The Period of Mystagogy normally lasts from Easter to Pentecost. But our care and concern for the neophytes doesn’t end there. Simply because the initiation process concludes with this last period, the relationships formed between seekers and community still need nurturing—maybe even especially during this fragile time after being reborn in baptism. In this short
How do we support neophytes after the Period of Mystagogy is over?
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
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
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
