Community Based RCIA
The RCIA network conference Bridging the Gap has come and gone and brought with it lots of ideas. Led by Fr Martin Jakubus’, his vision of a sponsoring community was thought provoking, but as often happens it is the odd comment that hits the nail on the head.
One of our clergy participants, made the point, that we still talk about ‘groups’ when it is about ‘community’ and about the oneness of God.
The word ‘group’ gives a vision of people with like-minded ideals gathering together, whether the activity or purpose is secular or religious. But the fact that a group has a title and consists of selected members is already divisive; whereas we are actually this big amorphous body, and as we welcome new members, we –the community, extend a bit, and open up to welcome this new person into our midst, as another joins the Body of Christ.
In Reflections for Corpus Christi the blogger referred to 1 Cor 3:5-7 when Paul asks what is Apollos, what is Paul. Paul in writing to the community about their divisions, reminded them that the individuals and their tasks count for nothing, for it is ‘God, who gives growth’. Paul was clear that having different factions was divisive.
Yet the human in us likes groups: there is something cosy about them, but have you ever been to a group that feels closed, or more intent on pursuing a specific purpose, so that it is bowed down by its process. I guess this is the Martha syndrome: being busy but missing the real point of what or who is important. A routine has to be followed with a ‘programme’ and a timetable, which doesn’t necessarily fit with every enquirer.
At your next team meeting, look at RCIA 4 & 9. You can’t swop the term ‘group’ for ‘community’; it doesn’t have the same effect. Why not, as part of your next evaluation -and summer makes a great time to evaluate, whether your team meets just term-time or all year round – ask how RCIA is growing in your parish.
RCIA 9 tells us ‘the entire community must help the candidate and catechumens throughout the process’.
How many of your parishioners are given the chance to welcome inquirers into their home? #9.1;
Do you publicise and give plenty of notice of celebrations occurring during the catechumenate, so that many of the community can be present? #9.
Perhaps those with welcoming skills are where Inquirers are first directed.
Do you have a pool of sponsors who benefit from the opportunity of ongoing formation ready for when their role is called upon?
Do your catechumens accompany those in specific parish activities, justice & peace and social action?
Do they attend prayer groups, help with fundraising or social events?
Is Your Community aware they are the lynchpin to evangelisation and mission?
Does everyone know that RCIA is carried out in your parish?
Do they know there is a team: who is involved and what specific tasks there are?
If you have RCIA sessions, are they well publicised. If they are closed sessions, have you explained why to the rest of the community
Does the community pray for its catechumens, support them on their journey and welcome them as Neophytes and befriend them for life?
During the summer break, why not get liturgists and catechists together to plan how the Rite of Acceptance or Welcome can occur at Sunday Mass, or how the Scrutinies can be celebrated at Mass next Lent, rather than at an evening group session.
When you think of RCIA as a whole community action, it makes it easier to select people for specific ministries: sponsors, godparents.
None of the above is new and probably many RCIA teams consider they tick all the boxes, but why not take the time to ask a few of your parishioners what they know about RCIA in your parish. Is their perception of RCIA what you expected? People come and go from parishes, and I’ve not been to one yet, where everyone is aware of what RCIA is, that it is being carried out in their church, and that it is the task of 'all the baptised' #9
Finally, please share your good practice of whole community RCIA, as well as the hurdles that had to be overcome. That is what the Network is for: to share ideas and exchange good practice.
SueP
Rite of Welcome/Acceptance in the West Country
I often wonder why some communities ignore the Rite of Acceptance into the Catechumenate and the Rites of Welcome for candidates, perhaps for fear of imposing a burden on people, but they are missing some exciting opportunities in the process. Our parish looks forward to celebrating these rites each year. At our recent combined Rite of Welcome and Acceptance held at the beginning of a Saturday evening parish Mass, there were so many people that we worried that our RCIA group, their families and sponsors and the parish community would not fit into the church. A recent Sunday Gospel reading from Luke 5:1-11 with its abundant image of bursting fishing nets full of teaming fish seemed rather apt.
Whereas we normally have three or four adults, plus a few children for RCIA and CICCA (Catholic Initiation of Children of Catechetical Age) in our city parish here in the West country, this year we have twenty-five adults and children coming forward to be baptised and received at Easter, including seven adult baptisms and six adult receptions. This has brought its own logistical problems in our small church, one of three, which make up our small parish, where the total combined Mass attendance across three parishes, numbers no more than three hundred.
