Tired of being cooped up and quarantined for more than a year, Diana and I went on a road trip across the United States just after we got our COVID vaccines. We saw state capitals where tour guides would explain to us about the different kinds of marble, how the dome was constructed, and what […]
Are we geeky enough about the catechumenate?
As we prepare for the new translation of the initiation rites, every parish is going to be challenged with developing a catechumenal culture. We have already looked at why that is important and what the church means by a catechumenal culture. In this article, we’ll look at how a catechumenal culture is created in a
A catechumenal culture is created by four modes of missionary discipleship
Years ago, I volunteered for a parish catechumenate team. After several e-mails and voice mails went unanswered, I just showed up at one of the team meetings. There were about six people sitting around a cafeteria table, and they were surprised to see a new person. I told them I was interested in helping out.
Why a catechumenal culture is important
When the current translation of the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults was promulgated in 1988, we might not have been as prepared as we need to be. Because we weren’t quite ready, many misinterpretations and misapplications of the rite began to flourish. The biggest difficulty is that the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults
Is your parish ready for the new translation of the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults?
The way the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults talks about discerning conversion in the seekers can seem like we are being asked to be Judge Judy, sitting behind a high bench, dressed in a black robe, listening to the evidence and bringing down the gavel on any who are not worthy. Specifically, the rite
How do we avoid “judgement” when looking for conversion in the seekers?
On the Third Sunday of Advent, I went to a church where a friend of mine is the pastor. I arrived a few minutes late, and I was surprised the liturgy hadn’t started yet. The Mass was being celebrated in the church basement because the church itself was being renovated. And the renovation was four
Why conversion is so important in the Rite (Order) of Christian Initiation of Adults
Every day when I was a kid, I put on my white, short-sleeve shirt, clipped on my Catholic-plaid tie, and went to school. The sisters marched us single file into church for Mass, and we knelt in silent prayer until the priest rang the sanctuary bell and began the liturgy. The Mass was in English,
How your catechumenate team can build the future of the church
In previous posts, we’ve looked at the upcoming dreaming together process that Pope Francis has called for. But what exactly is the process? Officially the process is called a synod, which literally means walking together or dreaming together. They church has always had “synods,” even if they weren’t called by that name. The first synodal
What is Pope Francis’s plan for dreaming together about the future?
In a previous post, we talked about the worldwide process Pope Francis has inaugurated to dream about the future of the church. I think all catechumenate teams should take this seriously. The church that we are initiating the seekers into today will not be what the church looks like in the future. The pope and
Why dreaming together about the future is important for RCIA teams
Pope Francis wants to know what your dreams are for the church of the future. Seriously. He wants to know what you, personally, have to say. He has put into motion all the energy of the Vatican and called upon the worldwide bishops to set up listening sessions to hear from the People of God.
Dreaming together about the church of the future
