This post is the second in a series on how the conversion process in the RCIA makes lifelong disciples. If you have not yet read the introduction, please click here. In the introduction, we said, “Our biggest challenge in RCIA formation is deepening the conversion of our seekers to such a level that they become lifelong disciples of Christ.”
Six keys for making disciples
Embedded in the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults are six keys that, if used, will create passionate, dedicated, lifelong Christian disciples. As a reminder, those six keys are found in paragraphs 4-5:
- The initiation of catechumens is a gradual process
- that takes place within the community of the faithful.
- By joining the catechumens in reflecting on the value of the paschal mystery
- and by renewing their own conversion, the faithful provide an example that will help the catechumens to obey the Holy Spirit more generously.
- The rite of initiation is suited to a spiritual journey of adults
- that varies according to: the many forms of God’s grace, the free cooperation of the individuals, the action of the Church, and the circumstances of time and place.
In this post, we are going to look at the first two keys for developing a powerful, effective conversion process that leads to lifelong discipleship.
Key 1: Conversion is a gradual process (the most difficult key to grasp)
Accepting and believing that conversion of hearts is a gradual process is one of the most difficult steps for most RCIA teams to take. Everyone will agree that conversion is a gradual process — as long as it starts in September and reaches fruition by Easter.
Many of us are so bound to our religious education syllabuses that we allow very little breathing room for spiritual conversion. To free ourselves from this binding, we need to pray. Pray every day that instead of focusing on what we have to teach, the Holy Spirit will instead show us wounds that need to be healed. Pray that the Holy Spirit will help you see each seeker as someone on his or her own journey of faith that doesn’t conform to a predetermined class schedule. Pray for the wisdom to be able to accompany that seeker on his or her journey without imposing your own need to explain 30 points of doctrine before Easter.
Simple next step: Choose one Sunday a month to move off of your syllabus. Instead, break open what Jesus is teaching the seekers in that Sunday’s gospel or in an experience of Christ they had in the parish or in their family life.
Long-term goal: Develop an individual faith formation plan for each seeker that is guided by the movement of the Holy Spirit and not by a school calendar.
Key 2: Conversion takes place within the community
A consistent complaint that we hear from RCIA teams is that it is difficult to get the community involved in the initiation process. By dwelling on this second key, we can get a clearer understanding of what the church is asking of us and our parish communities.
What RCIA teams seem to expect of the parish community center on one or more of these three things: we want parishioners to come to and somehow participate in or lead our catechetical sessions; we want parishioners to be excited about and participate in the RCIA rituals at Sunday Mass; we want parishioners to volunteer to be sponsors for the catechumens and candidates.
While these are worthwhile expectations on our part, they are not things that parishioners are disposed to do. In their minds, these are not the reasons they are parishioners. We can either continue to bemoan that reality, or we can try something different.
Start by asking yourself, where is Jesus present, right now, in my parish community? What activities are parishioner participating in that reflect the love and presence of Jesus? We know (and teach) that wherever two or more are gathered in Jesus’s name, Jesus is present. So Jesus is literally at every meeting and event that takes place in your parish. In order to foster a conversion process that takes place within the community, all you have to do is take your catechumens and candidates to any meeting or event that is happening this week. At that event, your seekers will encounter the living Christ. Guaranteed.
If you take the seekers to enough events or meetings, more and more parishioners will get to know them. Once more parishioners know the seekers personally, they will be more invested in praying with and for them at the RCIA rituals and probably more willing to accompany them on their journey as sponsors.
Simple next step: Choose one week a month to take the catechumens and sponsors to a parish event or meeting. They don’t all have to go to the same meeting. Spread them around the parish.
Long-term goal: Gradually move toward involving the seekers in the life of the parish as their primary formation. Meet only occasionally as a separate RCIA group to break open what they have been experiencing in the faith life of your parish.
Click here to go to the next two steps.
What do you think?
Do you think your team can take one of the simple next steps suggested above? If not, what is getting in your way? Please share below.
Last month, with the arrival of a new pastor and full implementation of our parish in a newly formed parish region of 3 geographically close parishes, my pastor wanted to figure out a way to have RCIA present in all three parishes. Right now and for the foreseeable future, Sunday Mass with dismissal, and catechetical sessions take place at one parish. But now, once a month the RCIA goes on the road. We go to one of the other two parishes for RCIA Family Day (see Key 1 – take a Sunday off every month). All catechumens, candidates, their families, parents of children catechumens, sponsors, godparents get together for a intergenerational activity for about an hour before Mass.Each family group sits together to take part in the activity. Then we all go to Mass and dismiss catechumens. The first one went off without a hitch, and even catechumens who don’t have children in RCIA enjoyed it. The goal is to do some sort of activity that breaks open the message of the Gospel and fosters faith sharing and discussion among each family group. The hard part is planning for all ages – not too difficult for children but not too childish for adults. And I want to involve parishioners to share their love of the Catholic faith, parish life, etc.