Elizabeth Barrett Browning wrote in her novel, Aurora Leigh, this poem: Earth’s crammed with heaven,And every common bush afire with God;But only he who sees, takes off his shoes,The rest sit round it and pluck blackberries,And daub their natural faces unaware. If “earth’s crammed with heaven,” then our liturgy is jam-packed with it! Yet too
Mystagogy: How to open the eyes and hearts of your seekers
Early in my ministry, I thought Matthew 28:19 — “Go and make disciples of all nations” — meant “go and make converts.” Make believers out of non-believers. And I assumed the best way to do that was to put them in a classroom, give them a textbook, walk them through the doctrines, answer their questions,
In several recent articles, we’ve explored how synodality—a way of walking together—is foundational to the catechumenate. In this article, I want to highlight a key component of both synodality and the catechumenate: listening for God’s Spirit. Listening is the heart of synodality and the catechumenate Pope Francis has consistently emphasized the importance of listening. He
Walking with seekers: Mystagogical accompaniment as synodal listening
You’ve likely heard, or perhaps experienced firsthand, the frustration: after the joy of the Easter Vigil, getting the neophytes to attend follow-up sessions during the period of mystagogy can feel like an uphill battle. Many catechumenate leaders struggle with low attendance at these gatherings. I’ve heard suggestions for improving attendance that include providing the dates
The secret to successful mystagogy: It’s about Sunday, not sessions
Carter is the kind of disciple we dream of every inquirer turning into. During his catechumenate, he was always cheerful, inquisitive, and more and more filled with God’s Spirit. On the night of his baptism, he was absolutely glowing. For the last year, he has been referring to himself as a “baby Catholic.” But the
Pope Francis, mystagogy, and the mission of the neophytes
You did it! You made it through the Easter Triduum, and all your Elect have now been initiated into Christ. Congratulations! But now is not the time to take a break. You still have some work to do during the Period of Mystagogy. In this short video, Diana takes you through some of the ways to keep
Your team’s work during the Period of Mystgogy
Well, you did it! You accompanied your seekers on their journey of faith, and now they have been initiated into the Body of Christ or received into full communion. Great job! I bet you’re exhausted. You deserve a ton of thanks and a long rest. Well, I can offer you the thanks. Sincerely, thank you
We often hear that mystagogy is a crucial part of the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults, but what does it actually look like? It’s not more classes or extra meetings. It is, rather, a way of being. Mystagogy, at its heart, is about deepening our grasp of the Paschal Mystery and integrating it into
The Art of Reflection: A Practical Guide to Mystagogical Conversations
The 50-day period after Easter is time identified in the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults as the Period of Mystagogy (see OCIA 244-249). However, all catechesis should be “mystagogical.” The Period of Mystagogy is time when the neophytes acquire “a genuinely fuller and more fruitful understanding of the ‘mysteries’” (OCIA 245). However, understanding the
Why is mystagogical catechesis vital for conversion?
The mystagogical period, when the newly initiated deepen their understanding through reflection on their lived experiences of ritual, is a profound and rewarding aspect of Christian initiation ministry. This process of mystagogy is especially powerful when working with children and youth. Young people seem to possess an innate openness and sensitivity to spiritual mysteries that
Children, initiation, and mystagogy