Although we had described the Rites briefly to the members of the RCIA group, - the danger of revealing too much could detract from the actual impact of the experience on the day, there was much excitement on the day of the event. The group had had two questions to consider "What do you ask of the Church and why?" Each had agreed to give an individual, personal answer. Responses were written at a previous RCIA session, to act as an aide-memoir in case adults and children were nervous on the day.
When this was tried last year, as a result of a suggestion made by the parish priest, but greeted with a little scepticism by hard bitten catechists, the catechists had been surprised that the adults had agreed to it and secondly, how deeply it had prompted the group to think about their responses. The third surprise was the witness that it gave and the impact it had had on the parish communities, who had strained to listen to every word of the moving answers. There was even a tear or two. This year a microphone was used!
On Saturday morning, the phone lines were busy, as catechists phoned and checked that people were OK and knew what they were doing, reassured those who were nervous, listened to question responses that had been changed, reminded people to arrive early. Both individuals and families shared how nervous and excited they felt. Some parents were busy listening to their children’s answers. Some could not but help mention at work, what was going to take place at the weekend. Some had spoken to others in the group and compared notes. Some shared how this had made them think very seriously about the step they were taking. It seemed the very act of preparing for the rites had brought the whole group together.
Even our parish priest, who enjoys celebrating these beautiful rites - he himself came into the church through the RCIA process – was becoming a little apprehensive, less he fail to remember which part of the rite applied to each adult and child. There was a master spreadsheet which showed all the permutations, which became translated into colour coded cards with names. The complication came when families had members who were to be received and baptised and where parents had to speak not only on their own behalf, but on behalf of younger children not old enough to be part of CICCA.
One of our parishioners, who normally directs the traffic in our local, large ferry terminal to make sure that all the lorries and cars are correctly loaded onto the ferries, made short work of organising the movement of prospective candidates and catechumens, adults, children and babies, sponsors, catechists etc., as they were greeted at the door at the back of the church at the beginning of Mass and then moved around our tiny church, so there was room for catechists and sponsors to continue with the signing after the priest etc., and the rite could be celebrated in a dignified manner.
After the homily, gospels were presented to each person. The Mass was a long one, but no one seemed to mind, as the excitement felt by the RCIA and CICCA groups was communicated to parishioners and reminded those who had been received in previous years of their own experience.
When entered into enthusiastically, these rites provide a profound experience for those standing at the threshold of their new Christian journey or encouragement for those already on their journey, they mark the next step, they give visible witness to the building of community and give heart to all of us who are on the self same journey.
Rejoice All Who Are Chosen
This 3rd Sunday of Advent, Gaudete/Rejoice Sunday, we light the pink candle to deliberately mark the advent and approaching celebration of the Incarnation. For some this might symbolise how quickly the time is passing while counting the many tasks on the list which are to be done before Christmas. Advent reminds us that this is a time of preparation, of considering how quickly time does pass, and the many ways we could be ready for the coming of Christ. During this season we sing in the familiar hymn 'Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to you, O Israel.' Shall come to you, shall come to me, shall come for all. I rejoice each time I consider that our Lord chose to 'come', to manifest his love and trust in us, to marvel at and with humanity.
This Sunday we have also celebrated the Rite of Acceptance for our catechumens and the Rite of Welcome for our candidates. The RCIA team, liturgy committee and the parish priest prepared a leaflet based on the combined rite (found in the American publication of the Rite) #507-528. The prayers speak of joy and rejoicing, of preparation and the time spent in coming to know Christ more fully. They speak of how God has 'sought and summoned' them in many ways and acknowledges how in response the catechumens and candidates are seeking to know more about and are turning toward God. The assembly were asked if they were ready to help the catechumens and candidates 'follow Christ' and we answered 'We are.' Now that is really something worth adding to the task list.
Like the pink candle of Advent, this liturgy marks a stage in time within the journey that both catechumens and candidates are on in the company of our communities. In the Gospel this weekend we hear of others who were 'filled with expectation and were questioning in their hearts and who wanted to prepare themselves for the Messiah.' Lk 3:10-18 They ask John the Baptist 'What then should they do?' John speaks to them of charity, of acting justly and with integrity and to live faithfully as they prepare for baptism. Echoed in the Rites of Acceptance and Welcome the catechumens, candidates and assembly reflected on the how we are to listen to the Word, to come to know God, to love our neighbours, to gather for prayer and to participate in the service of others.
