Adult formation – Team Initiation

The art of discernment: Accompanying seekers on their unique faith journeys

Discernment, Training Articles / Nick Wagner

In a chilly church basement, surrounded by anxious parishioners, I once explained the importance of spiritual accompaniment in the catechumenate process. I also outlined the church’s criteria for judging the readiness of a seeker to move forward to the next step of the initiation process. A local farmer, his hands rough and calloused, looked at […]

The art of discernment: Accompanying seekers on their unique faith journeys

Forming hearts through God’s Word: paragraph 75.1

Catechesis, Training Articles / Nick Wagner

As parish catechumenate leaders, the church expects us to provide an appropriate catechesis for the catechumens. The directives in OCIA 75.1 describe what an appropriate catechesis looks like. Let’s take a look at what it says. 1. Divided into steps and fully presented OCIA 75.1 emphasizes the need for a catechesis that is “divided into

Forming hearts through God’s Word: paragraph 75.1

Moving from teachers to accompanists in the catechumenate process

Article, Catechesis / Nick Wagner

Many of us on parish catechumenate teams have been stuck in a school mindset for far too long. We’ve gotten comfortable with the school model — where there are teachers and students, a defined curriculum, and a clear beginning and end to the process. But Pope Francis is calling us to embrace a new paradigm,

Moving from teachers to accompanists in the catechumenate process

What is the catechumenate for?

Catechumens / Nick Wagner

The catechumenate is designed to train catechumens to become lifelong disciples of Jesus Christ. However, it’s easy to get caught up in delivering the curriculum and lose sight of the ultimate goal—the conversion of the catechumens. What we do matters, and if we are doing something that matters, that means we are creating change. So,

What is the catechumenate for?

Catechumens and Lent: Navigating the liminal state

Catechumens, Lent / Nick Wagner

Do you remember the Third Sunday of Lent in 2020? Most of us celebrated Mass that day, and many of us celebrated the first scrutiny with the elect. And for most of the parishes in the United States, that was the last time we would be in church together for a very long time. The

Catechumens and Lent: Navigating the liminal state

Q&A: Can a catechumen be baptized and then wait on confirmation and eucharist?

Baptism, Neophytes, Q&A / Diana Macalintal

Q. We have both child and adult catechumens who are asking if they can just be baptized and then continue on with their formation to celebrate confirmation and eucharist when they are ready. Is that possible? A. For both unbaptized adults and children who have reached the age of reason, when they are ready to

Q&A: Can a catechumen be baptized and then wait on confirmation and eucharist?

Catechumenate team goals for the New Year

Team, Year-Round / Nick Wagner

The ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle may be the father of the New Year’s resolution. Legend has it that he made a resolution to become more virtuous and then kept a daily journal to track his progress. The legend doesn’t say if he reached his goal, but we do know that it is difficult for most

Catechumenate team goals for the New Year

Q&A: How do we help our candidates develop a relationship with Jesus?

Candidates, Q&A / Diana Macalintal

Q. We have three adults in our formation process. One is from the Baptist tradition and the other two are active Catholic members of our parish who need only confirmation. Because they are all baptized, I understand they do not need the formal catechumenate process nor do they have to wait until the Easter Vigil.

Q&A: How do we help our candidates develop a relationship with Jesus?

What is a catechumenal culture?

Catechesis, Evangelization / Nick Wagner

There is a story about an old fish that swims near a couple of teenage fish. As he passes by, he says, “Hey guys, how’s the water?” And then, as the older fish swims away, one of the young fish says to the other, “What’s water?” Trying to describe water to a fish is a

What is a catechumenal culture?

How do priests learn about the principles of the catechumenate?

Catechumens, Leadership / Diana Macalintal

This is a question we often get from parish teams. They’ve just read a blog post, a book, or participated in a workshop on the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults and are excited about the principles they’ve learned. But they wonder why their priests don’t seem to follow them or even know about them.

How do priests learn about the principles of the catechumenate?

The art of discernment: Accompanying seekers on their unique faith journeys

Forming hearts through God’s Word: paragraph 75.1

Moving from teachers to accompanists in the catechumenate process

What is the catechumenate for?

Catechumens and Lent: Navigating the liminal state

Q&A: Can a catechumen be baptized and then wait on confirmation and eucharist?

Catechumenate team goals for the New Year

Q&A: How do we help our candidates develop a relationship with Jesus?

What is a catechumenal culture?

How do priests learn about the principles of the catechumenate?

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