CATECHESIS WITHIN THE RCIA

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CATECHESISWITHIN THE RCIA
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ETYMOLOGY

• KATA- ECHO
• ECHOING OVER
• TO REPEAT BACK

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ECHOING OVERHOW DOES IT WORK?
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The echo can only reproduce what it has received.
The original sound must come from a different
source.
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• The echo can only reproduce what it has received.
  It cannot create a new sound.

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If the wall is smooth, at the right angle, the
right distance and with the correct shape, then
the echo will reproduce the sound faithfully.
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If the wall is rough, too far, at the wrong angle
or the wrong shape, the echo will either not be
heard or return as a distorted sound.
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NABUCCO

• Reflecting a light from beyond.
• Reflecting a power that comes from God.
• Reflecting it in a broken yet life-giving way.

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What is the message we are called to echo?

• That God loved us.
• That God loved us so much that he sent his Son.
• That his Son showed us the Fathers and the
  Spirits love in everything he said and did.
• That God loves us totally, completely and
  unconditionally because he died for us.
• That Jesus by his death and resurrection has
  handed over his Spirit to the Church who must
  continue to be a sign and bearer of Gods love.

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• That through the Church and as members of the
  Church we become sharers of Gods total and
  unconditional love.
• That as members of his Church, we are called to
  become living witnesses of Gods total, complete
  and unconditional love to all humanity and to the
  whole world.
• That this is the call and the mission of every
  member of the Church.
• That only through the fulfilment of this call and
  mission we can live life fully here on earth and
  then enjoy eternal life with God in the next.

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CENTRALITY OF CATECHESIS WITHIN RCIA

• The RCIA is the normative model of catechesis,
  offering a model and pattern for all types of
  catechesis.
• The model for all catechesis is the baptismal
  catechumenate when by specific formation, an
  adult converted to belief is brought to explicit
  profession of baptismal faith during the Paschal
  Vigil. This catechumenal formation should inspire
  the other forms of catechesis in both their
  objectives and in their dynamism. (GDC 1997, no.
  59)

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• Catechesis for adults, since it deals with
  persons who are capable of an adherence that is
  fully responsible, must be considered the chief
  form of catechesis. All other forms, which are
  indeed always necessary, are in some way oriented
  to it. (DCG 20 CT 43)

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Qualities and characteristics of RCIA Catechesis

• Trinitarian,
• Christocentric,
• Spirit-filled,
• Biblical,
• Historical,
• Conceptual,
• Liberating,
• Constant,
• Creative,
• Gift,
• Symbolic,
• Experiential,
• Sacramental,
• Communicating,
• Enlightening,

• Truthful,
• Expressed in words,
• Expressed in actions,
• Concerned with present,
• Eschatoligical,
• Informing,
• Relational, transformative,
• Personal,
• Communal,
• Loving,
• Ongoing,
• Salvific,
• Dialogical,
• Ecumenical.

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• Catechesis is at the heart of the RCIA.
• It is a process of information,
• leading to formation,
• aiming at transformation
• of the whole person.
• Because its aim is the transformation of the
  whole person, it uses different strategies.

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THE TYPES OF CATECHESIS WITHIN THE RCIA.

• INSTRUCTIONAL CATECHESIS
• LECTIONARY-BASED CATECHESIS
• LITURGICAL CATECHESIS
• MYSTAGOGICAL CATECHESIS

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Instructional Catechesis

• RCIA 78
• The instructions that the catechumens receive
  during this period should be of a kind that while
  presenting Catholic teaching in its entirety also
  enlightens faith, directs the heart towards God,
  fosters participation in the liturgy, inspires
  apostolic activity, and nurtures a life
  completely in accord with the spirit of Christ.

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The Purpose of Instructional Catechesis

• The role of reason as a gift from God
• God as the ultimate Truth and the source of all
  Truth.
• Instruction that leads us to a deeper
  understanding and commitment to God, to humanity
  and to creation.
• Instruction that leads and draws into the beauty
  of Truth.

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Comments on Instructional Catechesis

• Notice how its inclusive and wholistic purpose.
  It includes the intellectual, social, emotional,
  ecclesial, spiritual, liturgical, scriptural and
  christological dimension.

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• Notice how these areas are the five areas of
  discernment in no. 78
• The instructions that the catechumens receive
  during this period should be of a kind that while
  presenting Catholic teaching in its entirety also
  enlightens faith, directs the heart towards God
  (Kerygma), fosters participation in the liturgy
  (Leitourgia), inspires apostolic activity
  (Diakonia), and nurtures a life completely in
  accord with the spirit of Christ (Evangelia and
  Koinonia).

