Dear RCIA Leader,

You hold in your hand a summary of the Catholic faith. As human beings, we hunger for truth and clarity about the most important things: God, happiness, and life everlasting. Through his Son, Jesus Christ, God has revealed himself to us and made known the truth on which our salvation depends. This sacred collection of truths is held fast as a rich and precious treasure by the Catholic Church, who shares it freely and joyfully with the world.

We have created this resource to assist you in the important work of communicating the Catholic faith. This program, entitled Credo (meaning “I believe”), takes its name from the first word of the Catholic profession of faith in Latin. Whether you are a priest, a catechist, or a director of religious education, Credo will help you summarize and hand on Catholic belief and practice to those who are inquiring or who are already on their way to becoming Catholic. The combination of video lessons and the written material included in the guides will give you a treasury of resources to introduce and teach the most important aspects of the Faith.

Credo is not intended to be a substitute for your RCIA ministry or the stewardship you exercise through RCIA. You remain the primary teacher, and your personal contact with students and attention to their individual needs is indispensable. This program can fit within your annual RCIA schedule and can be adjusted to best suit the needs of your group.

The material in this program has been supplied by the Thomistic Institute, which is an academic institute dedicated to bringing Catholic truth to the contemporary world and is an outreach of the Pontifical Faculty of the Immaculate Conception (Dominican House of Studies) in Washington, DC. All of the authors and presenters in this program are Dominican friars of the Province of St. Joseph, and it is our pleasure to have partnered with the good people at Saint Benedict Press to assist you in the important work of evangelization.

In Christ,
Fr. Raymund Snyder, OP
Thomistic Institute
Director of Campus Programs and Evangelization

A Guide for Priests, Deacons, and Catechists

Jesus sent his disciples into the world and commissioned them to proclaim the good news of the Gospel. You, too—a baptized and confirmed Christian who has been chosen to teach the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults—share in this commission. Jesus is calling you to be a witness to his power, to the truth that he is alive and active today. If you rely on him, he will not fail to help you with the grace of the Holy Spirit!

This is the most necessary qualification to teach in an RCIA program: to be a disciple of Jesus. If you have a living relationship with him, and if you rely on his help to bring other people to know the peace and joy that comes from him alone, you are already well on your way to success.

Perhaps you feel like this is a tall order. Well, it is! No one is “qualified” from his or her natural talents or personal qualities to be a disciple of Christ, and no one has the power to bring it about, even less to draw others into the supernatural life of faith. But don’t worry; if you humbly place yourself at the feet of Jesus, if you ask him to transform you into a true disciple, if you invite him to be more present in your life and in your teaching, he will not fail to help you.

It is a great blessing and privilege to participate in the work of evangelization by assisting others through the process of RCIA. No book and no video series can substitute for what you will contribute: a living witness to the reality and power of Jesus and a living invitation to come to know him better and even to be inwardly transformed by his grace. Whether you are a priest, deacon, or a member of the lay faithful, your faith-filled witness to catechumens and candidates, your welcome and friendship, and your attention to their individual needs is indispensable.

For any RCIA program to be successful, this personal witness and accompaniment in discipleship must be paired with a coherent presentation of what Catholics believe. “If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples” (Jn 8:31). The Catholic faith engages both the heart and the mind, as Jesus himself tells us (see Mt 22:37). That’s why we have called this program Credo: “I believe.” It is not intended to be a substitute for your own RCIA program but is a tool to assist you in your proper role. It can be challenging to set forth, accurately and persuasively, the essentials of the Catholic faith in the brief space of a few months. That is why this guide exists. It isn’t a substitute for your witness and presence but an important supplement to it. Your role remains primary. Strengthened by Christ’s grace, you will assist souls and draw them closer to Christ.

Credo at the Service of Your Parish

Credo puts a multitude of resources at your disposal. We have included this brief introductory section to suggest the ways you can best make use of these resources for your RCIA program or adult faith formation program.

If you have coordinated RCIA for many years and if your parish already has existing customs, this introduction will help you plan how to strengthen your current program with Credo. If you are responsible for RCIA for the first time, this introduction will provide a basic sketch and overview of the most important practical considerations.

If you are a pastor or the priest overseeing RCIA, you of course have an indispensable supervisory role. Since you are already experienced (and have received a full pastoral and theological formation in seminary), this guide will be helpful in organizing your program and making a plan for how to incorporate others into your ministry. If you are a priest and you typically run your RCIA sessions, Credo gives you a substantial base of teaching from which you can easily add your own insight, learning, and experience.

If you are a lay person or a deacon who has been delegated by the pastor to coordinate RCIA, you will of course need to work closely with your pastor throughout the process. This introduction will help you make a plan with the pastor and incorporate him in his proper role.

Everyone charged with coordinating the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults should have a copy of the current liturgical books for RCIA, which include the major and minor rites. These texts also contain explanatory introductions to the various rites and stages of RCIA as well as a general overview of each step. Everyone charged with coordinating RCIA should also familiarize themselves with any specific determinations set forth by the bishop’s conference of the given region. For example, in the United States, there are various determinations outlined in the National Statutes for the Catechumenate.

Since it belongs to the local bishop to set up, regulate, and promote the formation program of catechumens and candidates, those charged with facilitating a program must also be mindful of the standards set forth for RCIA in their diocese.Introduction to RCIA ritual, no. 12. Check with the chancery of your diocese for the diocesan standards regarding RCIA.

