RCIA Network Newsletter
The next issue of the RCIA Network Newsletter is now available online. A copy will be posted to members next week.
Network Directory
I am preparing a new edition of the Network Directory for members to go out with the next Newsletter later this month.
If your details have changed please inform me at Martin.Foster at cbcew.org.uk
RCIA – Burkinabé-style
It was an interesting conversation in a small parish office - talking about RCIA - initiating adults - how challenging it could be to sort out irregularities in marriages of people coming forward to join the Church- the process of ensuring that people had begun to conform their lives to Christ - marking the journey to Baptism with various rites and making sure that the new Catholics were well-supported during the period of mystagogia.
We are all familiar with the process - but this was somewhat different as the office was in the parish of St Vincent de Paul, Koko, Bobo-Dioulasso in Burkina Faso. (If you’re not sure where Burkina is or what it is like, click this link to see what Wikipedia says about on Burkina Faso). I had gone out for the ordination of a new Missionary of Africa (White Father), Anselme Tarpaga, in the cathedral there and the opportunity to chat to people about the inculturation of liturgy and Christian Initiation was irresistible.
Pere Albert with young women from a local village in Konadougou parish
Among those who spoke of the culture in which the White Fathers and Sisters were evangelising was Père Albert, a German priest with 37 years experience of living and working among the peoples of Africa. He invited me to spend a few days out in the mission station of Konadougou in the south-west in the Diocese of Banfora. This is pretty remote and Père Albert said that when he first came people hid behind trees as he passed in his truck… now they clamour for a lift as he passes at the end of the day! In such a place, evening meetings are impossible – people are understandably reluctant to risk meeting snakes on the way home! So much of the catechesis is done in basic Christian communities with leaders coming together for formation and to discuss how their catechumens are progressing. As the leaders can travel up to 20 km, meetings take place during the day and the people obviously need to be fed before returning home. Catechumens are brought together for a 7-day retreat each year with a two-week one during the Lent before their baptism – a chance to reflect together and deepen their spiritual lives... and a hefty commitment of time for subsistence farmers at the hottest time of year. Each week in Lent has its own rite – but given the distance between the Mass centres, not all can happen in every centre every week (as indeed Mass does not always happen).
A family's fetish in the village
The process takes 3-4 years – a one year pre-catechumenate and three year catechumenate – though this can be slightly less where candidates are literate and can undertake study and reflection at home.
Most of the people coming forward are animists, brought up with fetishes and animal sacrifices – and polygamy. It is the latter that often exercises the catechists and clergy and questions about the marital status of the catechumen form a significant part of the questionnaire the leader of the Basic Christian Community fills in to state the readiness of any given candidate. Where a man or woman is in a polygamous marriage, they cannot be baptised but, after their four years of formation receive a blessing during Eastertime. Where the marriage is to one other person, it is regularised as a religious marriage (to go along with the traditional and civil ceremonies that most people also have).
In the town, catechist Georges described a very similar process with candidates following a course of books which opens with the very simple question – who/ what is a catechist? (It prompts the thought about whether people coming to our sessions actually know who or what a catechist might be!) At the end of each year, the prospective new Catholic receives a small token to make the stage in their journey:
End of pre-catechumenate – a miraculous medal
Year 1 of catechumenate – a rosary
Year 2 – medaille croix – a cross with small images of the miraculous medal, St Christopher, the Holy Spirit, Christ and a Madonna
Year 3 – a crucifix
The main responsibility for the formation of the new Christian rests with the Basic Christian Community.
Lent is again marked by rites for each week – and, being in a town, means that people are more able to participate. Week 1 is the call of the candidate who seeks baptism and the vouching for them of the Base Community, catechists and clergy.
Week 2 is the formal renunciation of animistic practices and an exorcism of “esprits mauvaises”.
Week 3 is the giving of and recitation of the Creed by the catechumens.
Week 4 has the “Rite du Sel” – where candidates take salt as a sign of being salt of the earth. There is also the signing of the senses.
Week 5 is the choice of Christian name – where the catechumens give the name they have chosen and why.
The catechumens stay in Mass throughout their catechumenate – there is no dismissal after the Liturgy of the Word – and take full part in the liturgies of Holy Week.
The Easter Vigil starts at 21.00 with the Liturgy of Light and of the Word – and is timed so that the baptisms take place at midnight. There is then a thanksgiving Mass for the newly-baptised on Easter Monday with a blessing for those whose polygamous marriage prevents their being baptised.
Confirmation is deferred for a year and further instruction continues, reinforcing the new way of life the Christian is establishing. Various pictures are used for discussion and particularly significant seemed to be the emphasis on Christ as the perfect sacrifice and the need for the new Christian not to revert back to the sacrifice of chickens, sheep or goats of their animist past. There was also the interesting picture of a man beating a woman – with the explanation that this behaviour too is something that is not appropriate in a Christian marriage.
