This Sunday’s Gospel (3^rd Ordinary Time) offers a reminder of the importance of prayer and its prominence in our sessions: individual or group. It illustrates how the disciples just don’t get it. They are no different from us. They want to get on with the important stuff, the healing, the miracles, the freeing from devils. Everyone wants a piece of Jesus, and what does Jesus do, but go off somewhere quiet to pray.

There is a lot to draw out of those few words of Jesus going off to a lonely place to pray: how prayer is our first thought in the early morning; that you don’t need a prayerbook or to go into a church; that you do it after you have done something momentous, as well as praying for guidance before you continue your journey.

As for the distractions, well they come in all shapes and forms: even in the guise of your companions, who have pledged themselves in service to follow Christ. How often are we cut short in our prayers by the very people we are praying for.

There are prayerbooks for catechumens, but the prayers that stay with us, are often the ones we learn from others. I can recall the joy of recognition when hearing enquirers or catechumens recalling how a parent, a relative or someone close to them said a prayer with them when they were younger. Connecting with the catechumen’s past is a vital link to their seeing a route to where they’ve now got to. They learn that all of life’s experience is important. It makes them who they are.

• If you have people from different countries why not invite them to each share a prayer from their culture.
• Encourage those in your group to make up a short Trinitarian prayer.
• Explore the scriptures for prayers.
• Start and end every encounter within RCIA with a prayer.

All of the above scenes may be very familiar to our candidates and catechumens, but a trip to the crib: perhaps to host a session, singly or in a group, offers an imaginative form of catechesis as an opportunity to open up the Word of God, and could finish with a shortened celebration of the word [RCIA 81-82 ] 

It offers a suitable time to allow the catechumen to share their journey, what messages and insights they have experienced, how straight  has their path been, and what form guidance  in prayer and community support may perhaps take in future weeks and months.

For the team: catechists and sponsors, it is useful to re-assess how the journey is progressing with an eye to  how far the prerequisites for  taking the first step of acceptance into the order of catechumens has been accomplished. Perhaps explore RCIA 42 as part of a team meeting, for there is always the need to constantly evaluate and assess the 'candidate's motives and dispositions' [RCIA 43], just as there is the need to discern  the state of readiness of the catechumen for the Rite of Election.

Above all, have fun, for this is the season of joy and happiness, and a great time to involve the whole parish community, in  supporting the candidates and catechumens.

"Let us pray - as the family of God who share in his life.

Father in heaven, creator of all, you ordered the earth to bring forth life and crowned its goodness by creating the family of man.   In history's moment when all was ready, you sent your Son to dwell in time, obedient to the laws of life in our world.  Teach us the sanctity of human love, shows us the value of family life, and help us to live in peace with all people, that we may share in your life forever.  (ICEL 1998)

I was privileged to attend  two ordinations earlier this year,  and I recall thinking how well we catholics  do a good liturgy.

It is the liturgy that is often the introduction to the catholic faith for non-christians. Do we use the opportunity to its best advantage? How innovative are our liturgies?

I remember one lady in our RCIA team and the skill she had with fabric and simple props, turning a grey walled meeting room into a liturgical wonder where our faith came alive. An RCIA session always had that element of joy and discovery as we uncovered a new layer in our worship. I experienced that on Saturday with the blessing of our Altar Missals and their being sent forth with representatives from each local church in our parish cluster.

The symbols were simple: the Altar Missals impressive in their design, laid out on a low table, against the backdrop of the Altar with its bright candles. The quiet solemnity of the blessing was awesome. How different from the blessing of the Advent wreath and the lighting of the first Advent candle on Sunday. One could sense the air of expectation in the Assembly. It is that time of year again, when we are ready to ‘stay awake’. A lot is going to happen over the next four weeks of Advent.

There is the chance for further blessings and celebrations. In the extended period of the catechumenate why not have a special celebration of the Word of God.

• To give them instruction and experience in the different aspects and ways of prayer;
• To explain to them the signs, celebrations, and seasons of the liturgy;
• To prepare them gradually to enter the worship assembly of the entire community: RCIA 82

The structure of a celebration is suggested in RCIA 86-89, with an opening song, one or more readings, a brief homily  and  finish with a blessing. This would work well on Gaudete Sunday  or during the third week of Advent.

Or how about Advent Stations of the Cross with a Blessing of Oil and anointing [see RCIA 101B – 102].

There is also the opportunity for blessing of the Christmas tree  or the manger, or even someone’s home.

