Page 1 of 2
1
2
>

Integrating a Systematic Catechesis with a Year-Round R.C.I.A. Process

Posted on February 22nd, 2010

This presentation was given by Dino Durando and Stacy Phillips from St. Joseph Catholic Church in Modesto, CA at the Diocese of Sacramento’s Catechist Ministry Day on September 26, 2009 in Sacramento, California.

Handouts

This following handouts accompany this 65-minute video presentation. We recommend downloading and printing out all of these handouts before watching the above presentation. (If you prefer to download all of the handouts in one PDF document, we have compiled them as a download at this link)

Background to the Presentation

The R.C.I.A. is a liturgical, catechetical, and pastoral process that requires signs and stages of conversion to take place before a participant progresses to the next stage (e.g. from Inquiry to Catechumenate). This necessitates a process that allows for an individual who is not ready to progress to remain in one period of the process while others who are ready to progress to move on to the next period of the process. This can only be facilitated by a year-round parish R.C.I.A. process.

Simultaneously, the catechetical documents of the Church clearly call for catechesis to be systematic and organic.

Systematic means that each successive teaching be linked to the teaching given beforehand, demonstrating the hierarchy of truths. A carefully laid-out systematic presentation of the faith does not leave any holes. It is complete. It does not skip over any of the essentials of the faith due to careful planning.

Organic means that each doctrine is linked to other doctrines, showing the integral unity of the Faith. Organic catechesis has more to do with how a lesson is presented, while systematic catechesis has more to do with how a curriculum or “doctrine cycle” is devised.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church is a prime example of a catechesis that is both systematic and organic. It systematically lays out the Deposit of Faith (what God has revealed in Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition for the sake of our salvation) piece by piece, while at the same time, consistently demonstrating the unity of the Faith.

An example of systematic: The first section of the Catechism is structured around the 12 articles of the Apostles Creed and progresses from “Who is God?” to “The Four Last Things.”

An example of organic: While presenting the teaching on Mary (CCC 963-975), Mary is presented in relation to Jesus, the Church, the Holy Spirit, the life of faith, the Paschal Mystery, the resurrection of the dead, grace, and the list goes on!

Below are a number of quotations below from John Paul II’s Apostolic Exhortation titled: On Catechesis in Our Time (Catechesi Tradendae) (CT), which is quoted extensively by the General Directory for Catechesis as well as the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

All in all, it can be taken here that catechesis is an education of children, young people and adults in the faith, which includes especially the teaching of Christian doctrine imparted, generally speaking, in an organic and systematic way, with a view to initiating the hearers into the fullness of Christian life. (CT 18)

The specific character of catechesis, as distinct from the initial conversion-bringing proclamation of the Gospel, has the twofold objective of maturing the initial faith and of educating the true disciple of Christ by means of a deeper and more systematic knowledge of the person and the message of our Lord Jesus Christ. (CT 19)

In his closing speech at the Fourth General Assembly of the Synod, Pope Paul VI rejoiced ” to see how everyone drew attention to the absolute need for systematic catechesis, precisely because it is this reflective study of the Christian mystery that fundamentally distinguishes catechesis from all other ways of presenting the word of God” … I am stressing the need for organic and systematic Christian instruction because of the tendency in various quarters to minimize its importance. (CT 21)

Nor is any opposition to be set up between a catechesis taking life as its point of departure and a traditional, doctrinal and systematic catechesis.[52] Authentic catechesis is always an orderly and systematic initiation into the revelation that God has given of himself to humanity in Christ Jesus, a revelation stored in the depths of the Church’s memory and in Sacred Scripture, and constantly communicated from one generation to the next by a living active traditio. (CT 22)

Why?

We may ask the appropriate question: Why do the catechetical documents insist upon a systematic and organic catechesis?