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Lectionary-based catechesis

• No. 79
• Among the rites belonging to the period of the
  catechumenate, then, celebrations of the word of
  God (nos. 81-89) are foremost.
• No. 84
• Celebrations of the word may also be held in
  connection with the catechetical or instructional
  meetings of the catechumens, so that these will
  occur in a context of prayer.

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Purpose of Lectionary-based Catechesis

• RCIA 82
• 1. To implant in their hearts the teachings they
  are receiving for example, the morality
  characteristic of the New Testament, the
  forgiveness of injuries and insults, a sense of
  sin and repentance, the duties Christians must
  carry in the world
• 2. To give them instruction and experience in the
  different aspects and ways of prayer
• 3. To explain to them the signs, celebrations,
  and seasons of the liturgy
• 4. To prepare them gradually to enter the worship
  assembly of the entire community.

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Comments on Lectionary-based Catechesis

• The Word of God is very central to the whole RCIA
  process.
• The catechumens are expected to participate in
  the Liturgy of the Word during the Sunday
  assembly.
• This in fact used to be called the Mass of the
  Catechumens.

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Comments on Lectionary-based Catechesis

• Notice that the document contains a whole section
  on the Celebrations of the word of God (no.
  81-89)
• Compare the aims of these celebrations, outlined
  at no. 82 with the aims of instructional
  catechesis at no. 78.
• These section includes a model for a Celebration
  of the Word of God (85-89) which may conclude
  with a minor exorcism (94) and/or a blessings
  (97) or with anointing (101-102)

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LITURGICAL CATECHESIS

• Those who take part in the liturgy experience
  catechesis through music, singing, through
  responses and silence, through listening to the
  Word and responding to the Word, through images
  and art through the environment and through the
  liturgical ministers through symbols and signs
  through words and gestures.
• This is why liturgical catechesis has been
  described by many of the early Christian Writers
  as Theologia prima the primary source of the
  process of theologising.

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LITURGICAL CATECHESIS WITHIN THE RCIA

• An example of Liturgical Catechesis in the Rite
  is outlined at the end of the Rite of Acceptance,
  no. 67A
• The celebrant recalls briefly the great joy with
  which the catechumens have just been received and
  urges them to live according to the word of God
  they have just heard. After the dismissal
  formulary, the group of catechumens goes out but
  does not disperse. With the help of some of the
  faithful, the catechumens remain together to
  share their joy and spiritual experiences.

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The Purpose of Liturgical Catechesis

• It is a treasured way in which Christians have
  examined their faith over the centuries (Lex
  orandi-Lex credendi)
• It takes its cue from the rituals that lie at the
  heart of our religious practice and belief
• It considers seriously our corporate experience
  of the rituals.
• It is an embodied, affective, community-based
  style of reflection that juxtaposes the action of
  the liturgy with our own experience of that
  action, and asks a series of often pointed and
  always essential questions.

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Comments on Liturgical Catechesis

• Liturgical Catechesis is the source of biblical,
  sacramental, ecclesial, instructional,
  mystagogical catechesis.
• Liturgical Catechesis does its work through signs
  and symbols, through experience, through actions
  and responses, through the senses, through music
  and art, through silence and acclamations.

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Mystagogical Catechesis

• No. 234
• This is a time for the community and the
  neophytes together to grow in deepening their
  grasp of the paschal mystery and in making it
  part of their lives through meditation on the
  Gospel, sharing in the eucharist, and doing the
  works of charity.

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• No 235
• The neophytes are, as the term mystagogy
  suggests, introduced into a fuller and more
  effective understanding of mysteries through the
  Gospel message they have learned and ablve all
  through their experience of the sacraments they
  have received. Out of this experience, which
  belongs to Christians and increases as it is
  lived, they derive a new perception of the faith,
  of the Church, and of the world.

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Comments on Mystagogical Catechesis

• What is the new perception of the faith, of the
  Church and of the world?
• It is an ever deepening understanding,
  appreciation and participation in the mysteries
  they celebrated at the Easter Vigil
• The privileges and the responsibilities of having
  become members of Church

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• An ownership and sense of responsibility for the
  mission of the Church the spreading of Gods
  Kingdom (see Lumen gentium)
• A deep sense that through the sacraments,
  especially the Eucharist, we already share in
  Gods heavenly banquet.

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TWO-FOLD EMPAHSIS OF MYSTAGOGY

• 1. Actively participating and living the
  mysteries they celebrated at the Easter Vigil

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• 2. Burning desire to share with all human beings
  the fire in our own hearts
• to bring others to Christ (kerygma)
• to spread the Gospel message (evangelia)
• to build the community until we are all one
  (koinonia)
• to invite and encourage others to celebrate
  with the community (leitourgia)
• to share the mission of the community with
  our gifts and talents (diakonia).

