Q. We have both child and adult catechumens who are asking if they can just be baptized and then continue on with their formation to celebrate confirmation and eucharist when they are ready. Is that possible? A. For both unbaptized adults and children who have reached the age of reason, when they are ready to […]
Q&A: Can a catechumen be baptized and then wait on confirmation and eucharist?
I can’t help but smile as I read—and teach—that Lent is like a 40-day retreat, a time of reflection, quiet, prayer, and fasting. Sometimes it seems that even the spirit of “fasting and feasting” takes a back seat to the activities of initiation ministries during Lent. The invitation to silence and reflection is welcome but
The Parish Community in the Easter Season
Over the last several posts, we have been exploring how, in celebrating the rites of the catechumenate, we have to begin with the end in mind. The “end” we are striving for is fullness in the life of Christ (see RCIA 206). We looked at the major rites in reverse order to clearly show how
Teaching the RCIA seekers how to live the paschal mystery
We have said many times before that mystagogy takes place throughout the entire catechumenate. If that’s so, why is there a particular period of the catechumenate specifically named “mystagogy”? To understand that, we have to understand how liturgy relates to catechesis. The church teaches that the liturgy is “the privileged place for catechizing the People
Why the RCIA period of mystagogy is crucial for your neophytes
Your catechumens had been participating in the Liturgy of the Word for months, maybe even for years, and they pretty much know the routine. But now that they’re neophytes and are no longer dismissed from the Mass after the homily, some of them might be feeling a little lost in their new experience of the
How neophytes learn to participate in the Mass
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
For the neophytes, the Sundays of the Easter Season are the primary setting for mystagogy. One reason that is so is because it is during this time when the neophytes will first pray the Eucharistic Prayer with the rest of the baptized faithful. The Eucharistic Prayer is supposed to be a climactic moment in the
Six ways to actively involve the neophytes in the Eucharistic Prayer
What are your plans for mystagogy this year? There may be several models to choose from.
The June 2010 issue of Inc. has a story about how Van Meter Industrial makes new employees feel welcome. They do four simple things to integrate the newbies into the company. How did they come up with the four steps? They asked a group of new hires! It occurred to me that would be a
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?