The Role of Priests and Deacons

The pastor or priest given responsibility for RCIA has the special role of ministering to the needs of those entering the Church. For many of those becoming Catholic, he will be the first priest with whom they have had any kind of personal contact. We recommend that the program facilitate regular encounters with the priests of a parish in order to get used to the idea that they can reach out to them with their pastoral needs.

In some cases, a pastor delegates the principal responsibility for RCIA to a deacon. By virtue of their ordination, deacons are made ministers of the Word of God and are charged with instructing and exhorting the faithful. Indeed, at a deacon’s ordination, the bishop hands him a book of the Gospels, saying: “Believe what you read, teach what you believe, and practice what you teach.” Moreover, since the days of the early Church, deacons have been associated with the administration of baptism. Their role, therefore, is especially fitting.

When a deacon is involved in RCIA, we recommend that he get to know the participants on a personal level, that he be charged with introducing the participants to the sacramentals of the Church and other devotional practices (e.g., the rosary, holy water, the stations of the cross), that he conduct a guided tour of the church (perhaps also explaining the vestments, the sacred vessels, and so forth), and that he regularly impart blessings to the participants.

Regardless of who leads RCIA, we believe it is extremely important that a priest (either the pastor or a priest he designates) meet with each inquirer individually at the beginning of the RCIA program. This provides an opportunity for the inquirer to establish a personal connection with the priest and creates an opportunity for the inquirer to share what has led him or her to want to learn more about the Catholic faith. Most importantly, however, it belongs to a priest to determine whether there are any potential obstacles that might prevent an inquirer from living as a Catholic in good standing. Since this is obviously a very delicate and confidential matter—and often one requiring a fair amount of training in the Church’s teaching, her canon law, and her sacramental discipline—it belongs properly to the pastor or the priest he designates.

We recommend the priest ask broad questions to get a sense for the inquirer’s religious and moral background. For example:

• What sort of religious instruction have you received as a child or as an adult?
• Do you have a personal relationship with God? With Jesus Christ? What form does this take?
• What informs your sense of right and wrong? Are you seeking to live a moral and upright life?
• What experience or knowledge do you have about the Catholic faith?
• What leads you to want to learn more about the Catholic faith and consider (or desire) becoming Catholic?

At this point, it is imperative to ascertain the marital status of the person and begin working to resolve any obstacles to full initiation as a Catholic (e.g., a previous marriage or a marriage that has yet to be convalidated). The priest should also attempt to ascertain other moral or lifestyle obstacles. These might be centered around one’s relationships: for example, if the individual is cohabitating or involved in a same-sex union. Other obstacles might involve one’s profession, like if the person works in a field that would be incompatible with living as a practicing Catholic (e.g., a technician in a lab that does embryonic stem cell research). The priest will need to address these issues individually with prudence, gentleness, and clarity in light of the Church’s teachings. Due to the sensitive nature of these meetings and the complexity of the canonical issues that may arise, it is not advisable to delegate these interviews. They should be undertaken by the priest himself.

If the person has been baptized in a non-Catholic Christian congregation, the priest should inquire about that baptism. He should mention that it will eventually be necessary to have some certification of baptism, although the request for the certificate should be made closer to the individual’s reception into full communion.

The role of the pastor or priest does not end here. We recommend it extend throughout the course of the RCIA program as he instructs and encourages catechumens and candidates. The Church reminds priests of the importance of providing pastoral and personal care, especially to the hesitant and discouraged.Introduction to RCIA ritual, no. 13. If the priest is not the primary teacher or facilitator, he should ideally still be present on a regular basis. In addition to exercising his proper ministry in the celebration of the sacraments of initiation, the priest should be diligent in correct celebration and adaptation of all the rites.Ibid. If the priest is not able to be present at every meeting, he should make an effort to be present on a regular basis and especially at key moments, even outside of the official rites.

The Role of the Lay Faithful

In cases where a priest or deacon directly oversees and teaches RCIA, it is important for him to incorporate the lay faithful in the RCIA process. The work of evangelization belongs to all of Christ’s faithful and thus the whole community should be engaged to some extent in the initiation of catechumens and candidates.Introduction to RCIA ritual, no. 9. For example, members of the community may encourage their friends, family, and acquaintances to consider becoming Catholic. Also, a parish may regularly include the catechumens and candidates in the general intercessions and support them through the various rites.

While all should have some concern for catechumens and candidates, certain members drawn from the community should be charged especially with assisting closely with RCIA as part of their stewardship. It is a great help to have members of the community present for sessions to offer hospitality and their own witness. They represent the support of the community and can naturally become sponsors.

In many places, the organization and the teaching of RCIA have largely been delegated to one or more lay coordinators or catechists. If you are an RCIA coordinator or catechist, know that Credo provides a very helpful teaching guide that sets forth the essential points on any given subject. At the same time, catechumens and candidates will greatly benefit from your ability to break down the essential points and talk through the practical application of the teaching. You model for the catechumens and candidates what it is to be a good, joyful, and practicing Catholic. The discussion questions and life application questions have been designed to help you do this, but you should feel free to add additional questions or exercises to complement the lessons.