Of necessity, this really is just a brief summary of the conversations and experience of the Church in Burkina Faso – a country in Africa that prides itself on being an integrated nation where Moslems. Christians and animists live side by side. More snippets can be found on the blog I kept during my time there… including the experience of going to a place sacred to animists. Click here to read more: http://www.bilbosjourneys.blogspot.com/
Forming Threshold Companions
The tables are cleared, the taxis have come and gone, another Conference has come and gone. This page is an opportunity for some immediate reflections. If you would like to add something please contact Martin Foster.
Some photos from the Conference have been added to the website.
Martin writes:
The Conference has given me much to think about. Sheila remind us of the fundamentals and brought us back to what the Rite actually says. In particular the relationship of the catechumenate to the Liturgical Year. Not only that this was a key to the catechumens entry into, and conversion into, the mystery of Christ, but also that it is the celebration of the liturgical year. When we start to probe we discover that the rite has an integrity.
As ever it also the mixture of Conference sessions, informal time and prayer that make up a rich experience.
Sue writes:
What an excellent conference we have just had. I found it really beneficial to learn from the expertise of such an experienced RCIA practitioner as Sheila O’Dea, for whom weekly dismissal of catechumens within all-year catechumenate is the norm.
Participating in the scriptural reflection process within the liturgy was a deeply profound experience, as we feasted on the Word of God. It made the Liturgy of the Word integral and inseparable from the eucharist, when during mass the first reading Ephesians 2:19-22 was proclaimed twice, with time for reflection, and this was repeated with the Gospel. It illustrated how it could be accomplished during Mass: certainly with smaller gatherings, although it would need some preparation.
Sheila offered us a vision – for the Church to honour the Word of God and the Eucaristic mystery with the same reverence.
I see the challenge is to move to all-year round catechumenate with weekly dismissals.
I think this needs to be directed at diocesan level:-
- set a timeframe that all parishes will work towards,
- within the next year there should be a consultation process, in which the perceived difficulties and challenges are explored,
- certain key parishes should be encouraged to practice dismissal during this period, so living examples can be considered,
- the result of consultation should be diocesan guidelines for Forming Threshold Companions.
On a practical basis, I liked Sheila’s suggestion of encouraging readers to attain the additional skill to form part of a rota to lead the weekly dismissal.
Paula writes
What an amazing conference! Input, reflection, liturgy, eating together – and of course raising the occasional glass at the end of the day.
For me personally, the mystagogical reflections were perhaps the most powerful moments – carefully woven together strands of words and music which brought to life again the experiences of liturgy and conference.
Sheila’s input around the themes of apprenticeship, community, liturgy and catechesis reminded us anew of the pillars of our ministry in RCIA and the need to keep them in balance.
I experienced a great sense of community among those gathered, and an openness and attentiveness to each other.
The ‘conference hymn’ has certainly been running around inside my head since Friday:
Stand firm, oh stand firm
Stand firm, oh stand firm
Stand firm, oh stand firm and see what the Lord can do!
Veronica writes:
‘Forming Threshold Companions’ was an excellent three day opportunity to deeply reflect once more on the rich vision of the RCIA in its wholeness. I was particularly struck by the importance of the community and how we modelled a small community, within a larger community as central to the process of the conference. Much thought had obviously gone into enabling these small fellowship table groups to function as reflective, listening, learning and worshipping communities. I felt bereft when, on the last day, we said goodbye and formed a new group focussed on geography and charged with the mission of taking it all home. What remains for me is a renewed conviction of the importance of the RCIA for the Church of today in initiating people into the radical way of life that prioritises as Jesus did.
Ken writes
Forming Threshold Companions did what it says on the title. It was a good place to be. It touched into the heart of the Rite Of Christian Initiation of Adults by emphasing once again the role of the community as the prime influence in the formation of all inquirers, inviting us to take seriously the power of the liturgy . To see the Liturgical Year as key to formation and helping us to feast at the table of the Word. For me the rite that holds all these aspects together is the rite of dismissal. A rite sadly more observed in the breach than the observance. Sheila was uncompromising in stressing the importance of this dimension of the RCIA and hopefully those of us who were privileged to be at the conference will re-think our practice and take the dismissal more seriously. The way in which we were led to reflect on the experience of celebrating the liturgies by journeying deeper into the Word which was certainly made flesh touched the hearts and minds of all present. For these things and for the table companionship I give thanks. It was as a blessing.
Martin writes again:
A number of people commented positively on the music and the liturgy - thanks to Paul, Philip, the instrumentalists and cantors for their help. I have added a list of the music and where it can be found on to the website.