Perhaps this week as the English speaking churches turn to the New Translation of the Roman Missal,  catechumens could have the chance to see and touch the Altar Missal and gain a sense of just how well we catholics do liturgy, as they develop a love of the liturgy and its symbols.

The presence of the children has also given the assembly some thought. We take pride in the place these children will take in our community. We acknowledge that somehow their presence has enriched our own experience of participating in the mass. We each learn from each other.

Candidates and catechumens also enrich the community in which they grow and settle. They too can benefit from our example,  of being invited along to  see the church in which we worship. A meditative walk through the church with someone (sponsor) to answer questions, offers a good introduction. Follow up with attending mass with their sponsor or RCIA catechists or their own family. As soon as they are catechumens, let the rest of the church know that these are your catechumens, so the whole community can be ready to help and support them.

• All Saints day offers a great opportunity  for prayer, 
• stories and catechesis about the catholic church,
• the Church Fathers, our tradition and our  Saints.

• the liturgical year - the heart-beat of the catechumenate as  the life, death and resurrection of Christ unfolds, and each Sunday,  nourishes the journey in faith
• liturgical catechesis - using the lectionary and texts of the liturgy in planning for the themes of the catechetical sessions, beginning with a process of  shared lectio divina, followed by reflection on:
• Who is the Jesus we meet in this Gospel? 
• What are the themes of the Gospel that emerge (link to first Reading)? 
•  What is the church teaching linked to the Gospel/other readings? 
• What questions might you use with the catechumens and candidates? 
• What are the implications for living this out in our daily lives? 
• What form of prayer/song will we use to conclude our session with the catechetical group? 
• roles in the catechumenate - the whole community, Sponsor, Godparent,  bishop,  priest, deacon, catechist - and a variety of  other supplementary roles (faith friends, welcomers/hospitality, Readers)
• liturgies of the catechumenate period - Celebrations of the Word, Liturgy of the Word at Sunday Mass, Blessings, Anointings, Minor Exorcisms.

On Saturday last it was the turn of Hexham & Newcastle Diocese to host their Study Day.  A number of priests and catechists from across the Diocese took part.  Some were new to RCIA.  Table groups engaged in a process of liturgical catechesis, which was very profound and moving,  and uncovered a rich seam of Catholic doctrine to explore with catechumens.  The themes varied according to the make-up of the group and the parish context - centred round  'Jesus had a busy day' - moving from the synagogyue and community prayer and community life, to the home life,  the response to suffering, healing, personal prayer, the demons in our lives, our context in the modern world and our response as Catholic Christians.   Most groups planned to use one of the liturgies of the catechumenate period to close their catechetcial sessions. 

At this point, we explored what the liturgies of this period are, including  'minor exorcisms' - how did people feel about these?  Did they use them? Most were put off by the title 'exorcism' - but after reflection on the goal of catechesis 'to put people not only in touch but in intimacy and communion with Christ' and a look at the prayers offered in the Rite (RCIA90-93 A-M) which are about clearing away what stops us coming close to Christ,  people felt more confident, and were able to plan how they would introduce these.    

Generally, when used in the context of parish catechesis for Christian initiation, the word 'exorcism' is not in the sense of 'psychic' or 'occult' (although there may be people coming to the Church via RCIA who have dabbled in such things, who will specifically benefit from the one prayer than mentions these by name - choice RCIA 94 B).  It is more in the sense of awareness of the inner self, and the struggles we have with our own selfishness, and other 'debris' that gets in the way, impedes our journey and disables us from making good choices.  Have a look, and you will find these prayers are about healing, protection, building hope, allaying fears and hesitancy,  recognising the need for God's help with self-denial and re-orientation to Christ and His kingdom of freedom, justice, love and peace.

What is the purpose of the Rites in this period?   Why bother? 

It's pretty clear in the text:  In participating in the liturgies (not 'talking about' or 'telling about - like a commentator at the Royal Wedding) and experiencing the liturgy with all our senses, this helps us to enter into the mystery of God-with-us, an encounter, where God is inviting us to be 'family' and share in the divine life of Christ - and this changes us!  Participating in the liturgy seeks to ... 'implant the teachings they are receiving, to give instruction/experience in different ways of prayer, to immerse them in the signs and celebrations and seasons of the liturgy, which prepares them gradually to enter the worship assembly of the entire community'. (RCIA 82) 

All agreed - our journey of conversion with the catechumens (adapted for candidates) is centred on a vital and convincing encounter with Christ - it happened on this day - through the gathering together, the Liturgies, the Gospel broken and shared, the blessings (RCIA 95-97) &  anointing (RCIA 98-102).