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THE MESSAGE OF BENEDICT XVITO THE WYD PILGRIMS.

• B 16 asked young people to be prophets of new
  hope to dispel the interior emptiness, the
  unnamed fear and the quiet sense of despair that
  infected so may societies that see material
  prosperity as the only goal of life.
• B 16 asked all young people not to be afraid to
  say yes to Jesus, to find their joy in doing
  his will, in giving themselves completely to the
  pursuit of holiness and using their talents in
  the service of others.

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How does the RCIA process do this?

• In order to explore the answer to this question,
  consider how a family educates, forms a child.
• It cannot be one-dimensional.
• It is multi-dimensional.
• It is a process that includes a formation of the
  mind, the heart and the spirit of the child.
• It is a multi-dimensional process intellectual,
  emotional, sociological, psychological,
  spiritual.

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RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF
CATECHESIS

• They share the same aim Calling catechumens away
  from sin and being drawn into the mystery of
  Gods love.
• This calls for a NEW way of thinking, of being
  and of living.
• The 4 types of catechesis do this not in an
  excluding or competitive way but in a mutual and
  collaborative way.
• HOW?

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• INSTRUCTIONAL CATECHESIS needs Scriptural,
  liturgical and mystagogical catechesis.
• LECTIONARY-BASED CATECHESIS needs instructional,
  liturgical and mystagogical catechesis.
• LITURGICAL CATECHESIS needs instructional,
  Scriptural and mystagogical catechesis.
• MYSTAGOGICAL CATECHESIS needs instructional,
  scriptural and liturgical catechesis.

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At what stage?

• We know about the different stages of child
  formation.
• We know that different needs and therefore
  different methodologies are more appropriate and
  more effective at different stages.
• But at the same time we know that at all stages
  we must keep in mind all the elements
  intellectual, emotional, sociological,
  psychological and spiritual.

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WHEN?

• It is not a question about which one of these
  types of catechesis is better.
• All of these types are quite clearly described in
  the RCIA process.
• All of these types of catechesis are related to
  one another and have the same aim calling them
  away from sin and drawing them into the mystery
  of Gods love. (RCIA 37)
• As we have seen all of these types are present at
  all the stages of the journey.

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WHEN?

• The question is the question parents constantly
  ask about the formation of their children What
  is the most effective way to help them grow
  intellectually, emotionally, socially,
  psychologically and spiritually at each of the
  stages of their lives?
• The Church is like a wise and prudent mother who
  never forgets the final goal but decides on the
  best and most appropriate way to proceed towards
  this end.

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The Pre-catechumenate

• Its a time of training for longing longing for
  Christ, for his Gospel, for community life, for
  prayer, for community mission.
• Its not a time for formal or systematic
  catechesis of any type but for welcoming,
  listening and story telling catechesis.
• A catechesis that sets the inquirers hearts on
  fire and make them long for Gods love within
  this community.
• A catechesis that helps the inquirers to see the
  presence of Christ in their own lives and begin
  to long for Christ and for the Church

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The Catechumenate

• The catechumenate is the time for
• 1. formal instructional catechesis
• 2. for systematic lectionary- based
  catechesis
• 3. for regular liturgical catechesis.
• 4. for mystagogical catechesis

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Period of Purification and Enlightenment

• Even though this period does not exclude
  instructional or scriptural catechesis, it has a
  different emphasis This period of purification
  and enlightenment is a period of more intense
  spiritual preparation, consisting more in
  interior reflection than in catechetical
  instruction, (RCIA 126)
• Liturgical and mystagogical catechesis before and
  after the Rites Scrutinies ad Presentations.

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Mystagogia

• Mystagogical catechesis depends on and brings
  together all the different types of catechesis.
• It makes us aware of the beauty of the mysteries
  we celebrate of the implications for our mission
  in life and gives us a foretaste of the joys of
  heaven.
• The journey of the Emmaus disciples.
• Lex orandi Lex credendi Lex vivendi

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The rites along the journey

• The rites along the journey rite of Acceptance,
  dismissal, minor exorcisms, blessings,
  anointings, presentations, election, scrutinies,
  the sacraments of initiation, etc.
• Every rite provides the catechist with abundant
  opportunities for all types of catechesis
  instructional, scriptural, liturgical and
  mystagogical.
• They are Spirit-filled encounters with Christ
  providing rich sources for information, formation
  and transformation.