When divine revelation is presented in this fashion, the student is able to better understand the big picture and see how each piece of the picture fits in its proper place. This allows for greater ease of understanding and comprehension as previously learned truths shed light upon the truth at hand, which, in turn, leads to increased faithfulness (seeking holiness), which is the ultimate goal of Christian discipleship. It also shows how the disciple cannot dispense from believing one doctrine without marring the integrity of all we believe.

On the contrary, when the Catholic Faith is presented in a merely topical fashion wherein the subjects from week to week in the catechumenate have no system that follows an order, the student is more prone to view Catholic doctrine as a smorgasbord of “beliefs.”

In Conclusion

The balancing act that the R.C.I.A. process must perform is this: It must present a systematic and organic catechesis while allowing for multiple points of entry and exit for participants. We hope that the above video presentation with the accompanying handouts will give you, the viewer, a firm foundation to build from as you continually seek to improve and grow your own parish catechumenal process.

The viewer may also be interested in these related blog entries:

Tags: 9-Month vs. Year-Round, Celebrations of the Word, Pastoral Formation, Systematic Catechesis
Filed under Catechesis, Catechumenate, Inquiry and Precatechumenate | No Comments »

Christian Fellowship is Foundational

Posted on July 16th, 2009

The testimony of Christian living means that fellowship and love should be tangibly present from the first contact with inquirers. Catholicism is emphatically not a “me and Jesus” form of the Christian faith. The task is not to lead people into some vague state called “being a Christian,” but to invite them to become Catholics.

Pope Paul VI has written that, for Catholics, evangelization is not “an individual and isolated act; it is one that is deeply ecclesial” (Evangelization in the Modern World, 60) and that “the community of believers… is the Church, the visible sacrament of salvation” (23). For this reason, Christian fellowship is called the foundational means of entering in to the mystery of Christ, and the RCIA ritual book stipulates that the “initiation of catechumens… takes place within the community of the faithful” (RCIA 4). Catholic evangelization is aimed at making someone a member of the Body of Christ and [Click here to read the rest of this entry… » ]

Filed under Catechumenate, Inquiry and Precatechumenate, Pastoral Considerations | No Comments »

Preparing for Catechetical Sessions

Posted on May 22nd, 2009

The Christian initiation process is such a fundamental activity of the parish that the pastor and RCIA leader should ensure that everything possible is done, within the available resources of the parish, to ensure that the setting for catechetical sessions is appropriate for adult learners and that they have the resources to learn. Elements that are helpful in RCIA catechesis include:

The most appropriate day of the week and time of the day.
The experience of each parish will determine the specific times that most potential inquirers are available. It is possible that, if there is a sufficient number of participants, more than one time period can be made available, especially if Sunday afternoons can be offered as well as one, perhaps two, evenings a week. The demand for meeting space in most parishes is high, and the needs of other organizations must also be taken into account by the pastor and RCIA leader.

[Click here to read the rest of this entry… » ]

Tags: Environment, Preparation
Filed under Catechesis, Catechumenate, Inquiry and Precatechumenate | No Comments »

Analyzing Doctrines – What to Teach

Posted on May 14th, 2009

In a typical parish RCIA setting, we are given very little time to catechize in proportion to the beautiful depth of each truth of the faith. With such limited time, with so much to learn, what must I teach? What do they have to know?

Teach the Premise

The premise of the doctrine is the underlying truth upon which the doctrine is based.

For example, for the doctrine of Faith, the premise would be: “We believe because of the authority of God who reveals. He cannot deceive nor be deceived” (Catechism #156). For Scripture, the premise would be “God has chosen to speak to us in human words. He is the author of these human words” (Catechism #105). By conveying the premise from the get-go, the catechumens/candidates will have little lights go off in their minds as they come to grasp with the intellect the rhyme and reason behind this particular doctrine.

