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
How’s mystagogy going for you right now? More importantly, how is it going for the neophytes? Some teams think the period of mystagogy ends with Pentecost, but that’s not what the U.S. bishops think. Flip your copy of the RCIA open to the very back and look for the the National Statutes on the Catechumenate.
Have you hugged your neophyte today?
For some RCIA teams, the period of postbaptismal catechesis, or mystagogy, seems to be the most difficult part of the catechumenate to implement. I commonly hear complaints that “they don’t come back” for mystagogy, and I get requests for “a good resource” to use during the mystagogy sessions. To me, those kind of comments reflect
RCIA teams: 8 ways to make mystagogy work in your parish
Do you have any recommendations for “some sort of celebration” at the end of the Easter season that the RCIA mentions in paragraph 249? Our parish has traditionally done a “commissioning,” a blessing prayer over the neophytes by the community at the end of mass on Pentecost. Does it need to be on Pentecost or
How do you party with the neophytes?
You know who they are. They’re the ones who keep coming back week after week long after the Easter Vigil and Pentecost are over. They light up anytime someone mentions the catechumenate or becoming Catholic. They want to be sponsors even before they’ve gotten the Chrism smell off their pillowcases. They’re the neophyte evangelists, those
The Concord Pastor reminds us on this feast day about the implications of Pentecost. He cites Economic Justice for All, which bears reading for all of us who are trying to be faithful to RCIA 75:4: ((Since the church’s life is apostolic, catechumens should also learn how to work actively with others to spread the
How to catechize about apostolic mission in the RCIA
What do you do after the Easter Vigil? What does the ritual text call us to do and be for the neophytes during the sacred time of mystagogy? The following checklist will give you guidance and suggestions for effective mystagogy. . “Expect” neophytes to gather the week after initiation to share stories and pictures of
Checklist for an effective mystagogy
