Someone recently asked on Facebook, “What is the Easter Vigil for?” The person asking is from a Christian tradition that does not usually celebrate baptisms at the Vigil. If you’re old enough, you will remember when that was true for Roman Catholics. The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults was issued shortly after Vatican II, […]
What does baptism do? A mystagogy on the sacramental act of washing
Fr. John Farley, a priest in the San Diego diocese, commented on our video, “RCIA, the Triduum, and Coronavirus.” Based on the guidelines in the Ceremonial of Bishops and in the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, he proposed a possible schedule for celebrating the rites of initiation at a time later this year. In
An RCIA calendar for celebrating the initiation rites outside the usual times
The suspension of Triduum liturgies, especially the Easter Vigil, have left some RCIA teams foundering and wondering what to do with the elect during the period of mystagogy. If we look at the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults in the section on mystagogy, we will discover or rediscover a few key points. First, the
RCIA mystagogy when there have been no baptisms
Easter Vigil is no doubt the high point for everyone going through the initiation process. As catechumenate leaders and team members we feel honored and privileged to have played a part in their faith journey. But with this great and holy night behind us, now what? According to the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults,
Is your catechumenate open all year-round? The period of mystagogy
Jane (not her real name) was initiated at the Easter Vigil. She had some doubts about going through with it. During Lent, her RCIA leader told her she had to take a test to see if she knew enough about Catholic teaching to get baptized. Jane had never been very good at tests, so she
Rejoice and be glad: An RCIA story of mystagogy
Does your RCIA team struggle with the period of mystagogy? If so, you are not alone. Most teams report that this is the most difficult period of the catechumentate process for them. If that’s true for you, I have good news. The period of mystagogy is probably a lot easier than you think. The reason
Mystagogy in the RCIA is easier than you think — and more challenging
What is your RCIA team’s goal for the catechumenate? If a Martian were to land in a random parish on Easter Monday, he might draw a false conclusion based on what he observes during the Period of Postbaptismal Catechesis or Mystagogy. Baptism forgives sins In a given parish, the Martian might conclude that the purpose
Four Martians walk into an RCIA…
In this post, I’m going to share with you the secret to a powerful period of mystagogy. If you’ve been struggling with what to do during this final period of the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, keep reading. However, I have to warn you that, while the solution is simple, implementing it in your
The secret to a powerful period of mystagogy in the RCIA
I recently read a book about mystagogy that can be helpful for RCIA teams. In Mystagogy of the Eucharist, Gilbert Ostdiek, OFM, makes the point that we have to think of mystagogy as more than just the final period of the initiation process. It is part of the broader ministry of catechesis. His book and
A great RCIA resource for mystagogy