What is your experience?

• Which of the Rites of the catechumenate period do you celebrate in your situation? 
• What stops you celebrating them?
• What are the strengths of the experience of celebrating these rites?

Action

If you would like to have a study event similar to the one described above, please get in touch with the Convenor - slides/process can be made available for diocesan, deanery or parish use.

This week offers an easy introduction into lectionary based catechesis. On Friday we have the memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary.  October traditionally is a month when we dedicate our prayers to the Blessed Virgin and whether we have an initial enquirer or are in the midst of the catechumenate period, this month offers  an opportune way to  introduce and consider a variety of facets of the catholic faith.

The ‘Hail Mary’  offers a wonderful example of a prayer of faith. It speaks of Our Lady’s faith, of her cousin Elizabeth’s faith: of enlightenment, and of our faith.

• During the 1^st period of evangelisation and precatechumenate, the community ‘welcomes them into their homes, into personal conversation, and into the community gatherings’ Rite of Christian Initiation of  Adults ‘RCIA’ 9.1.

If inviting an enquirer into your home, why not let them see  how a statue of Our Lady or  picture or icon is central to the home.  Show them  the rosary beads, tell them about the Marian shrines. Share with them the stories of Lourdes, Fatima and Walsingham.

As the catechumen become  ‘familiar with the Christian way of life and are helped by the example and support of sponsors, godparents, and the entire Christian community, the catechumens learn to turn more readily to God in prayer ...’ RCIA 75.2

• If you have a multi-cultural community ask parishioners to share stories of Marian devotion in their country.  It makes for a fascinating and lively discussion if you have someone who has a video of  fiestas and processions. We do good ones  here as well!
• Explore  icons, statues, books  for different aspects of the life of Our Lady.
• Explore the different types of prayer, of meditation, contemplation.
• Have another look at the prayers of Mass when we ask Our Lady to pray for us like the ‘I confess’.
• Use the episode when Mary is confronted by the angel Gabriel,  to  discuss  the challenges  faced on a journey of faith.

Share the experience of praying the rosary together, and let the community benefit  ‘by joining the catechumens in reflecting on the value of the paschal mystery’. RCIA 4

So what are you doing in your parish this month?

My post-summerschool reflection is that we cannot separate out the threads of life in liturgy, or liturgy in life.  It is all an integrated web of relationships - God and us, and ourselves and one another.  We celebrate one in the other, and vice-versa. The encounter with God and one another in the  liturgy forms and shapes and feeds us, and like food, becomes part of who we are.  It literally gets into every fibre of our being, shaping what we believe and our response to life.   Whatever it is that happens in and through the liturgy is what keeps us going - and yes, it is beyond words!   

RCIA is often simply referred to as 'Journey in Faith' - and like any journey, it is something we are actively engaged in at every step.  It isn't a 'system' or 'education' or 'entertainment'.   Nor is it something we do alone - 'me and God'.  It's when we can find ourselves most aware of being held in a unity, addressing God together, in, through and with Christ.   We need to sing our songs and listen and respond to the Word, make gestures and soak in moments of silence - and this tunes us in afresh to who we are, and gives our lives its gospel shape.  On my own, I have limits, needs, longings - and recognise I cant 'do' life or liturgy on my own.   The journey of faith, for all of us, needs nourishing through company - and the Liturgy is the visible sign of our deepest reality - being made One in Christ, and receiving the life of Christ not for ourselves but for the world.     We had Marty Haughen with us for the week - we laughed a lot, and we sang many of his songs. 

'Let us build a house where love can dwell, and all can safely life.  A place where saints and children tell how hearts learn to forgive.  Built of hopes and dreams and visions, rock of faith and vault of grace;  Here the love of Christ shall end division:  All are welcome, all are welcome, all are welcome in this place.'

In these lovely Summer weeks, where we seem to have more space than is usual in our busy, 7-day week lives, perhaps we can be increasingly hospitable in the Sunday Mass, and accompany our catechumens and candidates in a more reflective way of experiencing the Liturgy.    The Liturgy can only be the 'catechist' if we let it.  We need to encourage reflection - and to be reflective ourselves for a start!  In every Mass we are working in 'partnership' with:

• the liturgical and scriptural texts:  alive and active words that accomplish the actions they describe!
• the community itself - being together, and open to the power of the texts as the Word of life addressed to us!
• on this particular Sunday - for speech, listening, silence, encounter! to find ourselves surprised, breathless!
• in this space - our building, and the symbols we use - do they bear the weight of the mystery?
• thy mystery that is to be revealed today - full of hope and possibilities, new life.

