ACTS II EVANGELIZATION LEADERSHIP TRAINING GUIDES AVAILABLE HERE
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Schedule
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R.C.I.A. Weekend Schedule
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Session One:
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Introduction
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1
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Session Two:
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History of the Church's Initiation Process
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13
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Session Three:
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A Definite Vision of Faith and of Church
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22
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Session Four:
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Evangelization and the Precatechumenate
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29
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Session Five:
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The Catechumenate
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45
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Session Six:
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Period of Purification and Enlightenment
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55
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Session Seven:
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The Sacraments of Initiation and the Period of Postbaptismal Catechesis or Mystagogy
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63
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Session Eight:
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Implementing the R.C.I.A.
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70
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Session Nine:
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Pastoral Observations
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76
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APPENDIX
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Prayer Services
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82
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Chart: Structure of R.C.I.A.
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86
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Chart: Overview of R.C.I.A.
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87
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Individual Activity 1-6
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88
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Evaluation of R.C.I.A. Training
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94
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Bibliography
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(SAMPLE)
LEADER'S
EVANGELIZATION TRAINING GUIDE
SESSION ONE
INTRODUCTION
OBJECTIVE
To come to an understanding of the R.C.I.A., the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults.
REQUIRED PREPARATIONS--TRAINING INSTRUCTOR
1. Plan for and implement personal prayer time.
2. Study instructional content on page 2.
3. At the end of presentation, ASK if there are any questions about presented
material, and ANSWER questions by quoting from presented material.
4. Copy charts: Structure of R.C.I.A., Overview of R.C.I.A., Prayer Service
One, Individual Activity 1 for each trainee (See: Appendix).
5. Have a blackboard or a flip chart available to use when needed.
6. Meet with small group leaders to review session format.
7. Pray with training team 20 minutes before session.
TRAINING INSTRUCTOR PATH
TOTAL TIME: 110 Minutes
OPENING PRAYER 15 MINS.
1. GIVE out copies of Prayer Service One and ask group to stand.
2. SIGNAL for music and prayer leaders to begin.
3. REQUEST Blessing Prayer.
4. THANK group and ask them to be seated.
BEGIN SESSION ONE
1. GIVE out copies of the two charts to each trainee.
2. ASK group to be prepared to take notes.
3. STATE session objective:
Our purpose in this session is to acquire an understanding of the R.C.I.A.,
the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, the Church's official way of initiating people into the Church.
INSTRUCTIONAL CONTENT 20 MINS.
1. LOOK OVER key points to be taught:
I. Chart: Structure of R.C.I.A.
II. Chart: Overview of R.C.I.A.
2. TEACH expanded outline of above key points.
I. Chart: Structure of R.C.I.A.
A. The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults is a process of initiation
which has a twofold goal:
1. Personal commitment to Jesus Christ, which leads a person
to live a life based on the Gospel; and
2. Incorporation into the Church.
B. This process, the R.C.I.A., is intended to form those desiring to
enter the Church in all aspects of Church life: Scripture, doctrine,
liturgy, morality, and ministry, while slowly integrating them into
full membership in the Church.
-The main concern of this process is to create within new members a strong Christian identity
and a deep solidarity with the community -- in other words, to form new members for a life
of faith within the Catholic Church.
C. Let's look now at the chart: Structure of the R.C.I.A.
Looking at this chart, we see that the R.C.I.A. is structured into
Periods and Steps. It is a process of initiation that is structured
into:
1. Four different time periods, each having a specific goal; and
2. Three steps or gateways, liturgical rites, celebrating a person's entrance into each period.
D. What are the four different periods within the R.C.I.A.?
1. The
first period is
the period of evangelization and the pre-catechumenate, and --
-the step through which a person enters into the period
of the catechumenate is the Rite of Acceptance into
the Order of Catechumens.
2.
The second period is
the period of the catechumenate; and
-the step through which a person enters into the period
of purification and enlightenment is the Rite of Election
or Enrollment of Names.
3.
The third period is
the period of purification and enlightenment and --
-the step through which a person enters into the Church
is called the Rite of the Sacraments of Initiation, and
the person enters the fourth period, the period of postbaptismal
catechesis or mystagogy.
4. As we have seen, there are
four different time periods within
the R.C.I.A., each having a specific goal, and
three steps,
liturgical rites which celebrate a persons' entrance into each
period.
E. It is important to take note of the terms that are used within the R.C.I.A. The three steps are not to be confused with the four periods within the R.C.I.A.