If the priest supervising RCIA is not present for every meeting, you should think of various ways to creatively incorporate him, even if it is only for a brief visit. For example, you could invite him to give short talks, to bless religious articles, to instruct everyone on how to receive Holy Communion, or to explain the meaning of liturgical seasons.

Catechumens, Candidates for full Communion, and Those Completing Christian Initiation

The RCIA program at a typical parish often includes individuals from a variety of religious backgrounds. For the purposes of RCIA, any individual falls within one of three categories.

Catechumens: Those who have not been baptized. This includes anyone with no religious background or those belonging to a non-Christian religion. In some cases, this will also include those who profess Christianity but who have not yet been baptized. Someone definitively becomes a catechumen with the rite of acceptance. Prior to this, they are inquirers in the “pre-catechumenate.”

Candidates for full Communion with the Catholic Church: Those who have been baptized in another Church or ecclesial communion but who are seeking to be received into the Catholic Church and receive confirmation and first Holy Communion.“The term ‘convert’ should be reserved strictly for those converted from unbelief to Christian belief and never used of those baptized Christians who are received into the full communion of the Catholic Church.” USCCB, National Statutes for the Catechumenate, no. 2.

Baptized Catholics seeking instruction and one or more sacraments of initiation: In many cases, individuals were baptized Catholic but did not receive any subsequent catechetical instruction and have yet to receive one or more sacraments. For example, they may have been baptized Catholic but have yet to receive the sacrament of confession or Holy Communion. Alternatively, they may have received confession and Communion but not confirmation.

Everyone involved in RCIA should be aware of these differences and the appropriate terminology for each group. Even in parishes where these diverse participants are grouped into one “RCIA program” for the purposes of instruction, those involved in RCIA should be sensitive to the differences in their standing.USCCB, National Statutes for the Catechumenate, no. 3. The RCIA coordinator must also study the ritual to identify what rites are appropriate to any given group. For example, only catechumens take part in the scrutinies.

The Role of Sponsors and Godparents

Everyone entering the catechumenate should have a sponsor. A sponsor is someone who has known and assisted someone and can testify to his or her moral character and accompany him or her through the rite of acceptance.Introduction to RCIA ritual, no. 11. The sponsor may also act as the godparent, that is, as the one who accompanies the catechumen through the rite of election, the sacraments of initiation, and the period of mystagogy. Ideally, a sponsor or godparent will be able to participate in the sessions alongside the person they are sponsoring.

If someone does not begin the RCIA process with a clear sponsor or godparent in mind, it is important to encourage him or her to choose one promptly so that the person will be available to act as a sponsor at the rite of acceptance and in subsequent rites. In many places, godparents and sponsors must provide a document testifying that they are practicing Catholics (e.g., a letter from their pastor). Priests approve the choice of godparents.Ibid., no. 13. Not everyone will find choosing a sponsor easy, especially if there are few Catholics among their friends and family. In these cases, the coordinator or pastor should be happy to help provide sponsors or godparents from the parish.

Promoting RCIA

Before beginning a cycle of RCIA at a parish, it is a good idea to have some promotional meetings or “pre-sessions” to foster interest among inquirers. For example, these could be informational and social gatherings during the summer months. This ensures that there is some RCIA activity year-round and provides a consistent forum for those who join an RCIA cycle too early. It should work in tandem with the evangelization efforts of the parish. For example, the pastor or RCIA coordinator could make announcements at Mass to encourage parishioners to invite family, friends, and colleagues to consider becoming Catholic. Or the pastor or RCIA coordinator could send a personal letter to non-Catholic spouses of parishioners and invite them to consider becoming Catholic.

Planning the Major Events

Careful advanced planning is necessary in order to have a program run smoothly. Before welcoming participants and holding sessions, you must plan out the events for the year, keeping in mind the diocesan and parish calendar (and when applicable, the school calendar). Include in your calendar the major events of RCIA, marking the date of the actual initiation (typically the Easter Vigil) and work back from there. Choose a tentative date for the rite of acceptance (often the First Sunday of Advent). Also, inquire about the date of the rite of election, which is typically held on a diocesan level. Lastly, it is advisable to hold an off-site retreat day to help participants prepare for initiation. If you intend to do this, pick a date and make arrangements early. The other liturgical rites of RCIA should also be listed; that is, the scrutinies and, if appropriate, the presentations of the Creed and the Our Father and the preparation rites. Part of the reason for planning so far in advance is so that you can present everyone with a calendar that includes dates for events that are absolutely required of them.

Designing a Syllabus Using Credo

Credo has been organized to explain the Catholic faith according to a logical sequence that benefits the learner. We recommend starting at the beginning and covering the lessons in order. Of course, adaptation is always possible, but in our experience, it is easier for the learner if the material is presented in the order in which we have organized it.

In addition to planning the major events of RCIA, you will need to plan how to make use of the various lessons in Credo by determining which lesson will be covered at each session. Planning this syllabus will help you ensure that you can cover all the material adequately. The entire Credo program has been divided into thirty-six chapters so that it may be used on a weekly basis for nine months. Your program may be longer or shorter in many cases; if it’s longer, you may host other sessions, such as exploring other elements of Catholic culture. If your program is shorter, it may not be possible to devote an entire weekly session to each lesson. You should feel free to adapt Credo by covering two lessons in one session, for instance, or by asking participants to consider the life application questions and watch the Witness to Conversion segments at home. (Make sure to talk to your Saint Benedict Press sales representative to ensure your entire parish has access to all Credo videos online, which you should have upon purchasing it. This is a good resource for not only your participants but your entire parish community.)