Perhaps we can help enquirers, catechumens, candidates with a simple 5-minute reflection before Mass:

• How am I as I come to Mass today?  Who have been listening to this week?  What about the key things going on in the world?  What do I expect as I come to Mass today?

And then to tune in to all the different elements of the Mass - alternating between sound and silence, speech and song, movement and stillness, proclamation and reflection, word and action (Environment and Art in Catholic Worship 25) - the way liturgy is celebrated will itself carry the mystery - and this is how we 'pass on faith' to those who come.

• How does it feel to pray at this point in the Mass, how does it shape or influence my understanding and commitment to the Liturgy at this point?

At the end, we are sent out to 'glorify the Lord by your life' (new translation)

• What is your overriding feeling or thought at this point as you leave Mass?  What do you expect as you go?

If we can reflect on our experience of the Mass, and allow it to bubble away in us, we will somehow find it speaking into to life during the week - courage, peace, joy, comfort, challenge.     In the words of the late Cardinal Joseph Bernadin (Chicago):

The commitment I envision must be in our Catholic bones:  the need to assemble each Sunday, to make common prayer, to hear the scriptures and reflect, to gather at the holy table and give God thanks and praise over the bread and wine which are for us the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, and finally to go from that room to our separate worlds - but now carrying the tune we have heard, murmuring the words we have made ours, nourished by the sacred banquet, ready in so many ways to make all God's creation and all the work of human hands into the kingdom we have glimpsed in the Liturgy.'

One step at a time, imperfect, wounded as we are, encouraged by other wounded healers - after all Christ seems to say that we enter into the kingdom now by doing little daily things with love .   And I would agree - 'it is not in craving after ready-made, complete and finished things that love finds its meaning - but in the urge to participate in the becoming of such things' (Bauman, Liquid Love: On the Frailty of Human Bonds).  These Summer weeks of the community life and our Sunday Liturgy really are a very blessed time in the Journey of Faith.

God with us in every day relationships

How was it for you? Easter? Pentecost? Trinity Sunday?

Walking alongside our elect, we have trod the lenten path in preparation for sacraments of initiation at Easter. We have rejoiced with them in the Easter Vigil, and have lived and shared our faith with our new Catholic members throughout the 50-days of the Resurrection of the Lord. We havecontinued with joy through Pentecost, and yesterday, with the feast of the Most Holy Trinity we again gathered together as a parish community, Body of Christ, to know, celebrate and experience how much God loves us. I was very struck by the Opening Prayer yesterday - in the current 1973 Missal translation: '

Father, you sent your Word to bring us truth and your Spirit to make us holy. Through them we come to know the mystery of your life. Help us to worship you, one God in three Persons, by proclaiming and living our faith in you.

The 1998 Icel text, also in our current missals as an alternative opening prayer reads:

God, we praise you. Father all-powerful, Christ Lord and Saviour, Spirit of love. You reveal yourself in the depths of our being, drawing us to share in your life and your love. One God, three Persons, be near to the people formed in your image, close to the world your love brings to life.

In the first Reading God proclaims Godself to be 'a God of tenderness and compassion, slow to anger, rich in kindness and faithfulness.' In the second reading we are exorted to 'try to grow perfect, help one another, be united, live in peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you.' In the Gospel 'God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son so that everyone who believes in him may not be lost but may have eternal life.'

If we are praying these texts, opening our hearts and lives, they will have an impact - they will renew us and shape us, and be the lens through which we see the world and respond to people and events in the ordinary every-day of life. Every moment, bidden or unbidden, God is with us, revealing Godself in the depths of our being, drawing us to share in the Divine Life and Love. Wow! It's all a mind-blowing mystery. We are made new! We dont have to react in the same old way when the wrong buttons are pushed. We can see things differently, we can take the long view. Summer is a great time to allow this renewal to get into our bones - like vitamin D from sunshine, we need it. In quietly reflecting on our experience of the liturgy - what did I hear? What did I see? What did I sense? What did I touch? - we will find ourselves living it! Yes, the Lord is with you! The words and actions of the liturgy reflecting our relationship and sharing in the life of God, are echoed in the actions and words of daily events, daily encounters with others. As St Benedict use to say when he encoutered an old friend 'It is Easter indeed!'

Action?

