On the journey of faith, discernment is a shared responsibility. The catechumenate process isn’t just about sponsors and catechists evaluating seekers as though we are the gatekeepers of God’s grace. Discernment is a collaborative effort whereby seekers actively participate in discerning the will of the Holy Spirit for their own next steps. Our job is […]
Collaborative Discernment in the Catechumenate
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
When we are forming catechists, we want to look for people who have the gift of savoir-faire, and we want to help them develop that gift. In catechetical ministry, knowing the exact right thing to say and do has everything to do with paying attention to the Holy Spirit. The Directory for Catechesis says:The catechist,
How to find (and form) your next catechist
We have been asking catechumenate leaders and team members how they discern God’s will. (Click here if you’d like to share how you discern.) The one theme that is consistent in almost every answer is “prayer.” This makes sense, doesn’t it? Prayer is an essential aspect of the life of a disciple. It is through
Prayer as a pathway to discernment: Seeking God’s will in catechumenate ministry
In a previous article, we noted that what it means to be a “good Catholic” has changed. One clear marker of that change is the call to return to our roots from the early church and embrace a synodal way of living. In this article, I want to explore how we might apply the principles
Embracing conflict in the catechumenate: a path to synodal living
BonusFaith Formation Plan WorksheetSeek the Living God: Five RCIA Inquiry Questions for Making Disciples by Nick WagnerYour Parish Is the Curriculum: RCIA in the Midst of the Community by Diana MacalintalI know. You’ve already spent a good portion of your RCIA budget on a whole set of videos or textbooks and lessons plans arranged by topic and
How To Create A Faith Formation Plan
Welcome to Module 3 of “RCIA in the Midst of the Community: A Parish Curriculum for Making Disciples.”Have you ever heard any of these questions? “Where can I find the text for teaching RCIA?” Or, “What’s the schedule of topics we should use with catechumens and candidates?”Whenever someone asks me these questions, I feel a
Discipleship Training in Word, Community, Worship, and Witness
When I first started doing RCIA, I thought my main focus was supposed to be on the catechumens and candidates. That seems pretty obvious, right? It wasn’t until decades later that I realized that wasn’t what the Rite actually said our focus was. Let’s go to the text itself, the Rite of Christian Initiation of
Why the RCIA Is a Parish Renewal System
Hi, everyone! Welcome to this mini course, “RCIA in the Midst of the Community: A Parish Curriculum for Making Disciples.” I’m so happy that you’ve decided to join me here in exploring how to make our parish communities really the classroom where we form disciples.My name is Diana Macalintal. I am the cofounder and codirector
The Catechumen Who Changed Everything
