Author and scholar Karen Armstrong spoke at the annual TED conference in Monterey, California, in February 2008. She spoke about how the Abrahamic religions — Islam, Judaism, Christianity — have been diverted from the moral purpose they share to foster compassion. Note especially her distinction between intellectual assent and faithful practice (about three and a […]
The catechumenate and world peace
QWe have two people in the catechumenate process this year. One person is unbaptized. The other was baptized as a Catholic but has had no religious formation whatsoever. We have been dismissing both of them each week to break open the word. However, my pastor is telling me the second person should not dismissed because
Is my pastor right about dismissal?
One of the questions that is often posed about the catechumenate is “What about the summer?” Then follow a number of reasons why it simply isn’t realistic to expect ongoing catechesis throughout the summer months. After all, it’s vacation time, the Team needs a break, people don’t show up, etc. Perhaps a reflection on the
15 ways RCIA teams can catechize this summer
A song Rory Cooney wrote, called “Christ the Icon” (WLP 2005), is well worth listening to and meditating upon. The first time I heard it, on the CD of the same name, I didn’t take much notice of it, to tell the truth. The music was fine, but I didn’t really hear what the song
Joe Paprocki has some serious concerns about Catholics celebrating a Seder Meal that I think are worth reading. His first point is the strongest: First and foremost, the Seder Meal is a sacred Jewish ritual. For Catholics to re-enact this sacred ritual is disrespectful of the Jewish tradition. (Imagine Jewish or Muslim children re-enacting a
The trouble with Catholic Seder Meals
I’m working on the editorial plan for Today’s Parish Minister for next year, and the theme for the March issue is the catechumenate. I need to come up with four feature articles that explore that theme. Here’s what I’ve thought of so far. If you have any comments or other suggestions, I’d love to hear
What do today's parishes need to know about RCIA?
The preparation rites on Holy Saturday include an optional ritual for choosing a baptismal name (turn to paragraph 200 in your RCIA text to follow along). In the United States, we do not ask the elect to do this. (Keep a finger in the book to mark your place and flip back to paragraph 33.4.)
Should the elect choose a baptismal name?
What do you do after the Easter Vigil? What does the ritual text call us to do and be for the neophytes during the sacred time of mystagogy? The following checklist will give you guidance and suggestions for effective mystagogy. . “Expect” neophytes to gather the week after initiation to share stories and pictures of
Checklist for an effective mystagogy
I’m headed south for the Los Angeles Religious Education Congress on Thursday. If you’ve never been, it is an experience like no other. The Congress draws more than 40,000 participants who come to hear speakers from all over the world. Despite the name, the Congress is not limited to religious education themes. There are many
Looking for RCIA at the LA Religious Ed Congress
In order to help you prepare the elect for their initiation, I’ve written a Holy Saturday retreat, which includes the Preparation Rites, that is FREE for subscribers to TeamRCIA. The church’s great festival of initiation is approaching fast. Be sure to provide the elect with some substantial time for prayer and reflection as they prepare
A Preparation Rites retreat for the elect on Holy Saturday