I thought this was a very appropriate time to celebrate this combined Rite which clearly resonated the Advent message of preparation, prayer and expectation. It is a time to rejoice for all who are chosen to follow Christ. 'Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to you, O Israel.'
Be patient! Be confident!
I find it even more difficult to be patient and wait these days - really I think because of the speed of life, pressure of work, and expectations for instant response. I have an irrational fear of not being ready, or not working hard enough, or of what 'might happen'. And yet as Advent begins, I hear God speak through the First Sunday readings - 'yes, there are nations in agony, and menaces in the world, but dont you be 'coarsened' by the cares of life. Instead, pray for strength, and stand with confidence. Trust in your friendship with God - Christ has already offered salvation, the battle is won, and the life God wants you to live you are living!' That is the Truth, and we are invited to enter, patiently, more deeply into this liberating, life-giving truth. There are tensions in the double-sided message... of 'now' and 'not yet', 'disaster' and 'deliverance', 'destruction' and 'new dawn' - and advent faith says stay awake and actively live with it - and sure enough, if we live the present moment fully, we find signs of the One we are waiting for. As Nouwen says in 'Bread for the Journey' 'waiting patiently always means paying attention to what is happening right before our eyes and seeing there the first rays of God's glorious coming.'
And I see it on the faces of those being 'Welcomed' or 'Accepted' into the Order of Catechumens - they are such witnesses to patient waiting for me! One Enquirer has been coming to Mass with her little nephew for 6 years (since his mother died - she made a promise!). She is actively taking that first step now, and says it feels so exciting, and so natural. Her enthusiasm is catching - the whole parish seem to be full of advent expectation, really loving this 'new' catechumen who brings new life & hope to us - God is bringing order and beauty amidst the chaos, beginnings and endings, death and birth, dark and light, despair and hopem so in a nutshell, love one another and trust God.
I hope Advent starts well for you - enjoy Thom Shuman's poem:
Every evening it's the same: put the key in the deadbolt, turn and lock; check the windows; put out the cat; leave a light on...
all those routines to feel safe and fall asleep in peace.door open ajar
But some night, in the midst of my security, you will tiptoe into my house,
rearranging the furniture, cracking the combination of my heart, and ransacking all my fears.
Then, softly whistling 'Come Thou Long- Expected Jesus' you will slip out, leaving the door standing wide open
that I might follow you into the kingdom.
Come Lord Jesus! Amen!
Open to the Spirit
Pentecost is upon us – the formal time of Mystagogy is complete, at least for those who were initiated at Easter and in at least some parishes things quieten down again in the catechumenal programme.
Lent and Easter sees extraordinary activity for our RCIA groups. The Rite of Election, Scrutinies, and the celebration of the sacraments at the Vigil, and then adapting ourselves to the distinctive form of catechesis that is Mystagogy and finally the gathering of new Catholics with their bishop. Now there’s a checklist and a half. Which of these things have we done? And which have we failed to do. What omissions were due to us, and which were due to others? What might we learn from how kept Lent and Easter with our catechumens and neophytes this year for what we might want to do next year?
In the parish where I serve our catechumenal programme used to really quieten after Pentecost. In fact it went into complete hibernation – with an expectation that it would start up again in the Autumn. This was the practice up until this year.
That things are different this year is not especially because we decided to do things differently, (and some might say ‘properly’). However change has been thrust upon us by those who have been coming along to our parish enquirers meetings this year.
Unusually (for us) those people have mostly been unbaptised people, and have been young parents with pre-school children. The number of pre-school children for whom our enquirers have responsibility presented us with an early challenge.
Our Enquirers group has traditionally met on a weekday evening. This year’s participants were happy with this so long as they could bring their babies and toddlers with them. The group leaders found this a challenge too far so after six weeks or so we switched to an afternoon meeting which was good for the parents and ok for our leadership team.
The next challenge was just how much formation the group needed at enquiry stage. It was quickly clear that they would not be ready for the sacraments at Easter this year, and that was quite a break with tradition in this parish, where we have for many years operated a curtailed and constrained Autumn to Easter programme. So we had no Easter baptisms or confirmations from this group and had a very much more extended enquiry stage, because the members were very clear they were not ready to make any commitment.
Interestingly enough we did have a number of confirmations this Easter – for a number of adults, already regular in their practice, independently approached the parish team wanting to receive the sacrament. Our enquirers not yet having become catechumens we found it better to establish a new group which met weekly during Lent to prepare for confirmation.