Credo has been designed to help all three categories of RCIA participants (Catechumens, Candidates for full communion, and baptized Catholics completing initiation). The first three parts (“Faith and Doctrine,” “Sacramental Life and Practice,” and “The Christian Moral Life”) do not correspond to any particular stage of RCIA. For this reason, Credo is flexible and need not correspond to the stages of the individual participants. The final part of Credo, “Pillars of Catholic Living,” has been designed for the period of post-baptismal catechesis, or mystagogy (in the weeks following initiation).

While the presenters make reference to the liturgy, Credo has also not been designed to interface with the liturgical calendar in a specific way. For this reason, it is flexible and you may begin using it at any time throughout the year. Teaching individuals about liturgical seasons and other seasonal catechesis is left to the leader to do at the appropriate time. For example, before the beginning of the Lenten season, it is important to introduce RCIA participants to the Church’s life of penance (e.g., customs about giving up something for Lent and the fasting and abstinence requirements of the Church). You should also encourage candidates to keep the Good Friday fast through the Easter Vigil. The Church encourages candidates for initiation—and those accompanying them—to keep this fast.Introduction to RCIA ritual, no. 15.

Preparing for Sessions

It is important to familiarize yourself with Credo before using it as a teaching resource. If you are unable to watch all of the videos and read the entire book, you should at least familiarize yourself with the overview of the book and the sequence in which topics are covered. This will enable you to tell participants when to expect different topics to surface or where they can turn to learn more about whatever they are interested in. But we recommend you do make an effort to watch all of the video lessons of a given part before teaching it.

In addition to watching the videos, you should also read the discussion questions and the answers that are given in this guide before each session. It is also important to familiarize yourself with the key terms and any quotations found in a given chapter. Doing this will also give you a chance to consider any other topics you would like to teach or discuss.

Building social time into the RCIA program is also important so that participants have an opportunity to get to know one another and form connections with other parishioners. This may take the form of extra time before or after the teaching component of each session, or it could be a monthly gathering hosted by parishioners. It is always nice to encourage each year’s class to spend time together even outside of meetings at the parish. How to do that will depend on what you think is realistic for your group. For example, some programs will suggest that participants take turns hosting a discussion session or potluck dinner in their homes.

Making Expectations Clear from the Beginning

It’s important to make your expectations clear to those participating in RCIA. You should do this upfront in the first few meetings since it will be difficult to do so later on. For example, this meeting could take the following form:

• Give everyone a warm welcome and general introduction and overview.
• Make it clear that you are here to help them grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ and that the whole RCIA process is about growing in union with God.
• Encourage them to begin learning prayers and building a habit of daily prayer.
• Make it clear that you expect them to be open to the fullness of Catholic teaching and life.
• Encourage them to begin living according to the fullness of Catholic life even now (e.g., in regards to doctrine and living the moral life).
• Give a description and calendar listing of the major RCIA events that are absolutely required.
• Be frank in acknowledging that not everyone will necessarily be ready to enter the Church at the same time (i.e., this year).
• Explain the requirement for regular attendance of RCIA sessions and the calendar of all the sessions. Give other expectations about working with the RCIA team and sponsors.
• Give an explanation of the period of mystagogy and the requirement to attend sessions after initiation.
• An exhortation to read the “At Home Reviews” and Scripture Passages to prepare for the Sessions.
• Any other expectations you may have for participants.

We recommend that the RCIA leader also meet individually with each participant at least once, to get to know the person a bit, to learn something of his or her background and interest in Catholicism, and to ascertain the status of each participant (future catechumen, candidate, or Catholic seeking full initiation).

In addition, it is imperative that, early on in the process, you arrange for each participant to have a one-on-one private meeting with the pastor or other designated priest (as mentioned in section 1 on the role of the priest). The aim is to welcome the person, to establish a relationship of trust and approachability, and to talk over the status of each participant as well as to identify any potential obstacles to full reception into the Church. For example, are there any irregular marriage situations (e.g., married outside the Church but one party was baptized as Catholic)? Are there any other possible obstacles to living a Catholic moral life? These matters can be complex and call for confidentiality. If there are issues that need resolution by a canonical process (like obtaining a declaration of nullity of a previous marriage), the priest will want to begin working on them as soon as possible.

Running a Credo Session

Going through a one-hour session of Credo is meant to be simple, and it is! For a minute-by-minute breakdown, please see the Group Session Plan; for a breakdown of each component found in the guide, please see Understanding Your Guide.

Keeping the Group Strong Throughout the Process

As the months progress, it is important to remain attentive to the needs of the individual participants. Some who began strong may become hesitant. Some who attended regularly at the beginning may have had several absences in a row. To help address individual needs, it is recommended to have at least one “midterm interview.” Ideally a priest closely involved in RCIA should meet with the individual. At this time, you can answer a person’s specific concerns and offer encouragement or challenge them to attend sessions consistently and be wholeheartedly engaged.

A few months into RCIA, it is also important to encourage participants to decide on a sponsor or godparent if they have not already done so and have their choices approved by the priest.

