The way the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults talks about discerning conversion in the seekers can seem like we are being asked to be Judge Judy, sitting behind a high bench, dressed in a black robe, listening to the evidence and bringing down the gavel on any who are not worthy. Specifically, the rite …
How do we avoid “judgement” when looking for conversion in the seekers?
In previous posts, we looked at what the Rite (Order) of Christian Initiation of Adults says about why conversion is important and what the church means by conversion. In this post, we want to look at how, according to the rite, we can foster conversion in seekers. When we are talking about the initial conversion …
I once had to call an online shoe company about a problem with my order, and I was dreading it. These days, you don’t get to talk to a human. You have to “press or say” numbers in response to robotic questions. But I had no choice. I took a deep breath and dialed the …
When the bishops of the Second Vatican Council called for a restoration of the catechumenate, they were actually asking us to shift our paradigm of conversion. Conversion would no longer mean “becoming Catholic” (as in, “I used to be Lutheran, but I am a convert to Catholicism.”). Conversion has a much more profound meaning. The …
As RCIA ministers, most of us know what we do. We make Catholics. The fuzzier question is why. Why do we make Catholics? Answers we might expect include things like having the fullness of the faith or Real Presence. Some answer by saying we were founded by Jesus while all the other churches were founded …
The Culture of Death vs. The Culture of Life: Why we do RCIA
Recently someone asked me if we had a program for RCIA. I told them the parish is the program. That might sound evasive or nonresponsive, but I really believe that. Let’s look at how this might work. In the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, we are told that before an inquirer can celebrate the …
Apparently, Pope Benedict XVI was looking for ways to celebrate Saint Paul’s 2,000th birthday. After the Vatican Fire Marshal nixed the idea of a giant cake with 2,000 candles (the pope may be infallible, but not inflammable), the pontiff decided to declare this “The Pauline Year.” The festivities begin on June 29, 2008 and run …
