May 6, 2007 Fifth Sunday of Easter, C Core beliefs You can discuss one or more of these teachings of the church today. Use your powers of discernment to make your choice based on three criteria: What have the catechumens been asking about? What issues came up during the dismissal reflections? What, in your opinion, …
These approaches to preaching mystagogically are defined by Jan Michael Joncas in Forum Essay, Number 4: Preaching the Rites of Christian Initiation (Chicago, Illinois: Liturgy Training Publications, 1994) 95-117. The five approaches outlined by Joncas are: hallowing cosmic symbols; exploring anthropological patterns; celebrating biblical history; analyzing beliefs and behaviors; and revealing the future present. According …
In the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, only two pages of texts are given to describe the period of mystagogy and post-baptismal catechesis. Below are the five main things you need to know about mystagogy during this period of the initiation process (from RCIA 244-247): Free download: A step-by-step guide to mystagogy
Mystagogy: Savoring the Mystery of God by Diana Macalintal © 2007, Diana Macalintal. All rights reserved. Whodunit? Secret? Science? God is a mystery, but not like an Agatha Christie novel, or a secret reserved only for special people, or a math problem to be solved. God is a mystery in the way that grandma’s love …
The content of faith is the content of my mother’s or any mother’s life. That is because faith happens in and through our daily life. What we do on Sunday is simply one expression of our faith. We need to connect the messy un-“holy” events of daily life with God and all the things we …
April 29, 2007 Fourth Sunday of Easter, C Core beliefs You can discuss one or more of these teachings of the church today. Use your powers of discernment to make your choice based on three criteria: What have the catechumens been asking about? What issues came up during the dismissal reflections? What, in your opinion, …
Today there is a great silence over the earth, for the King sleeps. The earth has trembled and fallen still, for the Lord sleeps in his fleshly nature; in the netherworld he is arousing those who have slept for ages. God is dead in the flesh, and has shaken Sheol to its foundtions. —From an …
Are you looking for some bulletin insert material to help explain the catechumenate process to your parishioners? The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has a press release on their Web site that details the steps of the initiation process in question and answer format. The text is written in clear, simple English.
Frank C. Senn writes about the mystagogical process for neophytes in the early church: During the week after Easter Day, the neophytes attended the liturgy daily, wearing their white robes, while the bishops instructed them in the mysteries (sacraments) they had just experienced. The faithful were also permitted to attend these sessions during the “week …
During the Triduum, the question arises about when to dismiss the Elect and the catechumens. (If you are engaged in a year-round process, you will likely have both.) If parish leaders understand the liturgical role that the unbaptized have in worship, it will be clear that the Elect and the catechumens are dismissed before the …