The premise should be very short and sweet. The Catechism of the Catholic Church is an excellent resource to use to find the premise underlying this or that particular doctrine.
[Click here to read the rest of this entry… » ]

Tags: What Must I Teach?
Filed under Catechesis, Catechumenate | No Comments »

RCIA Catechist’s Manual

Posted on February 24th, 2009

RCIA Catechist’s Manual, 2nd Edition
Association for Catechumenal Ministry
Barbara A. Morgan and William J. Keimig, Editors
ISBN: 978-1-933374-07-9
Distributed by Liturgy Training Publications
To Order by Phone: (800) 933-1800
Orders outside U.S. & Canada: (773) 486-5630
Price: $39.95 ea. – Purchase Online

This spiral-bound Catechist’s Manual is a priceless gem for catechists who serve within the parish RCIA catechumenal process. It was designed by a team of clergy, catechists, directors of religious education, RCIA directors, diocesan officials, and theologians to be a practical help for catechists as they craft the catechetical portion of any RCIA session. Each copy of the Catechist’s Manual comes with a free copy of the RCIA Overview Chart. [Click here to read the rest of this entry… » ]

Tags: Catechist's Manual
Filed under Catechesis, Catechumenate, Resources | No Comments »

Using Small Groups in the Catechumenal Process

Posted on February 4th, 2009

RCIA catechetical sessions are not meant solely to transmit information like the convert classes of old. The purpose of catechesis is to initiate and foster the process of conversion of heart and entry into the mystery of Christ. Therefore, in addition to teaching the truths of the faith in catechetical sessions, it is important to provide time in small groups to give participants a forum where they can feel comfortable.

Small groups enable catechumens and candidates to express how they have understood the truths they have heard. They are then able to articulate their initial responses: perceptions, insights, agreements, connections with other teachings, assent, thanksgivings… as well as concerns, reservations, difficulties, and disagreements. The dialogue that small groups foster will allow for participants to experience a deepening of their own conversion as well as to consider how they might apply a particular teaching to their own life situation.

Although small groups are not mentioned in the RCIA ritual book, small groups are exceedingly helpful to participants’ spiritual journeys because they call for dialogue and response.

Genuine catechesis therefore is that catechesis which helps to perceive the action of God throughout the formative journey. It encourages a climate of listening, of thanksgiving and of prayer. It looks to the free response of persons and it promotes active participation among those to be catechized. (General Directory for Catechesis, n. 145)

[Click here to read the rest of this entry… » ]

Tags: Small Groups
Filed under Catechumenate, Pastoral Considerations | No Comments »

Celebrations of the Word of God Held in Connection with Catechetical Instruction

Posted on September 22nd, 2008

In Paragraph 81 of the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, we read:

During the period of the catechumenate there should be celebrations of the word of God that accord with the liturgical season and that contribute to the instruction of the catechumens and the needs of the community. These celebrations of the word are: first, celebrations held specially for the catechumens; second, participation in the liturgy of the word at the Sunday Mass; third, celebrations held in connection with catechetical instruction.

The third form mentioned above are “celebrations held in connection with catechetical instruction” and a helpful model is provided in Paragraphs 85-89:

86. Song: An appropriate song may be sung to open the celebration.

87. Readings and Responsorial Psalms: One or more readings from Scripture, chosen for their relevance to the formation of the catechumens, are proclaimed by a baptized member of the community. A sung responsorial psalm should ordinarily follow each reading.

88. Homily: A brief homily that explains and applies the readings should be given.

89. Concluding Rites: The celebration of the word may conclude with a minor exorcism (no. 94) or with a blessing of the catechumens (no. 97). When the minor exorcism is used, it may be followed by one of the blessings (no. 97) or, on occasion, by the rite of anointing (nos. 102-103).

Let’s take a moment to see how an RCIA Team might implement such a “celebration of the word of God” in connection with a catechetical session on the Eucharist using Bible passages that are “relevant to the formation of the catechumens.” [Click here to read the rest of this entry… » ]

Tags: Celebrations of the Word
Filed under Catechumenate, Liturgy | No Comments »

The Story – Context for Catechesis

Posted on September 11th, 2008

In the catechumenate of the early Church, the early Church Fathers recounted the history of salvation (also known as “Salvation History“) to their audience (inquirers and catechumens) using the Bible and Church History.