At this point, it is also important to expose RCIA participants to devotion to the saints, especially in light of the fact that many will need to choose a patron saint for their confirmation. Encourage them to look through a short book on the saints for ideas or help them identify a saint that might have an appropriate patronage for them. If a participant already has a Christian name, they should research something about the saint whose name they bear. Within Credo, you may direct participants to chapter 35 on “Mary, the Saints, and Devotions” as well as the “Wisdom of the Saints” quotations in each chapter, where they might learn more about the saints and those they might bond with.

Also, as the months progress, do not forget that a baptismal certificate should be obtained before the date of initiation for anyone who has already been baptized. To avoid last minute anxiety about this, please remember to have candidates request certification of their baptism a few months before the date of initiation.

Preparing for Initiation

Hopefully the RCIA group will naturally become more intense and focused as the date of the actual initiation approaches. If not, set the tone by reminding people of the proximity of their initiation and the profound reality of the sacraments they are about to receive. An off-site retreat day will go a long way in helping you communicate this disposition.

As the date for being received into the Church approaches, the pastor or RCIA coordinator should be prepared to have another personal interview for those who may have obstacles to their entrance to the Church. Some candidates may need to be told that they should wait longer or will have to wait longer, while others may need to be asked to manifest a clear commitment of faith and morals.

As the time for initiation approaches, you should make concrete logistical plans for the Easter Vigil or Mass of Initiation. Schedule a rehearsal to walk through the liturgy. If you have not already done so, explain and concretely demonstrate to them how to go to confession, receive Holy Communion (under both species), and do any other liturgical gestures that will be expected of them (Credo provides extra resources for this; be sure to ask your Saint Benedict Press sales representative for more information).

Following Through With Mystagogy

You should make sure to remind everyone that their attendance at the mystagogy sessions is required and that initiation into the Church is not a “graduation” that exempts them from the mystagogy formation.

It is important to host a session soon after the Easter Vigil or Mass of Initiation to celebrate the moment and to allow everyone to share their experiences. Chapter 30 will help facilitate this and will also serve as an introduction to the remaining chapters, which are designed to help the newly initiated reflect on their experience and give them formation for their life as a Catholic. It may be appropriate to open these sessions up to the larger parish or to those who were received into the Church in previous years. The Church encourages parishes to celebrate with the newly initiated by having special Masses on the Sundays of Easter.

At the very least, if you are unable to offer mystagogy sessions, encourage participants to engage with the material at home by watching the videos online and reading the book.

Following Up Long Term

It is appropriate to have some sort of follow up with the newly initiated even after the formal session of mystagogy. This can take a variety of forms at a parish. For example, the parish could have an anniversary celebration for neophytes.cf. Ibid., no. 250. It is important that the pastor, supervising priest, RCIA coordinator, sponsor, and others maintain a connection with the newly initiated Catholic to encourage them in their first years of practicing the Faith.

Addressing Individual Needs

Running a successful RCIA program calls for not only good teaching but also good listening. The different people in your program will surely be there for different reasons. Part of the job of an RCIA coordinator is to encounter people where they are, to listen to them and come to know them and their personal motivations, and to accompany them as they take important steps toward full communion with the Catholic Church.

It is a foundational principle of pastoral care that one assumes each person has good motives for entering RCIA. At the same time, you should find an appropriate way to stress that becoming Catholic and receiving the sacraments is an important and weighty spiritual act, which must be undertaken knowingly and freely, and should not be done as a formality or to please a family member or future spouse. If it becomes clear to the coordinator or priest that a person is participating in RCIA just to please someone else or for an extraneous reason, it is very important to address this privately, one-on-one, with tact and clarity. God can work with mixed motives, of course, but part of the purpose of the process is to help clarify the real significance of receiving the sacraments as a Catholic so that individuals who freely desire them can receive them with all of their spiritual fruits.

The individuals participating in RCIA at a typical parish will no doubt come from a variety of religious and educational backgrounds. Credo has been designed to help give adults a robust and complete summary of the Catholic faith within the structures of an ordinary parish program. Some may find the amount of information in a given video lesson to be overwhelming. This is why the video lessons are short (7-15 minutes) and complemented by various other ways of communicating the same information (discussion questions, vocabulary, quotations, testimonial videos, and written summaries).

Even if some individuals feel like there is more information in a given lesson than they can assimilate, that’s not a problem. In our view, this is a strength of Credo, not a disadvantage. That’s because, in our experience of teaching RCIA, we’ve not only found that a typical class often has a range of abilities but also that it is very important to expose all the participants to the depth and riches of the Catholic tradition, even if they don’t feel like they’ve comprehended every point. Exploring the Catholic faith is a lifetime project. What is more, the essential points that pertain to the participants’ future life as Catholics will be presented repeatedly to help them grasp what is most important.

We also encourage you to have regular in-class discussions of the material and, in addition to using the discussion questions we have provided, to leave time for participants to ask their own questions. Your explanations and engagement with the material is an indispensable part of a successful RCIA program.

Dealing With Absences

While you want to set a clear expectation for regular attendance, even the most devoted of participants will likely be unable to attend absolutely every session. Credo provides a convenient way for individuals to “make up” sessions that they have missed. Individuals can watch the videos for a given session at their convenience (remember they can watch them online at home), read the At Home Reviews, and fill out the discussion questions and reflection questions. The liturgical rites of RCIA are not flexible in this way and so must be treated with the appropriate seriousness.

