to register for the
Discernment skills for your team
Should you ever fire a catechumen?
I have a friend who, for 35 years, successfully resisted all attempts to promote her to a management position in her company. She loves her work, but she did not relish the idea of supervising other people. A couple of years ago, her boss finally convinced her to move up the ladder. And last week,
Should you ever fire a catechumen?
Are your catechumens ready for the Rite of Election?
With catechumens, there are two kinds of discernment. There is an ongoing discernment that begins the moment the seekers become catechumens. And there is at least one formal discernment to determine if the catechumen is ready to celebrate the Rite of Election. Ongoing discernment Honestly, I don’t use the word discernment all that much when
Are your catechumens ready for the Rite of Election?
What is your RCIA discernment plan this week?
Even though I don’t live in your parish, I know this is the week you need to do some discerning about your catechumens and candidates. How do I know that? Because discernment is an ongoing process. It never stops. Every week is discernment week. What are you discerning? There are two general kinds of discernment—annual
What is your RCIA discernment plan this week?
Discernment in the RCIA process
Donna Steffen, SC, a team member with the North American Forum on the Catechumenate, writes about the first time she was confronted with the idea that she would have to discern the readiness of candidates for initiation: “I was horrified. How can I judge another person?” In the July 2009 issue of Catechumenate (“Discernment in
Discernment in the RCIA process
What makes catechumens ready?
Imagine a catechumen named Penelope who is in the care of a dedicated group of RCIA team members at St. Peregrinus Parish in Pittston, PA. Penelope became a catechumen, along with two other inquirers, in October. It is now February, and the St. Peregrinus team is starting to think about the Rite of Election and
Discernment: What does the Rite say?
It might seem daunting to discern a person’s readiness for the next step in the RCIA process. But the Rite, itself, gives us some clear guidelines on who does the discerning and what they’re looking for in the daily actions and demeanor of a person seeking to deepen their relationship with God. Note that the
Discernment: What does the Rite say?
Discernment: Looking backward to move forward
Discernment isn’t just for catechumens. It’s for all the faithful to do each day. And it’s not about what we know in our head. It’s about what we know in our heart. This is because discernment isn’t really about having proof, but having faith that God is with us. This is what we learn from
Discernment: Looking backward to move forward
Listening skills for RCIA sponsors
An essential skill for sponsors, and any catechumenate team member, is the ability to actively listen. Active listening is different than hearing. An active listener succeeds in hearing not only the words another person is saying but also understanding the meaning of the words from the speaker’s point of view. Active listening is not a
Listening skills for RCIA sponsors
