CNE Newsletter - March 14

We are now only two weeks away from the Easter Vigil! I pray this Lent has been a time of retreat, repentance, prayer, and discernment as your catechumens (and candidates, as the case may be) prepare for the sacraments of initiation. I often receive questions about what should be done after the Vigil with our new Catholics. Below are my answers to two such questions:

Q: Does the RCIA process end at the Easter Vigil?

A: No! There’s a fourth and final period called Mystagogy that our neophytes, our new Catholics, must experience. Here’s what the RCIA text says about this period:

244. “The third step of Christian initiation, the celebration of the sacraments, is followed by the final period of postbaptismal catechesis or mystagogy. 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 of the Gospel, sharing in the eucharist, and doing works of charity. To strengthen the neophytes as they begin to walk in newness of life, the community of the faithful, their godparents, and their parish priests (pastors) should give them thoughtful and friendly help.”

Read RCIA 245-251 for more about the Mystagogy period. It really is a beautiful stage in the process, and I think it’s necessary in order to insure that our neophytes can swim well the deep waters of Catholicism.

Q: How do you keep people from dropping out of the process as soon as the Vigil is over?

A: I think you maintain retention in the process, first, by establishing the expectation on Day 1 that you will continue to meet after the Vigil. If you have a calendar of sessions that you give everyone on the first day, make sure this calendar includes sessions for after the Vigil. Don’t even remotely imply that it’s optional. Just present it as a normal part of the process. This is what we do. We continue to meet. Your inquirers will just assume it’s the norm, as it should be!

Also, if you do a masterful job of establishing fellowship and community among your catechumens (and uncatechized candidates who need the full process) then they won’t want to stop coming. They’ll enjoy their time together and want to continue it. It's possible to create such a nurturing environment that you have zero drop-off after the Vigil and they will actually plan ways to continue to meet even after Pentecost, when Mystagogy ends. I have experienced this myself.

Do you have a question about the RCIA process, or would you like help renewing your process? Send me an email! (nhardesty@catholicaoc.org)

The Peace of Christ to you,
Nicholas Hardesty, Assoc. Dir. of Adult Evangelization & RCIA

April 1st is the Spring submission deadline for two CNE opportunities to fund your mission:

Gabrielle Bouscaren Continuing Education Scholarship: These grants will be awarded to current or potential catechetical leaders or teachers in the archdiocese who are taking religious education courses toward certification or on-going formation.

Missionary Option Grant: Supports innovative, bold, creative, mission-focused parish initiatives.

For more information on our grants or to apply, go here.

Married couples celebrating their 50th Wedding Anniversary in 2024 are invited to attend one of the following Golden Anniversary Masses:

Saturday, Sept. 7 at 4:00 p.m. - St. John the Baptist, Tipp City; Celebrant: TBD
Sunday, Sept. 8 at 11:00 a.m. - Cathedral Basilica of St. Peter in Chains, Cincinnati; Celebrant: Archbishop Dennis M. Schnurr

Registration is required to attend one of the Golden Jubilee Wedding Anniversary Masses. Please register online by completing the anniversary certificate request form linked here. Parish staff may use this bulletin insert to publicize the event.

The Legionaries are hosting two camp opportunities in the coming months:

Father & Son Campout (April 27-28) - Fathers are invited to bond with their sons at the peaceful Camp River Ridge. The event will include Mass, sports, adventure games, prayer, fishing, and more. Go here for more information and to register.

Camp Luminor (June 17-23) - For boys in 5th-8th grade looking for adventure, faith, fun, and a deep encounter with Jesus. Sports, battle encounters, outdoor activities, Adoration, Mass, confession, and great food are included. Go here for more information and to register.

For questions, please contact Fr. Andrew Gronotte at (301) 674 6921 or email at agronotte@legionaries.org.

Connected Through Christ is a group for parents of children that suffer from gender dysphoria. Parents meet to share and discuss experiences regarding their children who identify as transgender. The group is intended for parents to support each other through challenging times, and to pray together.

The core values of Connected Through Christ are based on a Christian understanding of male and female as articulated in Sacred Scripture and the teachings of the Catholic Church. Meetings are held twice a month at a Cincinnati east side parish. Please email cincyctc@yahoo.com if you are interested in joining the group.