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 … [Read more...]
Catechumenate ministry on the digital continent
The first time I traveled to a foreign country (France and Italy) was in the 1990s. This was, of course, before cell phones were ubiquitous and before Google Translate and Google Maps were a thing. I had my Lonely Planet tour books and French and Italian phrase books to get me through. The … [Read more...]
Reconnecting with the experience of baptism: the neophytes and the community
Because I was just a baby when I was baptized, I am more than ever intrigued by the experience of being present at the celebration of baptism now. And with ministry in Christian Initiation there is so much more! A few years ago our parish celebrated an Easter Vigil that became truly memorable, … [Read more...]
46 ways to accompany seekers even if you’re not in charge of the RCIA process
Antonia is the catechumenate coordinator in her parish. She recently went to a diocesan workshop that encouraged parishes to accompany seekers all year long — not just October to April. She got very excited about implementing some of what she learned. But the pastor likes the current school model … [Read more...]
Why children in the RCIA need a community, not a classroom
If you go to any parish website in North America, you will get the very strong impression that children’s faith is formed in a classroom. Parish websites list expectations describing what children are to have learned by the time they reach each grade level. If you were to actually visit one of these … [Read more...]