Incorporation into the Parish

We encourage you to find ways for participants to get to know your parish community and to get involved in it. While special emphasis is given to this in the mystagogy section (chapters 30-36), it is good to begin even earlier. The pastor and RCIA coordinator should be willing to help participants connect to various groups that will enable them to make good Catholic friendships and be supported in their journey. While RCIA itself is already a large time commitment, an effort should nevertheless be made to at least introduce participants to different parish groups.

Beginning to Live as a Catholic

Some people will come to RCIA just to dip a toe in the water of Catholicism. The Church wants to welcome all such inquirers and help them learn more about the Faith. Yet, as the RCIA process goes forward, it inevitably calls for a commitment. Does the participant want to receive the sacraments and become a fully initiated adult Catholic? We hope the answer will be yes! And we want the RCIA process to help participants come to make that commitment to Christ.

A major part of the RCIA process is, therefore, supporting and helping future Catholics to begin to live as true disciples of Jesus, even before they receive the sacraments. For some (if not most), this will inevitably require making some adjustments and even some significant changes to how the person lives. Being a disciple of Christ means living according to his Gospel. One reason why some people go through RCIA programs and receive the sacraments but do not persevere in the practice of the Faith (sadly, statistics show this happens regularly) is that they do not succeed in integrating an authentically Christian way of living into their daily lives.

The first thing to encourage them to do is to pray for the grace to become a disciple of Christ: to believe in him, to love him, to follow him, and to live according to his teaching. Then they should begin to do the things that Catholics do: attend Mass on Sundays (without receiving the Eucharist, of course, except for Catholics in RCIA only in order to be confirmed), pray before meals, and integrate other Catholic practices into their lives. Spending time in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament is one of the best things they can do in order to fortify their faith in Christ’s presence and to strengthen their personal relationship with Jesus.

As they engage in these things, and as they learn in the course of the program how the Gospel calls Christ’s disciples to live, they should begin to examine their own lives. Are there past wounds that remain unhealed? Are there old grudges to be forgiven? Are there “hatchets to bury” and “fences to mend”? Are there patterns of behavior in their lives that they need to unlearn? Jesus calls every Christian to repentance, and he promises his mercy and the help of his grace to be renewed from within.

It is your role as an RCIA leader to accompany the participants as they begin this process, to encourage them, and to help them, as appropriate, live moral lives. That doesn’t mean asking indiscreet questions or intruding into the domain of what should be discussed between a priest and a participant. But it does mean speaking on occasion about such matters and helping them form their consciences in preparation for receiving the sacraments.

This is especially important when teaching participants how to make a good confession.

First Confessions

Those participating in RCIA who have already been baptized in another Christian ecclesial community need to make use of the sacrament of confession prior to being received into the Church and receiving other sacraments.USCCB, National Statutes for the Catechumenate, no. 36. This may occur in the week leading up to their reception into the Church. However, it may occur at an earlier point. If you are not the priest supervising RCIA, discuss with your pastor when would be an appropriate time for candidates to make their first confession and how to best facilitate this.

Those who were baptized Catholic but who have not completed the sacraments of initiation must go to confession at some time before receiving confirmation or the Eucharist.Ibid., no. 27. They can be encouraged to go to confession as soon as they have been catechized on the sacrament of confession and as soon as they have been reasonably prepared to do so. To help prepare individuals to go to confession, you may direct them to chapter 15 and provide them with a written guide and examination of conscience (one can be found in the Credo prayer book and there are many online).

We should add an important note here about difficult situations where there may be objective obstacles to a person receiving sacramental absolution. (We’ve mentioned some of these in sections 1 and 2.) The most common of these typically involves an irregular marriage situation and the need for a declaration of nullity (an “annulment”) or other analogous issues. Just as it is necessary to resolve these obstacles before one can complete the RCIA process and receive the other sacraments, so also here. Your pastor or another priest in your parish can address this directly with the persons involved, but as the RCIA leader, you should know not to schedule a participant’s first confession until these obstacles have been addressed and resolved.

Regardless of their background, individuals should be encouraged to go to confession frequently once they have made their first confession. This is a critical part of their formation in RCIA. To encourage individuals in the practice of frequent confession, direct them to chapter 32.

Since Baptism is the gateway to the other sacraments, catechumens are not able to receive the sacrament of confession. Baptism will take away original sin and the guilt of any personal sin they have committed prior to their baptism. However, some individuals may desire to meet with a priest to discuss their past sins as a way to spiritually prepare for baptism, although this is not required in any way. The priest should make clear to the candidate that this is not the sacrament of confession. Catechumens should be taught how to practice the sacrament of Penance and encouraged to make use of the sacrament of confession shortly after their baptism, usually within one month.

Reaching the Entire Parish

While Credo has been designed to form the basis of teaching RCIA, it contains many resources that may also be used for Adult Faith Formation and continuing education. You should feel free to adapt Credo for this purpose. For example, you could dedicate several weeks of adult education simply to going through the section on the sacraments (part II). Or you could use the moral section to host a series on the virtues (Part III). Also, chapters 30-36 lend themselves very easily to faith formation for any Catholic.

