Sometimes a sense of futility creeps upon us. We despair that “they don’t come back for mystagogy.” Or we fret that “we can’t find enough sponsors.” We bemoan the lack of participation among the members of the assembly. And now the diocese wants us to run the catechumenate “year round” when we are already stretched […]
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
Five Ways to Preach Mystagogically
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
Five principles for mystagogical preaching and catechesis
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
The following is Part 1 of a brief overview by Diana Macalintal of the initiation process for adults considering becoming Catholic. Based on material originally written for the Diocese of San José website, you are welcomed to use or adapt it for your own parishes. Click here to download a formatted handout (pdf) of this
How Do I Become Catholic? – Part 1: God is calling. Now what?
The stories of the man born blind, the woman at the well and the raising of Lazarus from the dead are a set of readings that must always be proclaimed whenever we celebrate the Scrutinies. Why then are today’s readings so important for those who are preparing for initiation? Why are they so important for
"God Glasses" for the Man Born Blind—A Scrutiny Homily for the Fourth Sunday of Lent
Discernment in the RCIA is most intensely done in preparation for the celebration of the rites. (Click here for an article about discernment for the rites.) Yet the vision of the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults is that discernment is on-going. Furthermore, discernment is not just something only the catechumens do; it is something
RCIA Discernment: What is it and how do you do it?
How do you know if the inquirers or catechumens “know enough”? When are they ready to move to the next stage? Discerning readiness is often a subjective art. Discernment in terms of faith is not a completely rational process in the way that decision-making is often simply weighing the pros and cons and choosing the
RCIA Discernment: How do you know if they "know enough"?
When you are planning for the scrutinies, be sure to move the Elect out into the midst of the assembly. The goal is to strive for both visibility and intimacy. If you only have one candidate for initiation this year, the action of the scrutiny should take place where it is most visible—usually at the