F. The steps are "gateways" or "doorways" which mark a transition point between periods within the R.C.I.A.
Each step is a celebration of a liturgical rite, celebrating what has
taken place in the previous period, and to commission and
strengthen the candidate for what is to take place in the next
period.
1.
The first step within the R.C.I.A.,
the Rite of Acceptance into
the Order of Catechumens, is the passage into the period of
the catechumenate.
-It takes place when initial conversion to Christ has occurred
within the inquirer, and the person is now wishing to become
a member of the Church.
2.
The second step within the R.C.I.A.,
the Rite of Election or
Enrollment of Names, is the passage of the catechumen into the period of purification and enlightenment during --
-which the elect undergoes an intense preparation for
the reception of the sacraments of initiation.
a) This happens when the faith of the candidate has reached
some degree of maturity and the period of catechumenal
formation is coming to a close.
b) At this time, the catechumen requests admission to the
Easter Sacraments.
3.
The third step within the R.C.I.A.,
the celebration of the
Sacraments of Initiation -- that of baptism, confirmation, and Eucha-
rist -- marks the final liturgical celebration of the R.C.I.A.
-Through this rite, the candidates become full members of the
Church, and these new members, now called the neophytes,
enter the period of postbaptismal catechesis or mystagogy.
G. Let's look now at the four periods within the R.C.I.A.
1.
The first period is
the period of evangelization and the pre-catechumenate.
a) The goal of the evangelization period is the evangelization
of the inquirer --
-to bring the inquirer to have his or her heart opened
by the Holy Spirit to believe, to accept, and to be
freely converted to the Lord Jesus Christ.
b) The means used for evangelizing the inquirer can be the
moments of evangelization that you have been trained in:
i) Introduction;
ii) Establishing relationship;
iii) Personal testimony;
iv) Good News proclamation;
v) Invitation;
vi) Commitment;
vii) Pastoral follow-up; and
viii) Incorporation into the Church.
c) When the newly evangelized person desires to come into
the community, the Church, he or she celebrates the first
step which is the celebration of the Rite of Acceptance into
the Order of Catechumens and enters the second period.
2.
The second period is
the period of the catechumenate.
a) The goal of the catechumenate is the pastoral formation
of the catechumen:
i) through the Word of God;
ii) training through the suitable discipline of prayer;
iii) through a changed lifestyle which manifests the catechumen's conversion of mind and morals.
b) As the catechumen matures in conversion and faith, he
or she arrives at the second step, the Rite of Election or
Enrollment of Names, which is celebrated with the community of the faithful.
3. The new elect is now in
the third period,
the period of purification
and enlightenment. This period is a time of penance.
a) The goal of the purification and enlightenment period is to
provide a profound spiritual preparation for receiving the
sacraments of initiation.
b) The time of penance, usually the Lenten season, comes
to a close when the elect arrives at the third step, which is
the celebration, by the Church, of the sacraments of initiation --
-baptism, confirmation and Eucharist -- at the Easter
Vigil on Holy Saturday.
4. With the celebration of the sacraments of initiation, the newly
baptized is now in
the fourth period,
the period of postbaptismal catechesis or mystagogy.
-The goal of the period of postbaptismal catechesis or mystagogy is for the newly baptized to grow in living a life in the
Holy Spirit, come to a fuller understanding of the paschal
mystery, and
-become truly wise, by savoring the mystery of the love
of Jesus Christ, given in the Church through the sacraments and the holy sacrifice of the Mass.
This chart presents in a clear way, the role of the Church, the task of
the candidate, and the time frame or the length of each of the four
periods of the R.C.I.A.
A.
The first period of the R.C.I.A. is
the period of evangelization and
the precatechumenate.
1.
The role of the Church in this period is:
a) to welcome the inquirer, the seeker,
b) to proclaim the Gospel,
c) to make the decision of accepting the inquirer for membership in the community, the Church.
2. All the moments of evangelization are operative in this period.
a) It is the time of establishing relationship, of building trust between the inquirer and the community, the Church.
b) It is the time of personal testimony, the evangelizer sharing his or her story of faith.
c) It is the time to come to understand the meaning of life through the proclamation of the Good News of Jesus Christ.
3. The task of the candidate, the one seeking Jesus, is:
a) to come to initial faith and conversion through the working of the Holy Spirit; and,
b) to come to the decision to seek membership in the community, the Church.
4. The
length of time for the period of evangelization and the pre-catechumenate is
unlimited.
5. When a candidate, inquirer, makes the decision to seek membership in the Church, and to enter into the R.C.I.A., the
Church celebrates the
first step with him or her --
-the Rite of Acceptance into the Order of Catechumens.