The experience of Lent/Easter was a powerful one for our Enquirers and has helped them all to come to the decision that they want to make the commitment to continue their exploration of faith in a more committed fashion. Which itself presented the team with an issue – what to do about welcoming into the catechumenate, and what form might that catechumenate take.
Over recent years we have not made much of the role of sponsor: the RCIA group itself has tended to take on that responsibility. But this year was to be different in this respect also. We’ve encouraged the enquirers to think about who they already know that in fact is exercising something of that role. And where those people are ready and able we have chosen them to be the sponsors.
The Rite of Entry into the Catechumenate is being celebrated on Trinity Sunday. The season of Easter has come to take on a particular initiatory flavour for our parish. This is not only because of the (usual) celebrations of adult initation at the Easter Vigil. In our diocese confirmations take place in the Easter season and this year all our parish first Holy Communions (about 100!) have taken place over the last 4 Sundays of the Easter season. But this year, when Easter has finished we gather the next Sunday to celebrate a rite which has us mark out work to be done in readiness for Easter 2010.
Our present expectation is that the group will be ready for baptism next Easter but as flexibility has been our keyword so far this year, who knows?
And as for catechumenal process, one good thing that has come from this group is that because of their various other commitments they are happy to try out Sunday dismissal catechesis. This will be something new for us all. So please keep us in your prayers!
Be Alert
BE ALERT
I love the Church’s new year – In this year of Mark the season of Advent begins with the imperative to ‘Be on your guard’, ‘Stay awake’, ‘Be alert’ ‘Don’t be caught asleep’. There is a great urgency in the language, there is no time for sitting back and taking ones time, considering all the options and then coming to a reasonable decision. Now is the time for action.
Wow! It sounds like the Governments response to the Credit Crunch. The difference being that our Government’s urgency is based on the belief that we are all consumers and that our whole economic viability depends on us becoming successful consumers. We kind of sleepwalked into the Credit Crunch by being encouraged to live way beyond our means. Now we are encouraged to become more alert consumers, spending with a purpose to kick start the economy. A pragmatic solution designed to bring about a brighter economic future.
Surely the Advent directives don’t belong to the same pragmatic camp. They certainly challenge us to:
BE ALERT
STAY AWAKE
BE ON OUR GUARD
To what purpose?
Getting ready for Christmas! Granted not the consumer Christmas symbolized by Santa, who year by year has a go at elbowing the infant child out of the crib, but for the celebration of the amazing truth that ‘God loved us so much that he sent his son, born of a woman, born under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children. And because you are children, God has sent his Spirit into our hearts, crying “Abba Father!” So you are no longer a slave but a child, and if a child then also an heir, through God.’ (Galatians 4:4-7) The great truth is that we already are the children of God, we already have the Spirit of God deep within us, enabling us to address God as “Abba! Father!” We are already heirs – the problem is that we sometimes miss this reality and live as if these great truths weren’t true.
Advent is a time not so much of preparing for Christmas but of longing. A deep longing that we might become what we already are – children of God. Those of us who were fortunate enough to hear the vision of Dr Martin Luther King whose dream of a future where children of different religions and different colour would walk hand in hand had our imaginations captured. We knew that when he spoke of climbing the mountain and looking into the valley and seeing the future – he was speaking of the present and calling on his community and society to change. It was an Advent speech inviting all to be alert, to stay awake and not to be found asleep – the future calling to action in the present.
The prayers used in the celebration of the Rite of Welcome or the Order of the Catechumenate are profoundly Advent prayers:- particularly the signing of the senses where past present and future come together in a great embrace.
“Receive the sign of the cross on your ears,
that you may hear the voice of the Lord.”
“Receive the sign of the cross on your lips.
That you may respond to the word of God” etc etc
Each prayer is an invitation to Be Alert, Be Awake, Be on your Guard. Be Advent people – don’t miss the moment.
Advent Awakening
As we move into the Year of Mark with the dawn of the First Sunday of Advent upon us we are challenged in the short gospel to really go against the grain! I don't know about you, but with dark nights that begin ever earlier and dark mornings that last ever longer, I really want to spend more time sleeping and dosing my way towards the shortest day. But the gospel and the season we are about to enter are very definitely about ‘awakening' and ‘staying awake'. It's perhaps a good time to encourage those we are accompanying to take stock of their journey of awakening to God and God's call in their lives and perhaps to discern their readiness to celebrate the Rite of Welcome or the Rite of Acceptance. At the same time it's worth asking whether the parish community is ready too and to consider the best ways of celebrating so that candidates and catechumens become the focus for all to experience the power these rites can have when celebrated well.
