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RCIA: Year-Round Catechumenate

RCIA: Year-Round Catechumenate. 2012 St. John Bosco Conference. John 4:4-42. Always open? How Long Conversion Systematic and Organic Catechesis. Always open? How?. The woman at the well – John 4:4-42 v.6 Jesus, tired from his journey… noon v .7 Jesus spoke first “give me a drink”

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RCIA: Year-Round Catechumenate

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  1. RCIA: Year-RoundCatechumenate 2012 St. John Bosco Conference John 4:4-42

  2. Always open?How LongConversionSystematic and Organic Catechesis

  3. Always open? How? The woman at the well – John 4:4-42 • v.6 Jesus, tired from his journey… noon • v.7 Jesus spoke first “give me a drink” • v.10 If you knew… you would have asked • v.14 Living water… never thirst • v.15 “Sir give me this water” • v.16ffThe truth about who she is in relation to Him • v.23 Worship the Father in Spirit and truth • v.26 “I am He…” • v.28ff She begins to believe & give testimony

  4. RCIA154 1st Scrutiny, Exorcism Prayer

  5. Always open? How? • Answer the phone • Meet with the inquirer ASAP • Intake interview and orientation to RCIA • Ongoing inquiry process ready for new people • Patience and clarity about process of conversion

  6. General Directory #29 The situation of catechesis: its vitality and difficulties • 29. The missionary character of contemporary catechesis and its ability to secure adherence to the faith on the part of catechumens and those to be catechized in a world in which religious sense is obscured must also be underlined: in this dynamic there is an acute awareness that catechesis must have a catechumenal style, as of integral formation rather than mere information; it must act in reality as a means of arousing true conversion.

  7. RCIA #42 • 42. The prerequisite for making this first step [Acceptance into the Order of Catechumens] is that the beginnings of the spiritual life and the fundamentals of Christian teaching have taken root in the candidates. Thus there mustbe evidence of the first faith that was conceived during the period of evangelization and precatechumenate…

  8. RCIA #42 • … there must also be evidence of the first stirrings of repentance, a start to the practice of calling upon God in prayer, a sense of the Church, and some experience of the company and spirit of Christians through contact with a priest or with members of the community. • The candidates should also be instructed about the liturgical rite of acceptance.

  9. How Long? • How much time does each person need for suitable conversion at each stage in the process?

  10. Stages/Steps Inquiry/ Precatechumenate Catechumenate Mystagogy Purification & Initiation Rite of Acceptance/Welcoming

  11. Length of Catechumenate Period • Unbaptized—(Ap. III, n.6) “The period of the catechumenate… should extend for at least one year of formation… from at least the Easter season of one year until the next; preferably it should begin before Lent in one year and extend until Easter of the following year...” (n.76) “The time spent in the catechumenate should be long enough — several years if necessary—for the conversion and faith of the catechumens to become strong.”

  12. Length of Catechumenate Period • RCIA 78 - The instruction that the catechumens receive during this period should be of a kind that while presenting Catholic teaching in its entirety also enlightens faith, directs the heart toward God, fosters participation in the liturgy, inspires apostolic activity, and nurtures a life completely in accord with the spirit of Christ.

  13. Conversion • Identifying signs of conversion. Mt. 19:16-22

  14. Signs of conversion—readiness for the Rite of Acceptance • Unbaptized—(RCIA, 42) “The prerequisite for making this first step is that the beginnings of the spiritual life and the fundamentals of Christian teaching have taken root in the candidates.”

  15. Signs of conversion—readiness for the Rite of Welcoming • Baptized, uncatechized—(RCIA, 401) “A program of training, catechesis suited to their needs, contact with the community of the faithful, and participation in certain liturgical rites are needed in order to strengthen them in the Christian life.”

  16. Signs of conversion—readiness for the Rite of Welcoming • Baptized, Catechized, not Catholic—(RCIA, 477) “The baptized Christian is to receive both doctrinal and spiritual preparation, adapted to the individual pastoral requirements, for reception into the full communion of the Catholic Church. The candidate should learn to deepen an inner adherence to the Church, where he or she will find the fullness of his or her baptism.”

  17. Rite of Welcoming, RCIA 52 • Candidate’s First Acceptance of the Gospel, option C — • “If then you wish to become his disciples… • … Is each of you ready to accept these teachings of the Gospel?”

  18. Systematic & Organic

  19. Systematic & Organic Systematicmeans that each successive teaching be linked to the teaching given beforehand, respecting the logical connections between each reality according to the hierarchy of truths.

  20. Systematic & Organic Organicmeans that each doctrine is linked to other, related doctrines, showing the integral unity of the Faith according to the hierarchy of truths. Organic catechesis directly relates to how a lesson is presented. Systematic catechesis directly relates to how a curriculum or “doctrine cycle” is devised.

  21. Stages/Steps Inquiry/ Precatechumenate Catechumenate Mystagogy Purification & Initiation Rite of Acceptance/Welcoming

  22. General Directory for Catechesis • GDC 89- These stages, which reflect the wisdom of the great catechumenal tradition, also inspire the gradual nature of catechesis…

  23. General Directory for Catechesis • GDC 89 - In the patristic period properly, catechumenal formation was realized through: • biblical catechesis, based on recounting the history of salvation; • immediate preparation for Baptism by doctrinal catechesis, explaining the Creed and the Our Father which had just been handed on, together with their moral implications…

  24. General Directory for Catechesis • GDC 89 - …and through the phase following the sacraments of initiation, a period of mystagogical catechesis which help the newly baptized to interiorize these sacraments and incorporate themselves into the community.

  25. General Directory for CatechesisA comprehensive and hierarchical message • 114. This message transmitted by catechetics has a comprehensive hierarchical character, which constitutes a coherent and vital synthesis of the faith. This is organized around the mystery of the Most Holy Trinity, in a Christocentric perspective, because this is the source of all the other mysteries of faith, the light that enlightens them…

  26. General Directory for CatechesisA comprehensive and hierarchical message • (114. cont.) …Starting with this point, the harmony of the overall message requires a hierarchy of truths, in so far as the connection between each one of these and the foundation of the faith differs. Nevertheless, this hierarchy does not mean that some truths pertain to Faith itself less than others, but rather that some truths are based on others as of a higher priority and are illumined by them.

  27. Model used at St. Joseph’s • 3 cycle repeating structure • (A, B, C - do not correspond to the Lectionary) • Continuous Inquiry (repeating) • 3 cycle Catechumenate structure allows for 3 major entry points each year • Each Catechumenate cycle covers the hierarchy systematically, though not as thoroughly as catechumens and candidates need, hence the need for repetition.

  28. Model used at St. Joseph’s Oct. Feb.-Mar. June Inquiry 1 Inquiry 2 Inquiry 3 Catechumenate C Catechumenate A Catechumenate B Lent / Purification Purification for Candidates Mystagogy

  29. Moving forward • Where to start? • Toyota – kaizen, continuous improvement (CCC 1428) • Begin with Inquiry • Develop ways to deliver the deposit systematically, organically and comprehensively • Conversion

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