Nick Wagner is the cofounder and codirector of Team Initiation.
Does your catechumenate team feel like they have to “get everything in” before Easter Vigil? That feeling can make formation feel overwhelming—like an impossible checklist of doctrines, precepts, and practices that must be taught in a limited timeframe. But what if you could shift the burden off of yourself and your team? What if Jesus […]
Have you felt a sense of renewed energy in your parish or diocese lately? Maybe the church seems a little fuller or the questions a little deeper. Something is definitely happening. There is a significant rise in adult baptisms across the globe. Is it happening in your area? Are you are witnessing this firsthand? Let’s
A wave of faith: Understanding the surge in adult baptisms
The journey through the catechumenate is a profound period of transformation, but sometimes we can make the mistake of viewing evangelization as a preliminary stage with a firm stop date. But what if evangelization wasn’t just a starting point? What if it were a continuous thread woven throughout the entire catechumenate, forming active witnesses who
Ongoing evangelization: Making missionary disciples
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 (see OCIA 75.2). The rite teaches that faith is not merely a set of intellectual beliefs but a way of life that is learned through participation and
Igniting faith: The apprenticeship model in the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults
We often hear that mystagogy is a crucial part of the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults, but what does it actually look like? It’s not more classes or extra meetings. It is, rather, a way of being. Mystagogy, at its heart, is about deepening our grasp of the Paschal Mystery and integrating it into
The Art of Reflection: A Practical Guide to Mystagogical Conversations
The 50-day period after Easter is time identified in the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults as the Period of Mystagogy (see OCIA 244-249). However, all catechesis should be “mystagogical.” The Period of Mystagogy is time when the neophytes acquire “a genuinely fuller and more fruitful understanding of the ‘mysteries’” (OCIA 245). However, understanding the
Why is mystagogical catechesis vital for conversion?
The Rite of Sending can be a significant step in the journey of catechumens preparing for the Rite of Election. This is an optional rite that appears only in the United States edition of the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (starting at paragraph 106). Some parishes in other English-speaking and Spanish-speaking countries have used
The transformative power of the Rite of Sending
The Rite of Election is a pivotal moment in the journey of a catechumen, marking a transition from a period of inquiry and formation to a more intense spiritual preparation for the sacraments of initiation. It’s not simply an introduction to the bishop or a public declaration of intent; rather, it’s the church, through the
The weight of “yes”: Three questions godparents must answer
I’ve been smiling at the recent buzz about the “new rules” the bishops have issued for the catechumenate. The retranslation of the initiation rites, now called the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults, has inspired many people to dive deep into the rite — perhaps for the first time. And that’s great! People are discovering
How to read a rite: Order of Christian Initiation of Adults
In the previous posts in this series, we have been exploring how to make the catechumenate — and specifically the rites of the catechumenate — more effective. In this post, I want to focus on a specific element of effective ritual that Fr. Clarence Rivers called “catharsis.” Catharsis is an emotional release or purification that
The power of catharsis in the catechumenate