I used to only consider a combined rite celebration when dealing with both baptised and un-baptised enquirers and worked hard to differentiate the different elements of both rites so that all involved could appreciate what was happening. But it often failed to impact on the parishioners in the pews who seemed a bit confused and nonplussed and now I'm not so sure that combining these two rites is the best way forward. If we're working hard to make explicit the importance of the whole parish community in our enquirers' journeys, then these two key moments along the way are wonderful opportunities to move that forward. Rather than using a combined rite at one Sunday Mass, if you have both baptised and un-baptised enquirers ready to make that first witness within the parish community then why not celebrate ‘Welcome' during one Sunday Mass and ‘Acceptance' at another Sunday Mass a couple of weeks later, and maybe at a different time (Saturday evening Vigil perhaps). This will enable the parish community to see clearly that there are differences but more importantly, to have the opportunity of welcoming on a more personal and individual level. It will also encourage a more discerning spirit within the RCIA group as it decides who might be ready for these end of first stage rites. Finally, it can help to prevent that programmed sense of "We'll celebrate Welcome and Acceptance' next week because it's Advent and that's when we always do it!"
This First Sunday's readings also provide us with a rich array of images of the God who calls us and working with these would provide a lovely reflective session as part of the discernment process. How and where in our awakening to God might we have encountered God as:
Father, Redeemer, Ancient One, Guide, Melter of Mountains, the Presence, God as Face Hider, Creator, Potter, Shepherd, Planter and Protector of vines, Life Giver?
Not to mention 'the unexpected owner of the house who looks for a wide awake welcome'!
Why do we think Evangelisation starts at the Church door?
So how do you recruit? It may not be the right term, but if we put as much energy into recruiting as the National Trust do, just think of the numbers we may be initiating into the Church.
Two things got me going on this, one was a comment about the likelihood of a Rite of Acceptance, that ‘we may have someone who has just joined the RCIA. They've been to the first session'. The second was when I was literally standing at the front door to the parish office and was told ‘that we might have a couple of ‘nibblers', who'd made an approach. It was probably standing at the outside door to the parish office that did it, but I suddenly thought, how we were failing prospective Christians by waiting for them to approach our church. Both the above comments recorded the expectation that enquirers make their first approach to the church, and while in some respects that is correct, we seem to have forgotten there is an even earlier stage. What might it take before we get into the mindset of being open to evangelisation away from the church door.
The first thing is to note that evangelisation is not taking every opportunity to ‘preach God' to the unconverted. It is not proselytising and it's not moralising. I think of it as being open to the Holy Spirit working in others and using me as its instrument. I couldn't stand on a street corner and proclaim the Good News of God, but I've come to see how in subtle ways I can open other people's hearts to the joy and hope that Jesus brings. Here is one example.
Somebody I know (but not a close friend), who has had their share of worries in their personal and family life, sent me a text one Sunday morning asking when I went to church if I would ask my God to keep a special eye on someone for them. It came right out of the blue from someone who had previously told me they couldn't find God in their lives because of all the troubles they'd endured. I was delighted to be able to text back and say ‘of course'.
I got another text the next week, asking if I would please send the same words to God. I must have been a bit slow, because it needed this text to make me think that I should be doing something other than praying, as I'd been asked. Eventually, I sent a text with a little story about a close (non baptised) friend of mine, who at a time when she was experiencing some family problems, had told me how she liked to call into churches, any church, and look for a statue of a beautiful lady, with a serene face, who she would talk to, and how it used to make her feel calm, and at ease. After my text there was silence for a while, and then I got a text back that mentioned about looking for a very easy book about God. I thought of all the books I've got and realised that a story version of the Gospel was the best book to start with. I got an email address and sent a few ideas.
Now I don't know what will happen with this person's journey, but I do believe that similar opportunities happen to us all in our daily lives, and that this is when evangelisation takes place. It is a way that the whole parish can get involved in subtle ways in the first period of the RCIA, after all:
‘the precatechumenate is of great importance... It is a time of evangelisation: faithfully and constantly the living God is proclaimed and Jesus Christ who he has sent for the salvation of all. Thus those who are not yet Christians, their hearts opened by the Holy Spirit, may believe and be freely converted to the Lord....' (# 36).