Additionally, remember that in purchasing Credo, your entire parish community has online access to the videos. Advertising this in the bulletin or on the website is a good idea to help you catechize your entire parish (even those who are too busy to attend adult formation classes). Watching the videos online will help educate your parishioners in every aspect of the Catholic faith. The Witness to Conversion testimonials will remind them how blessed they are to be Catholic and provide encouragement to those who are considering becoming Catholic. These interviews can also serve as a good apologetics resource. They cover many people’s journeys to the Catholic faith, including what initially drew them to the Church and what helped them overcome common objections to Catholicism. Every Catholic has at least a few friends and family members who are on the verge of joining the Church, and these interviews can help educate your parishioners on how to shepherd these curious souls through the doors of the Catholic faith.

Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For every one who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.

— Matthew 7:7-8

Since the journey to the Catholic Church is an adventure that presents new wonders and mysteries, your students will probably have many questions. In their Guide, they have their own checklist of items that prompts them to consider specific areas of the Faith they want to learn more about, common topics that often intrigue or confuse those entering the Church. Make sure they take a moment to read through their list before RCIA begins.

For your own benefit, we have provided a checklist for RCIA leaders. While the participant checklist is geared more toward their understanding of Catholicism, this list concerns logistical matters. Take a moment to read through it as you prepare to lead RCIA. Feel free to refer back to it as the various steps of the program unfold.

Advanced Planning

• Obtain the parish calendar or list of major events for the parish for the year.
• Create a calendar for RCIA that incorporates the parish calendar, times of Holy Days, holidays, and customary breaks. The calendar should include the major liturgical events of RCIA (i.e., rite of acceptance and/or welcome, rite of election, the scrutinies, the Triduum and Easter Vigil).
• Recruit parishioners to assist with RCIA (e.g., to provide hospitality, to help with logistics, to offer to be sponsors or godparents).
• Plan informational meetings with inquirers (e.g., informal gatherings in the summer, social events).
• Discuss with the pastor a plan for inviting people to consider joining RCIA.
• Encourage parishioners to invite family, friends, and colleagues to consider becoming Catholic.
• Reach out to non-Catholic spouses of parishioners and invite them to consider becoming Catholic.
• Study Credo by watching the videos and reading this book.
• Create a schedule or syllabus that outlines when you will be covering each Credo chapter.
• Give a calendar to all participants and review expectations for completing RCIA (e.g., faithful attendance of meetings, participation in major events, reading, learning prayers, etc.).

Getting Started: First Few Weeks

• Prepare to lead each session.
• Remind all inquirers of expectations.
• Facilitate the participants meeting individually with the pastor or other priest designated by him in order to establish a relationship of trust, to get to know the participants, to give the person a chance to discuss any sensitive pastoral matters (e.g., a difficult family situation), and most importantly, to identify potential obstacles to living as a Catholic in good standing (e.g., an irregular marriage situation or a job incompatible with Catholic teaching).
• Where obstacles exist, the priest should begin to work with the person to determine what avenues are available to resolve them and to start that process.
• The priest should also identify persons who may need their marriage convalidated.
• Remind candidates who have already been baptized that they will need to eventually obtain certification of their baptism.
• If you have not already done so, set a tentative date for the rite of acceptance (catechumens) and/or the rite of welcome (candidates).
• Arrange for a tour of the church and an introduction to other liturgical practices.
• If a priest is not ordinarily at each session, invite him to speak or be present for something (preferably the first session).
• If they have not already done so, encourage everyone to decide on a sponsor or godparent. Get their choices approved by the priest or deacon tasked with RCIA.
• Encourage the involvement of sponsors and godparents in RCIA sessions.

Staying Strong: Several Months In

• Have at least one “mid-term” interview with each person in order to assess how they are doing and address any questions or concerns they may have about the RCIA process. Try to evaluate their progress morally and spiritually. In close consultation with the priest, try to judge if it will be possible for them to receive the sacraments at the designated time.
• Request a baptismal certificate from those who have already been baptized.
• Continue to encourage regular attendance and address any frequent absences.
• Encourage the involvement of sponsors and godparents and secure their attendance for the rite of election, the scrutinies, and the Easter Vigil (or other Mass of Initiation).
• Where appropriate, encourage everyone to think about choosing a patron saint for confirmation.
• Begin introducing individuals to parish groups they can get involved in.
• Prepare for the rite of election.

Preparing for Initiation: Two Months Before Initiation

• Have a final meeting with each person in order to assess how they are doing and address any questions or concerns. Try to evaluate their progress morally and spiritually. Try to judge if it will be possible for them to receive the sacraments at the designated time, leaving the ultimate decision to the pastor or designated priest.
• Prepare for the scrutinies and other rites.
• Host an offsite retreat.
• For those already baptized and who have not yet gone to confession, facilitate a meeting with a priest to hear their confessions. Allow for the option of an anonymous, face-to-face, or by-appointment confession.
• Instruct everyone on how to receive Holy Communion and any other liturgical gesture they should know (Credo has resources to help with this).
• Plan for some kind of celebration after the initiation (e.g., a reception or something special at the first mystagogy meeting).

Immediate Preparation for Initiation

• Hold a rehearsal for the Easter Vigil (or other Mass of Initiation).
• Reiterate the expectation for continued attendance through mystagogy.

Mystagogy: The Two Months Following Initiation

• Host a session that immediately follows initiation. Have the newly initiated (neophytes) share their experiences. (Session 30 “Introduction to Mystagogy” is designed to help facilitate this.)
• Host special Masses for neophytes during Easter.

