Nick Wagner is the cofounder and codirector of Team Initiation.
Twelve years ago, Diana and I were sitting in a bar in Davenport, California, enjoying a beer after a day of planning for our Team Initiation ministry. We were looking out the window as the sun was beginning to set over the Pacific Ocean when the bartender suddenly turned up the TV volume. CNN was […]
Three things we learned from Pope Francis
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
I am struggling with how to start this article because synodality can be hard to describe. Honestly, the word itself can be a little confusing and maybe off-putting. If we’re familiar with it at all, we tend to think of a “synod” as something reserved for bishops. And that was true for a short time
Why synodality matters for your catechumenate ministry
Have you ever been on a float trip? A float trip is what it sounds like — getting on something floatable, like a canoe or inner tube, and floating down a lazy river or creek. For some of our seekers, the journey of faith is a lot like a float trip. Launch: Evangelization The float
Accompanying seekers on the river of faith
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?