Being honest, I know in my parish that the message has not yet got through that it is the whole Church, (RCIA General introduction 7), all the baptised, who have a part to play in the very first period of the RCIA (# 8). Until the ‘entire community’ understand that their individual and collective role as Christians is to ‘proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom of God’ (EN 14) then new Christians will only enter our church when they manage to arrive at the church or parish house door.
Until RCIA ceases to be the domain of the few who make up or are affiliated to the RCIA team, the whole dimension of ‘witness’ will go undetected and undervalued.
I’ll end with a suggestion. As our fully initiated Catholics emerge at the Easter Vigil, how might we benefit from their experience? Has anybody analysed and assessed how the last ten years of enquirers got onto the RCIA? How many of our PPC’s have anyone with responsibility for evangelisation? What strategies can we introduce for reaching out to the unchurched?
How do we use our liturgy to express Catholic identity? Is it accessible to those who are not (or not yet) Catholics? Is it inculturated? Is it faithful to Catholic tradition?*
Catechesis in Advent: Christ past, present and future
Most parish enquiry groups are a mixed bag, so I don't think ours is unique in that we have two unbaptised teenagers and their uncatechised but baptised Mum; a person who was 'received' elsewhere two years ago through one-to-one instruction but has never felt she 'belongs' to the Catholic church, and although fully initiated, she comes along to share in the catechesis; then we have a man whose first marriage has just been annulled, now engaged to a young widow parishioner; another is married to a Catholic whose children are now being prepared for Holy Communion and he wants to think about becoming a Catholic himself; a woman from a Protestant background with a strong personal relationship with God, but no experience of 'church practice'; and finally, a woman who met one of our neophytes in a cycling club and is interested in finding out more (about the Church, not cycling!)
When we first started using the Rites of Initiation of Adults we were worried about this sort of mix, and how to meet each person's needs. Now we have stopped worrying! We see it as real 'treasure' for the parish. Using the liturgical year, and the lectionary, as mainstays for our catechesis, we have found that over a period of between 1 and 3 years our catechumens come to a deep understanding and experience of the mysteries at the heart of our faith. We are no longer 'driven' by the time constraints of a more programmatic approach - and we would call this more of an 'apprenticeship' into the Catholic Christian way of life - the sort envisaged in the Rite itself.
All these people have knocked at our door at odd intervals since last January, and we have trained ourselves (!) to say 'Come in' rather than 'Come back in September'. We are muddling our way towards an all-year round 'Come and See' enquiry. By about Advent most people have been with us for several months, and we offer the first opportunity for the Rite of Welcome (or Acceptance). In looking at the Rite together, seeing what is required, it has been discerned (by us and them) that 3 of our 7 enquirers are ready for this step. And that hasn't been difficult - people know when they are reay, and we can see the change in them over the months - there is an infectious enthusiasm, an openness to the Gospel, eagerness to learn to pray, to be part of community life. Others are still a little cautious about what this commitment might mean, and want to carry on asking questions.
With the limited resources in our small rural community, the team decided to have the enquiry and catechumenal sessions on the same night. This means a welcoming drink and chat, followed by prayer time and gospel sharing together, and then split into the two groups for the deepening catechesis, with two members of the team guiding the process in each group, with sponsors there to support. 
The main 'pillar' of our catechesis in Advent for both groups continues to be the Sunday gathering, with opportunity to reflect afterwards on the experience of the Liturgy - the heady mix of signs and symbols, gestures and vestures, words and silence, is rich enough fayre for any apprentice to feast on! Leading up to Christmas we have some parish activities planned, and the enquirers and catechumens are actively encouraged to take part in community life - special advent liturgies, an outreach to the elderly housebound, a presentation on our Zimbabwe project - all of this is part of the apprenticeship in the Christian way of life, deepening the awareness of Christ in the season of Advent. Yes, Christ in history, and Christ who will come again, but most importantly, the Christ who comes and is present is so many ways in our every-day C21 lives.
Resources:
- Have a look at RCIA Network website [www.rcia.org.uk] for Tool Box for discernment among other things;
- The Liturgy Office for info on lectionary based catechesis and lectio divina.
- www.cliftondiocese.com produce some resources for year-round lectionary based catechesis
- Shrewsbury (Paddy Rylands) and Brentwood (Nuala Gannon) produce weekly 'lectio divina' leaflets.