Follow up to Living Room Dialogue 2 on the Rite of Christian Initiation

We held our second Living Room Dialogue last night on the topic of Christian Initiation. Here's a picture of the coffee table, complete with the documents of Vatican II, a bust of Pope John XXIII and Ghirandelli chocolate (he would love that, don't you think?!). The people who gather enjoyed a conversation that nourished their spirit and satisfied their taste buds during and after the dialogue.

Let me recap the highlights from the tweets sent out from last night's Living Room Dialogue. Followers could live tweet throughout the conversation at hashtag #RoncalliLRD2, a new way to communicate and evangelize the Christian faith. Many thanks to Joanne Mercier for tweeting throughout the event. Follow Joanne on Twitter at Ritual Diva and read her blog, The Rite Stuff and her column in Ministry and Liturgy Magazine.

Michael and Kathy Sites led the dialogue on the catechumenate. Kathy Sites coordinated a Beginnings and Beyond in 1999. Then a member of Immaculate Conception in Easton, MA, Kathy and Michael, their pastor Fr. Lou Phillipino and associate pastor Fr. Paul Caron, with liturgical environmentalist Rose Keleher and several other parishioners formed the host staff that assisted the leadership team from the North American Forum for the Catechumenate to lead approximately 100 people through the Rite of Christian Initiation in its full form. The four day retreat was held at Stonehill College. Michael and Kathy have been involved as parish leaders of catechumenate teams since that time. 

One insight that they brought to the evening gave the participants insight on the adaptability of the Rite because each person comes to the light of faith in a different way. Children often lead their parents into a faith journey. "Never underestimate what children can do for us," Kathy said.She shared one story of how a parent decided that it was time to become fully initiated when his own children were involved in sacramental preparation. Another uninitiated adult made a similar decision after her children told her that she loved Catholics because 'they had a lot of fun' at worship and as a caring community.

Michael pointed out that each person's progress within the process of Christian conversion relies on the flexibility the Rite offers in the way of formation. That requires deep listening on the part of the formation team to inquirers and catechumens. Mutual listening on the part of the leadership team, the inquirers and catechumens and the community deepens the faith of everyone involved. That includes the entire parish, whose principle duty is to evangelize their Christian faith.

One poignant question propelled an interesting part of the dialogue. "Does a parish first build a team and then expect inquirers to come?" Great question. If you build it, will they come? "It takes someone who lights the fire!" As one participant pointed out, the leadership still begins with the pastor of the parish, whose zeal and energy for faith must light a blaze that fans the flame of passion for Christ.

Fr. Paul Caron, pastor of St. Anthony/St. Rita with many years of experience as a strong leader of the catechumenate shared that after he attended his first Beginnings and Beyond and met the 'patron saint of Christian Initiation,' Fr. James Dunning in its infancy, he came back to his parish and said, "We're doing this." Fr. Caron initiated catechumenate teams in four parishes since then. 

Fr. Caron reached for the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults and held it up. "This is NOT an option for a parish; it's a MANDATE." 

Michael Sites added that "clergy must be willing to collaborate but so many priests are over extended. Laity must step up to help." Another participant agreed. "The details of getting an initiation ministry up and running is not easy and a lot of work. But the outcome is so worthwhile for the parish and inquirers." 

"If people have not experienced the rites and been part of that process, telling them about it will not have the same affect. These rites and rituals are powerful and need to experience through the senses. That's when the richness becomes real," one of the participants noted. "It's hard to maintain a team when folks get weary of unfocused. But the process of Christian Initiation is very doable when an entire community participates. The rewards are limitless. We're ALL called to be initiating communities. That's the work of every baptized Christian." 

"Once you experience the Rite of Christian Initiation, you know how it can transform people. You can never go back and there is a real grief when the Rite is absent from other parishes you visit," one participant observed. 

The conversation began at 7pm around the coffee table and ended around the banquet table over food and reflection. Word, food and reflection. Remind anyone of worship?

Thanks to all who came, shared and sparked the fire to ignite another parish (or two or three?) to consider the Rite of Christian Initiation in their parish. 

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Comments

[Margaret]

I so wish that I could have been there for this discussion! The RCIA is one of the great treasures of the Church. The preparation we offer for other sacraments would do well to be informed by the wisdom and practice in the RCIA.