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
Catechists for initiation know well that they need to introduce newcomers to the fullness of the Christian calendar. Yet, depending on their own formation, they may not really “live into” the liturgical year very deeply themselves. If this is the case, the presentation of the liturgical year, despite good intentions, may be fairly weak. It’s
Keeping the Easter Season: Help your catechumenate team “live into” the liturgical year
Once upon a time, if someone said the word “mystagogy,” people would be bewildered. Not anymore. For more and more Catholics, the term has come into its own. I have been teaching a course on the history of the sacraments for coordinators of religious education at the Archdiocese of New York. In our first class,
Has Mystagogy Come into Its Own?
Fiona and George were putting away the coffee pot and folding up the chairs after their mystagogical reflection session on the Easter Vigil. As they switched off the lights, Fiona said, “I wonder where Carmen was. She told me she would be here.” Carmen, one of the neophytes, didn’t come to that session or any
Why you should stop trying to solve the mystagogy problem
When we engage in the art of catechesis, we can group people into three broad categories. First, there are those who know little or nothing about Jesus. Then there are those who recognize Jesus as the source of true peace and joy, but they do not know much more than that. Finally, there are those
Six “best practices” for every RCIA catechist
What are your plans for mystagogy this year? There may be several models to choose from.
Are you having difficulty keeping the neophytes involved during the post-baptismal period? Watch this video by Nick Wagner for some tips on how to improve your mystagogical period.
Keep the neophytes involved during mystagogy