RCIA Network Conference 2008
Forming Threshold Companions
Information and a Booking form for this year's Network conference are being sent out today. Details will be posted on the website at the beginning of April to allow Network members a chance to book first.
Martin Foster
Reflecting on the Rite of Election
Next week's post is intended to be a space to reflect on the experience of celebrating the Rite of Election If you would like to contribute please send a couple of sentences or a short paragraph to Martin Foster
The Word of God – blessing and task
A little late this week 3 members write from an international conference in Chile.
Martin writes
The International Forum on Adult Religious Education holds a consultation every two years. The theme of this year's consultation is The Word of God: blessing and task for catechesis today and it is being held in Santiago, Chile over this last week. The invitation to attends goes to Bishops' Conferences around the world and It is a privilege to be part of a small group from England and Wales.
The Forum is 20 years old this year and it began as an initiative from England and Wales. The first meeting was organised by Paddy Purnell, Anne McDowell and Margaret Foley and held at St Mary's College, Strawberry Hill. Each meeting takes a similar format: reflection and discussion on a theme, generally inspired by a Church document or initiative, and country sharing. What can be fascinating is the interplay between the familiar and the unknown — the similarities and difficulties we hold in common and differences that can be beyond our experience.
Two highlights for me have hearing about the meeting of Latin American bishops - CELAM - at Aparaceido in Brazil last year. Their reflections on catechesis, the need for bishops and their agencies to have an examination of conscience as to where they have failed to be the Church and the importance of the catechumenal model for all catechesis.
On Sunday morning we visited local parishes to look at family catechesis. We met families from the parish who spoke to us about their involvement. What was moving was the sense that the parish and the catechesis was responsibility of the community and that the involvement in family catechesis had strengthened relationships.
Paula writes
It has been a real privilege to take part in this international consultation. Throughout the process there have been opportunities to hear from countries around the world about the joys and challenges of adult religious education and also our hopes for this ministry in the future.
For me the most striking experience was the visit to a local parish for Sunday Eucharist and sharing with parish catechists. The welcome and hospitality was overwhelming and humbling at the same time. We were welcomed into two local parishes and met those involved in family catechesis. The parish and community structures are very different to those in the UK and the numbers of catechists quite astonishing. Catechists undertake formation provided by the archdiocese, and this is a serious undertaking for the catechists and the whole family of the catechist. Married couples are catechists together and as one man commented, although this interfered with his football team it was important for him and his wife to undertake this ministry together. The ministry of catechesis is described with great enthusiasm and commitment as a lifelong ministry in the parish community, catechists are called to live their lives as witnesses to the Word of God that they share. This was not undertaken lightly, and in the people we met, it was clear that their lives, in mind heart and action was shot through with the Word of God.
A last thing that struck me was the role of the godparent. In family catechesis, all families need a father in those instances where a woman may be widowed or divorced and Godfather becomes the father in the family. In our own situation in the RCIA and RCIC in England and Wales, maybe there is something to be learned from this idea.
Linda writes
A key moving experience for the group was the visit to the Sanctuary of Fr Alberto Hurtado.
Fr Hurtado was canonized by Pope Benedict in 2005 and is the third saint for Chile. Born in 1901 he died of cancer at the age of 51 in 1952.
His ministry as a priest focussed much on the young and the poor. The dvd clip we saw showed a warm and ever-present smile.
The Sanctuary includes a museum reflecting his life and work, a beautiful garden including a wall where people's prayer petitions and thanksgiving for prayer are placed and a chapel where the saint's tomb forms the altar. It is a place of grate peace which celebrates the life Fr Hurtado and which offers the opportunity for reflection and prayer.
Welcome
Welcome to Walking the Rite Way, the blog for the RCIA Network. You will find here over the coming weeks: practical ideas and resources, reflections of scripture, the lectionary and the liturgical seasons, comment pieces on how we do the rite. As RCIA touches on so many aspects of the Church's life the writers also have a broad remit.
We aim to have new piece posted on Monday every week. There is already a team of writers with their fingers poised over the keyboard ready to write but if you are a member of the Network and would like to contribute please contact Martin Foster.
One of the good things about a blog is that it allows you an opportunity to comment on what you have read, to join in the conversation – please do so. The writers are not a group of experts but people who are exploring the ‘Rite way’ and sharing what they find.
A few gentle guidelines for participating:
- Think of your contribution as one you might make in your RCIA group.
- Listen to what other people are saying.
- If you disagree do so with courtesy.
- Try to be brief and to the point.
The blog is setup so that the first comment you make is moderated — this is a way of avoiding spam.
Welcome to the journey.
Martin Foster