Nick Wagner is the cofounder and codirector of TeamRCIA.com.
“How can we grow in our capacity to live in full the liturgical action?” asks Pope Francis in his June 29 apostolic letter on liturgical formation. “How do we continue to let ourselves be amazed at what happens in the celebration under our very eyes?” (31). I think this may be the most important question […]
The first step in catechumenate formation is to recover our “capacity for symbol”
As we approach the beginning of Lent, it is a good time to think about how we teach the catechumens to pray. The best way, of course, is by example. So here is a list of suggestions for deepening our prayer lives this Lent. Pray at a set time Make an appointment with yourself to
17 best prayer practices for RCIA team members
When I was a kid, we didn’t talk about “rites.” We didn’t really even talk about “liturgy.” The only thing in our world was “the Mass.” I was in high school before I realized the church has a whole constellation of rites. But even then, we didn’t use the term “rites.” We talked about “prayer
What is a rite and why does it matter for catechumenate teams?
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?
In both the current translation of the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults and in the proposed new translation, the phrase “a priori” is left in its original Latin state. Nothing, therefore, can be settled a priori. (RCIA 76)So nothing can be laid down a priori. (OCIA 76) I suspect it was not translated because
One Latin phrase that was not translated in the initiation rites
We recently received an e-mail from someone who is working in a rural mission area. Much of her work is focused on sacramental preparation, including the preparation of inquirers and catechumens. When she arrived, she found copies of a text that is often used in the United States for “RCIA classes.” She wrote, “There is
How to form seekers when you have no resources
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
When I was 34, I moved from the Midwest to San Jose, California. That experience was a huge culture shift for me. It is difficult, however, to describe the depths and nuances of that shift. Culture is mostly invisible to the people who are “native” to it. One way to define culture is to say
What does a catechumenal culture look like?
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
1. Wait, there’s a new translation? Almost, but not quite yet. The United States bishops have approved a close-to-final translation of the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, and we are waiting on confirmation from Rome. So it’s not yet finished, but will be soon. 2. How soon? Well, in church years, “soon” could mean