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ERIC GILL

• Artist Eric Gill in his Autobirgraphy describes
  his conversion to Catholicism thus
• I would not have anyone think that I became a
  Catholic because I was convinced of the truth,
  though I was convinced of the truth.
• I became a Catholic because I fell in love with
  the truth.
• And love is an experience.
• I saw.
• I heard.
• I felt.
• I tasted.
• I touched.
• And that is what lovers do.

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UNTIL WHEN?

• Even though Mystagogia formally concludes on
  Pentecost Sunday, the journey of information,
  formation and transformation must continue.

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WITHIN THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY

• By participating with the Christian community in
  their ongoing process of
• information,
• formation
• and
• transformation

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THE EUCHARIST AS SOURCE AND SUMMIT

• The Eucharist is the primary and the most
  important locus for an ongoing
• instructional catechesis
• lectionary-based catechesis
• liturgical catechesis
• mystagogical catechesis.

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Sacraments of Initiation

• The third step in the Christian initiation of
  adults is the celebration of the sacraments of
  baptism, confirmation and eucharist. Through this
  final step the elect, receiving pardon for their
  sins, are admitted into the people of God. They
  are graced with adoption as children of God and
  are led by the Holy Spirit into the promised
  fullness of time begun in Christ and, as they
  share in the eucharistic sacrifice and meal, even
  to a foretaste of the kingdom of God. RCIA 198

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If the Eucharist is truly the source and summit
of the Church's life and mission, it follows that
the process of Christian initiation must
constantly be directed to the reception of this
sacrament. As the Synod Fathers said, we need to
ask ourselves whether in our Christian
communities the close link between Baptism,
Confirmation and Eucharist is sufficiently
recognized. It must never be forgotten that our
reception of Baptism and Confirmation is ordered
to the Eucharist. Accordingly, our pastoral
practice should reflect a more unitary
understanding of the process of Christian
initiation. APOSTOLIC EXHORTATION, SACRAMENTUM
CARITATIS OF THE HOLY FATHER BENEDICT XVI, 17
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• SUMMIT SOURCE

SENT ON A MISSION BRING TO OTHERS
JESUS CHRIST GOSPEL COMMUNITY PRAYER/WORSHIP
SERVICE
JESUS CHRIST GOSPEL COMMUNITY PRAYER/WORSHIP S
ERVICE
EUCHARIST
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Ambroses Mystagogical Catechesis on Initiation

• What did you see in the baptistery? Water,
  certainly, but not just that you saw the
  presbyters ministering there, and the high priest
  asking questions and blessing.
• First of all, the apostle taught you that we are
  not to consider those things which are seen but
  the things which are not seen, for the things
  which are seen are transient, but the things
  which are unseen are eternal.

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• You read elsewhere also that since the creation
  of the world, the invisible things of God are
  understood through the things which have been
  made, and that his eternal power also and his
  divinity are valued through his works. (On the
  Mysteries n. 8)
• Do not believe your natural sight only. What is
  not seen is more truly seen, for this is eternal,
  while the other is temporal. We see more truly
  what is not perceptible to the eyes but is
  discerned by the mind and the soul. (On the
  Mysteries, n. 12-16)

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• The former manna was from heaven, this manna is
  above heaven
• The one was liable to corruption if kept a second
  day, the other is immune to all corruption, for
  whoever tastes it devoutly can never experience
  corruption.
• For the Israelites water flowed from the rock,
  for you blood flowed from Christ
• The water satisfied them for a time, the blood
  cleanses you for ever.
• The Israelites drink and thirst again, you will
  be unable to thirst after you have drunk
• The former event was a figure, the present is the
  reality. (On the Mysteries, n. 47-49)

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Ambroses Mystagogical Catechesis on the Eucharist

• It is a marvelous thing that God rained manna on
  the Israelites and fed them with daily food from
  heaven But yet those who ate bread in the
  wilderness are all dead The food that you
  receive, however, that living bread which came
  down from heaven, furnishes the substance of
  eternal life, and whoever eats of this bread
  shall never die, for it is the body of Christ.
• Now consider which is the more excellent, the
  bread of the angels or the flesh of Christ, which
  is indeed the body of life.

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• Since you are members of Christ, do not scatter
  yourselves from the church by not assembling.
  Because you have Christ for your head, as He
  counselled and promised that you are partakers
  with me do not neglect yourselves, and
  deprive our Saviour of His members, and do not
  tear and scatter His body. But on the Lords day
  leave everything and run eagerly to your church
  for she is your glory. Didascalia Apostolorum,
  (Corpus SCO 1979), 135