The Church must initiate its members – priests, consecrated persons and lay people – into this “art of accompaniment”, so that all learn to always remove their sandals before the sacred ground of the other (cf. Ex 3:5). We must give our journey the salutary rhythm of closeness, with a respectful and compassionate gaze that at the same time heals, liberates and encourages us to mature in the Christian life.
Pope Francis
“You’re not born a Christian, you become one”. (Tertullian, 3rd century) So being a Christian is never a finished job, it’s a work in progress, hence the need for continual faith education. As a result, more and more Christians feel the need for ongoing formation to keep their faith alive and relevant.
Parishes respond to this need by offering various types of activities, courses, testimonies, retreats, sharing groups based on the Bible or on everyday experience. If you feel the need to grow in your faith, the best way is to join a group that gives itself the time and educational tools to ensure that its members’ faith remains an essential reference to support their daily lives.
ABOUT THE CATECHUMENATE
The word catechumenate comes from the Greek Katêkhoumenos, meaning “instructed by word of mouth”. It’s particularly apt for adults seeking baptism, first communion and confirmation. They are entering a journey of faith that they cannot make alone. You don’t become a Christian on your own. It’s with other Christians that the adult discovers and encounters God in his or her life.
The RICA journey for adults, for example, is designed to build believers who live through passages and transformations. Catechumens create new relationships with themselves (identity), with others (becoming brothers and sisters) and with God (becoming God’s disciple and temple).