Tune in and be consciously aware more often during the day - to the Word and the Spirit at work in YOU, achieving so much more than you can ask or imagine!

Look out and see just how close God is to the world his love brings to life.

In your journeys to and fro, God direct you. In your happiness and pleasure, God bless you. In care, anxiety, or trouble, God sustain you. In peril and in danger, God protect you. (Archbishop Timothy Olufsen, 1918-1992, Nigeria)

Jesus normally warns us to avoid temptation. He asks us to pray 'lead us not into temptation'(Matthew 6:13) and suggests that 'if your right eye should be your downfall, tear it out' (Matthew 5:29). But in Lent as we open ourselves up to God we also may expose ourselves to testing but, if we approach it in the right way, we do so in a safe environment. To help us to learn to swim better the instructor asks us to jump into the water but remains always on hand to save us if we get in trouble.  Lent is, of course, a time to deepen our relationship with the Lord through learning humility through repentence (we discover we really aren't as good as we think we are), and learning to trust in Him. 

Lent may be a time of being alone with God - yet, paradoxically, being alone is a communal activity. We are alone with our brothers and sisters of our parish community. The wilderness is full of our friends! For the catechumens and candidates preparing for the Easter Vigil it is a period of Purification and Enlightenment. But then that is what Lent should be for all of us. This is why the RCIA process involves all the parish community. The catechumens and candidates can be  a great blessing for us all, an encouragement and a challenge in our own Lenten journey, and a source of joy in the Lord. 

The RCIA process offers a route by which people can prepare to be received into the Catholic Church which is inseparable from growing in personal faith. It also offers nothing less than a means of promoting renewal within a parish community.  The more the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults is implemented in full and the greater the opportunities it offers. 

In our parish, as in many others that 'do' RCIA, we have never really  carried it out in full, and what actually happens is somewhere between the ideal and what seems to be practical.  This year we have gone increasingly lectionary-based, and carried out  a combined Rite of Acceptance (of Catechumens) and Welcoming (of candidates already baptised) in Sunday  Mass. We  combined these because this year we have fewer participants than usual, just one Catechumen and two candidates. It is important to emphasise that catechumens and candidates are different yet just as important to see them as fellow travellers with us on their journey in faith. The Rite of Acceptance and Welcoming did not take up much of the Mass yet it proved very meaningful not only to both Catechumen and Candidates but provided a 'before your very eyes' experience of the work of the Holy Spirit.  As Lent began the Rite of Election and Enrollment in the Cathedral a few weeks later gave added to the momentum. Two weeks later our catechumen took part in the First Scrutiny in Sunday Mass. The candidates came to support  their catechumen brother and the scrutiny concluded with all three being presented with the Creed. Thus the people of the parish have their own experience  of Lent deepened by being part of it. This year we are going to carry out the second and third scrutiny within the weekly RCIA meeting but next year we shall consider doing all three in Mass, particularly if we have more  catechumens.  Perhaps each scrutiny at a different Sunday Mass so that more of the community might become involved.

So far we have not gone as far as dismissal. It is quite possible that once we started the practice it might well become accepted much more readily than one might think. We considered introducing  the idea towards the end of Lent this year as the first step in extending it to the whole period of the catechumenate. To do it this year might be to expect too much of our one catechumen but perhaps we shall have more next year and we can extend dismissal to the whole of Lent. In our parish we tend to have more candidates than catechumens and the candidates consist a mixture of those who have already been catechised as practicising member of a non-Catholic Christian Community and some who, though baptised as infants, have had little or no further catechesis. The Rite suggests that the latter might be dismissed but the catechised might not, with an element of choice. For this year at least, with only one Catechumen and two candidates , it seemed better to keep them together and encourage each other.  Perhaps we shall have more catechumens next year, do all the scrutinies in Mass and start to introduce the dismissal principal.

The more the members of the parish  become involved in the journey of the Catechumens and Candidates and the more they will share their joy at the Easter Vigil and the more the newcomers will be a blessing to the whole community.  After the period of mystagogia and they descend from the mountain of transfiguration  comes the challenge not only of integrating the new members of the body of Christ into the parish but in appreciating that they represent new life which has the potential to renew us all. Are we going to be content to let them merge into the inward-looking background or are they going to lead us in inviting strangers into our church  to 'come and see a man who has told me everything I ever did'? (John 4:29). Our new brothers and sisters of the Easter Vigil offer us the opportunity to see our parish community to grow not only in numbers but in spiritual depth and in the Joy of the Lord.

May we, along with our new brothers and sisters, all be Easter people!