As RCIA ministers, most of us know what we do. We make Catholics. The fuzzier question is why. Why do we make Catholics? Answers we might expect include things like having the fullness of the faith or Real Presence. Some answer by saying we were founded by Jesus while all the other churches were founded […]
The Culture of Death vs. The Culture of Life: Why we do RCIA
Almost every catechumenate team I talk with wants the parish to be more involved with the RCIA process. When I ask them why, however, their answers get a little fuzzy. What is the number one purpose of the RCIA? Sometimes their answers focus on the practical. They need more sponsors, more catechists, more help on
Why is it important to involve the whole parish in the RCIA?
We all know that initiation into Christ is a gradual process. But while we know that in our heads, we don’t always know it in our hearts. I think some of the reason for that is modern storytelling. If you think of stories from 19th century literature such as Jane Eyre or Wuthering Heights, the
In RCIA, stories unfold gradually
One of my New Year’s resolutions is to lose five pounds. I am not that hopeful. I’ve been trying to lose five pounds for about ten years now. I have an ideal weight in mind. I know I’d feel better and look better if I was at that weight. What is stopping me? Well, I
Do you have competing values in your RCIA process?
As an RCIA team member, you probably realize that you are a model for the catechumens. What you may not realize is that you are also a model for the rest of the catechists in the parish. The General Directory for Catechesis says that the baptismal catechumenate is the model for all catechesis (see #59).
Is your RCIA team a good model for the rest of the parish catechists?
American Pickers is a reality show on the History Channel that follows two antique dealers around the country as they discover “rusty gold” that they can make a profit on. A usual segment shows them arriving at someone’s house or barn that is filled to the rafters with everything you can imagine. The dealers zero in
I submitted an article about the future of the RCIA to America, the Jesuit weekly news magazine, and they were kind enough to print it. In the article, I try to make the case that we are at a turning point in our use of the adult initiation rites. Here is the opening of the
Can the RCIA meet the needs of modern-day spiritual seekers?
Constructing an RCIA process is similar to building a house. An architect does not worry about the color of paint in the living room. She focuses instead on how many rooms to build and where the walls will go. After the walls are up and the roof is on, then we can focus on some
Build these six “rooms” into your RCIA process
1. Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults Why is this book important? The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults is the authoritative teaching of the church on the purpose and process of initiation. It is the Vatican II vision of the initiation process that answers the mandate of Jesus Christ to go and baptize. What
Top five RCIA resource materials for your team
