Did you miss the April 21 TeamRCIA Community Chat on how to schedule the initiation rites outside of Easter? No worries! We’ve got you covered. Here’s the recording. Please share it with your colleagues in ministry. We had over 900 people signed up, and over 600 people from all around the world attended the one-hour […]
Community Chat – Scheduling initiation outside of Easter
On March 19, 2020, the Vatican issued guidelines and suggestions on the celebration of the Triduum for this year during this time of the Covid-19 Coronavirus. Here is the official text in English, Spanish, and French. UPDATE: The Vatican issued a slightly updated version of this decree on March 25, 2020. We summarize here the
Vatican guidelines on the Triduum in time of Coronavirus
Many communities might not be able to gather to celebrate the Triduum this year because of Coronavirus precautions. What does this mean for the RCIA rites of initiation that usually take place at the Easter Vigil? Here we look at some options that the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults gives us and explore some
RCIA, the Triduum, and Coronavirus
If you watched the livestream of the 2019 Fall meeting of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, you saw that the agenda included a vote on the proposed English translation of the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (to be called the “Order of Christian Initiation of Adults” in the new text). I won’t
Is a new RCIA / OCIA around the corner?
Celebrating liturgy well is important. It is especially important in the rites of the catechumenate. The U.S. bishops said, “Good celebrations can foster and nourish faith. Poor celebrations may weaken it” (Sing to the Lord, 5). What makes one liturgy good and another poor? Most people who are trained in liturgy can tell us, but
The four liturgical arts in the RCIA rituals
Jaime arrived early and met his friend, Bill, who was standing on the steps outside the tall wooden doors. They rubbed their arms and hands to warm themselves as parishioners began to filter by into the church. The minutes ticked by as the church filled. Jaime wondered if they’d stand outside much longer. Bill patted
Going home — a Rite of Acceptance story
(This article was also pubished here in Spanish. Este artículo también fue publicado aquí en español.) Congratulations! You and your RCIA team have worked so hard to prepare your catechumens and candidates to get them ready for this life-changing moment. Consider this a virtual hug and pat on the back for all your dedication, effort,
What to look for at the Easter Vigil
Dear (Arch)Bishop, We know that these days have been hard for all of us in the Church and that you have many urgent tasks before you. We also know that you care deeply about the ongoing mission of Christ that all the baptized share, and we have seen many of you and your brother bishops
With everything else going on during the Triduum, the preparation rites on Holy Saturday can get a little lost. If you are feeling overwhelmed, the first thing to know is that only one thing is required. The elect are to be advised that on Holy Saturday they should refrain from their usual activities, spend their
A brief primer on the Holy Saturday RCIA Preparation Rites
It never fails… whenever I talk with fellow RCIA catechists about our year-round process, I inevitably get the question, “Does that mean you run your sessions all year round?” My answer is always a definitive “no!” Running a year-round process does not mean you have to run catechetical session all year round. Instead, it’s understanding
Is your RCIA open all year-round? Does this mean year-round catechetical sessions?