-This is the first public welcome of the person into the household of the Church.
B. The candidate is now in
the second period,
the period of the catechumenate, and is known as a catechumen.
1.
The role of the Church is to:
a) provide complete catechesis, that is, teaching or instruction,
through nourishing the catechumen on the Word of God.
-After the celebration of the Liturgy of the Word on Sunday,
the catechumens are dismissed and invited to reflect, study,
and pray over the Scriptures of that Sunday.
b) give affirmation and support.
c) make the decision of when to admit the catechumen to the
sacraments of initiation.
2. The catechumen is prepared for the second step by means of
catechesis, fellowship, prayer, and an introduction to the apostolic life, the giving of service in the community.
3.
The task of the candidate, the catechumen, is to:
a) grow in maturity of faith and conversion;
b) grow in a deeper commitment to Jesus Christ that is manifested in his or her style of life;
c) begin to be at home in the community, the Church, that is,
to be gradually integrated into the community; and
d) come to the decision to receive baptism.
4. The
length of time for the catechumenate is
flexible. It may
be up to three years.
5. The catechumen, upon making the decision for baptism, and being accepted for baptism, enters
the second step, the celebration of
the Rite of Election or Enrollment of Names.
C. The elect is now in
the third period,
the period of purification and enlightenment.
1.
The role of the Church is to:
a) hold the Lenten observance as a parish;
b) celebrate the rites for the elect: the scrutinies and the presentations; and,
c) carry out the preparation of the elect to receive the sacraments of initiation.
2.
The task of the candidate, the elect, is to make an intense spiritual preparation for receiving the sacraments of initiation.
3. The
length of time for the period of purification and enlightenment is
the Lenten season, i.e., from Ash Wednesday to Holy Thursday.
4. At the conclusion of the period of purification and enlighten-
ment, the elect reaches
the third and last step of the R.C.I.A.,
the celebration of the sacraments of initiation: baptism, confirmation, and Eucharist.
D. The newly baptized is now in
the last period of the R.C.I.A.,
the period of
post-baptismal catechesis or mystagogy.
1.
The role of the Church is to give a rich postbaptismal catechesis, especially through the Sunday Eucharistic celebrations.
2.
The task of the newly baptized is to:
a) grow in deepening his or her understanding of the mysteries of the Lord's love, the sacraments, by experiencing
them.
b) become active in the community of the faithful, his or her
parish.
3. The
length of the period of postbaptismal catechesis or mystagogy is
the Easter season, that is,
from Easter to the celebration of Pentecost.
INDIVIDUAL ACTIVITY 30 MINS.
STATE the following:
1. Please study and make your own the periods and steps of the R.C.I.A.
as presented in the two charts.
-You have 15 minutes for this.
2. Write out your response to the following reflection and be prepared to
share this in your small groups as well as in the large group.
The goal of the R.C.I.A. is twofold: personal commitment to Jesus Christ
through ongoing conversion which leads a person to live a life based on
the Gospel and to incorporation into the Church.
Please write your reflections on your own personal experience of
ongoing conversion to Jesus Christ which has led you to live a life
based on the Gospel and to greater solidarity with the Church.
-You have 15 minutes for this.
SMALL GROUP SHARING 20 MINS.
STATE the following:
1. ASK all to move into their small groups.
2. You are to share your own personal experience of ongoing conversion to
Jesus Christ which has led you to live a life based on the Gospel and
to greater solidarity with the Church.
3. The small group leader begins with prayer, ends with prayer and shares
first.
a) Please share what you have written in such a way as to have eye
contact with those in your small group. Sharing from what you have
written ensures that you will not ramble on and on.
b) If you ramble on and on, your small group leader will interrupt you
and ask you to bring your sharing to an end.
4. Please watch your time. Make sure that each person has an opportunity
to share.
5. You have 20 minutes for this sharing.
LARGE GROUP SHARING 10 MINS.
STATE the following:
Who would like to share what they have written for this individual activity which states:
The goal of the R.C.I.A. is twofold: personal commitment to Jesus Christ
through ongoing conversion which leads a person to live a life based on
the Gospel and to incorporation into the Church.
Please write your reflections on your own personal experience of ongoing
conversion to Jesus Christ which has led you to live a life based on the
Gospel and to greater solidarity with the Church.
COMMUNITY BREAK 15 MINS.
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ACTS II EVANGELIZATION LEADERSHIP TRAINING GUIDES AVAILABLE HERE