Follow Up

• Follow up with neophytes several months after their initiation.
• Encourage neophytes to be involved in the life of the parish.
• Host an anniversary event for neophytes.
• Ask neophytes if they would be willing to help with the next year’s RCIA class in any way, even if just coming to speak one night and share their story.

The following elements appear in each chapter of your Catechist Guide. Familiarize yourself with them before embarking on the program.

Scripture Reading

Each chapter asks you to read a brief passage from Sacred Scripture that serves as an introduction to the material you are about to learn. These passages should take less than two minutes to read. It is recommended that you review them before each class begins. Feel free to use any Catholic translation of the Bible you have at home or find the passages online.

Catechist Note: We highly recommend that you read this passage aloud (even if participants read it before coming) at the beginning of each session since Scripture is an indispensable source for the material in each lesson and the Word of God carries great power when it is proclaimed in a group. This will also help familiarize participants with the various books of the Bible. Everyone should have a Bible and bring it to each session. Ask for volunteers to read, especially from any deacons or sponsors who may be present.

Opening Prayer

Every class should begin with a prayer. Leaders may choose to open with their own prayers, but your Guide provides both original prayers composed by the Dominican friars as well as traditional prayers from the Church.

Catechist Note: We encourage you to begin with your own prayer if you wish, but your group will also benefit from using the short prayer provided since these prayers often refer to the material you are about to cover.

Video Lesson Notes

Each session contains a seven- to fifteen-minute lecture by the Dominican friars. Key highlights of their talks are provided with space to take notes. Some Part IV lectures are approximately 5 minutes.

Catechist Note: As the leader, please make sure to watch each video before coming to class and, if possible, prepare notes. This will help you guide the discussion and include any additional material you would like to teach.

Discussion Questions

All chapters contain several questions meant to spark discussion in your group and help you better understand the material you have just learned.

Catechist Note: Answers are provided in your Guide.

Life Application Questions

Unlike the Discussion Questions, which are objective and informational, these questions invite you to reflect inward and meditate on your own life and journey into the Catholic faith. They can be discussed with the group or considered alone in the privacy of your home.

Catechist Note: While there will not be objective answers for these, it may be helpful to answer them yourself before each class so you are prepared to lead discussion.

Witness to Conversion

Every session includes a second video where recent converts give personal testimonials to what drew them to the Catholic faith and what they struggled with during their conversion. These are provided as a way to let you hear what some of your brothers and sisters went through during their conversion and how they live today as Catholics.

Catechist Note: It is not a requirement to play this second video, but these powerful testimonials are meant to resonate with your students and should go a long way in helping them relate on a more personal level to the material found in each chapter.

Key Terms

Each chapter contains definitions for several words, terms, and phrases that bear special significance to the lesson.

Catechist Note: It may help to review these before each class so you can be prepared to answer questions about the most important topics of each chapter.

Words of Wisdom

Spread throughout each chapter are memorable quotations to help you better understand the material. These include:

God’s Word: Pertinent Scripture passages.

Catechism Connection: Supporting passages from the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

Wisdom of the Saints: Quotes from holy men and women of the Church.

Rome to Home: Helpful insights and clear teaching from Church councils, encyclicals, homilies, and writings of the popes throughout the ages.

Closing Prayer

Like the Opening Prayer, each leader may choose to close with a prayer of his or her own, but your Guide provides both original prayers from the Dominican friars as well as traditional prayers from the Church to close out each session.

Catechist Note: We encourage you to end with your own prayer if you wish, but your group will also benefit from using the short prayer provided since these prayers often refer to the material you just covered and introduce participants to the devotional life of the Church.

At Home Review

Every chapter includes several pages of content written by the Dominican friar who presented the Video Lesson. This can serve as a review of the material for those who want to go deeper or can be a resource for those who missed a class. It is recommended that all participants, if they are able, read these reviews before coming to the next class. Each one should take about ten minutes to read.

Catechist Note: While this is meant as a review for your students, it will help you to read it before each class so you will be prepared for any questions that come up.

Digging Deeper

At the conclusion of each chapter, you will find suggested reading to help you go deeper into each topic.

Catechist Note: You may want to check ahead of time if any of these works are available in your parish library, or find some other way to make these titles available according to the interest of your participants.

What does a typical one-hour Credo session look like? Here’s an overview:

Before the Session

Review the Scripture Reading. (2-3 minutes)

Session

• Welcome and Opening Prayer (2-3 minutes)
• Video Lesson (7-15 minutes)
• Group Discussion (20 minutes)
• Life Application Discussion (5-10 minutes)
• Witness to Conversion (5-10 minutes)
• Closing Prayer (2-3 minutes)

After the Session

• Read the At Home Review to ensure you understand the material. Write down any questions you have so you can bring them up the following week. (10-15 minutes)
• Review the Key Terms and read the Words of Wisdom quotes.

Catechist Note: It is up to you to keep the session going at a reasonable pace that stays on the above schedule. However, there is a good level of flexibility built into this itinerary. Please make the class your own. If group discussion is going well and you feel it is best to let people continue to talk, do not hesitate to allow them to do so. Conversely, if it is a slow evening and the topic at hand is not generating a lot of discussion, move on with the class as you see fit.

It is not necessary to show the Witness to Conversion video during each session; however, it is strongly recommended. These powerful testimonials are meant to resonate with your students and should go a long way in helping them relate on a more personal level to the material.