We especially see this clearly in St. Augustine’s “First Catechetical Instruction” (In Latin: De Catechizandis Rudibus). St. Augustine wrote this famous work to a deacon of Carthage named Deogratias in AD 405 as advice on what to present to an inquirer. This story of Salvation History is referred to by Augustine as the narratio – the “narration”

Before we go on, let’s take a look at two quotations from the Church’s General Directory for Catechesis:

“In the patristic period properly, catechumenal formation was realized through Biblical catechesis, based on recounting the history of salvation” (#89)

“The historical character of the Christian message requires that catechesis attend to the following points … presentation of salvation history by means of Biblical catechesis so as to make known the ‘deeds and words’ with which God has revealed himself to man: the great stages of the Old Testament by which he prepared the journey of the Gospel; the life of Jesus, Son of God, born of the Virgin Mary who by his actions and teaching brought Revelation to completion; the history of the Church which transmits Revelation: this history, read within the perspective of faith, is a fundamental part of the context of catechesis” (#108)

In a nutshell, the catechist – in one RCIA session – tells the Story of God’s Family from before creation to the end of time. In other words, the catechist begins with the eternal life of the Blessed Trinity and finishes with the Final Coming of Jesus Christ. [Click here to read the rest of this entry… » ]

Tags: The Story
Filed under Catechumenate, Inquiry and Precatechumenate | No Comments »

What Is the RCIA Supposed to Be?

Posted on August 20th, 2008

Download and read the PDF article titled: To the Threshold and to the Fullness: What Is the RCIA Supposed to Be? to read a general introduction to the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults.

A quote from the above article:

“The intention of the following paragraphs is to open a discussion on the nature of catechumenal ministry – that work of God and his people which seeks to invite and initiate new members into the Mystical Body of Christ… In this article, the RCIA process will be examined from three distinct aspects: liturgical, catechetical, and pastoral. It is useful to discuss the nature and scope of each period of the process in light of these three aspects. All three are equally important. It is an injustice to those considering or seeking union with Holy Mother Church to be unambiguously catechetical to the detriment of the liturgical aspect, or be wonderfully pastoral despite poor catechesis. In order for the catechumenate to be what it has the potential to be, RCIA leaders can benefit greatly from understanding the implications of its liturgical, catechetical, and pastoral dimensions to make available the fullness of the process as intended by the Church.”

Tags: Introduction to the RCIA
Filed under Catechumenate, Liturgy, Pastoral Considerations | No Comments »

The Ecclesial Method

Posted on August 18th, 2008

The Ecclesial Method is a method of carrying out catechesis that is rooted deeply in our Catholic tradition, which can be used effectively within the parish catechumenate. This blog entry will give a very practical and brief overview of the method so that the reader will be able to become familiar with the method and use it in his/her own parish RCIA catechesis.

The 5 Stages of the Ecclesial Method:

1. Preparation
2. Proclamation
3. Explanation
4. Application
5. Celebration

The RCIA Catechist’s Manual (from the On the Journey Series distributed by Liturgy Training Publications) follows this method in its outline for each catechetical session.

Step 1 – Preparation

This first step is calculated disengagement. The individuals coming to the catechetical session have their own worries, preoccupations, excitements, griefs, and anxieties. So, the first thing we want to do is to prepare the minds and hearts of our students for the truth God wishes to feed them today in our session. We want to put them in the right frame of mind, to be docile to what the Holy Spirit wishes to do in the hour or so to follow as they receive the catechesis. [Click here to read the rest of this entry… » ]

Tags: Ecclesial Method
Filed under Catechesis, Catechumenate | 1 Comment »

Page 1 of 2
1
2
>