When I started out in catechumenate ministry, I worried I wouldn’t cover all the necessary teachings for seekers to become good Catholics. I had a literal checklist of doctrines to ensure I didn’t miss anything. What I had to learn is what Pope Benedict XVI later said about faith: “Being Christian is not the result […]
The art of spiritual accompaniment: Going beyond doctrinal checklists
The first time I became a catechumenate team leader was super stressful. It was more than 30 years ago, and I had just moved to San Jose, California. I went to an “information meeting” at my new parish to find out more about their catechumenate ministry. I walked into the middle of an argument the
Rediscovering joy: Stress management for catechumenate teams
Most Sundays, I arrive at church about 30 minutes before Mass. I’ve assigned myself the job of meeting new people until Mass starts. As an introvert, this is challenging, but framing it as my “job” helps me do it. One Sunday, while greeting people, I met a woman in her mid-30s. When I asked if
Practical steps for welcoming seekers: A guide for catechumenate teams
In this article, I want to talk about finding and welcoming inquirers. The truth is, you probably have potential inquirers showing up at your parish every weekend. And even though it likely says something in your mission statement about being a welcoming parish, most of those potential inquirers do not come back for a second
Finding and welcoming more inquirers
Jay Landry is married to Deb with two adult daughters. He is the Director of Evangelization &Faith Formation at the Catholic Community of St. Francis of Assisi in Raleigh, North Carolina.He has served in evangelization, initiation, retreats, adult formation, and justice ministries for 27years in parishes. The catechumenate concisely describes the Period of Evangelization and
The precatechumenate journey: Getting to know Jesus Christ
Are you comfortable with the idea of “evangelization”? Do you think your parishioners are? Like many of you, I grew up in a time when Catholic evangelization wasn’t at the forefront of our parish life. We were content to be followers, leaving the work of whatever we thought evangelization was to the priests and nuns.
Embracing the heart of evangelization
We’ve been on quite a journey these past few months, and we want to share with you a bit of the background of our transition from TeamRCIA to Team Initiation. This transformation wasn’t just about a name change; it was a complete reimagining of our ministry and how we serve you in your ministry to
Reimagining our ministry: The journey from TeamRCIA to Team Initiation
One of the key formational cornerstones described in the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults is the call to guide catechumens to “learn how to work actively with others to spread the Gospel and build up the Church by the witness of their lives and by professing their faith” (RCIA 75.4). This apostolic dimension is
Forming catechumens for an apostolic life: paragraph 75.4
As leaders of the catechumenate in our parishes, one of our primary responsibilities is to provide suitable liturgical rites for our catechumens, as called for in RCIA 75.3. But what exactly do we mean by “rites” and “worship” in this context? And why are they so important for the formation of catechumens? Let’s explore these
Forming disciples through ritual: paragraph 75.3
One of the most powerful aspects of the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults is its emphasis on immersing those seeking Christ into a living, active parish community. The rite teaches that faith is not merely a set of intellectual beliefs, but a way of life that is learned through participation and example. The Mystical
The call to community: paragraph 75.2
