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quiet52
Guest
Does your parish make any particular efforts at this time of year to advertise RCIA? If so, what are these efforts?
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CB_Catholic
Guest
We have a bulletin notice year round about RCIA. Around this time of the year it is the candidates and catechumens who have been received into the Church that are spreading the word in their excitement it seems.
Every year we seem to get a few candidates who were told about RCIA by the previous year’s catechumens and candidates. Which means of course that they are living their faith.
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KarenElissa
Guest
We also have bulletin announcements. Ours aren’t quite year round, but they are at strategic times of years. There are in there this time of year, in the late summer, right before the fall classes start, and in November/December right before our spring Profession of Faith (for the previously baptized) and Adult Confirmation classes start.
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InternetWoman
Guest
We start advertising in June for a July sign up for an August start. We not only advertise in our bulletin but also in our local news papers. This year we have plans to post flyers in places like grocery stores (that have social calendar bulletin board areas).
We also contact anyone who dropped out from this year’s class (some do so because of scheduling issues).
And we too mine our current and former catechumens and candidates.
Each year’s starting class has been larger than the last. This past was an all time high of over 60 people - of whom only 18 made it to Easter. But they are a very solid 18!
We also contact anyone who dropped out from this year’s class (some do so because of scheduling issues).
And we too mine our current and former catechumens and candidates.
Each year’s starting class has been larger than the last. This past was an all time high of over 60 people - of whom only 18 made it to Easter. But they are a very solid 18!
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Catholic1954
Guest
Our Deacon would make a personal announcement (he was the director) before each Mass on Sunday a few weeks before, inviting all interested persons to attend the first class and to ask at least one other person to come with them. Sometimes, brave souls who had gonethrough the program the year before, would talk about their expirence. Team members would man the sign up tables outside the front door and answer any questions. I wanted to put a banner up, on the side of the church facing the street, similar to the one announcing academy enrollment time, but we never got that far.
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puzzleannie
Guest
bulletin announcements on a 4-week cycle 4 times a year, invitations from the pulpit and during “announcements” at all Masses 4 times a year, including especially Easter and the 3 weeks following, when new classes are forming. Explicit invitation to parents and family members of those who enroll in RE during registration times, & during baptismal and marriage preparation. Plus we call, e-mail and send cards to anyone who expressed an interest or enrolled in class but dropped out in the past for at least 3 years after their initial contact.
We also invite new Catholics to invite family or friends who are interested to attend new inquiry sessions (and invite the newbies to be sponsors).
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quiet52
Guest
Thank you for your replies.
Our announcements (bulletins and verbal) don’t seem to have any impact on recruiting inquirers. Please share what your parish announces!
Our announcements (bulletins and verbal) don’t seem to have any impact on recruiting inquirers. Please share what your parish announces!
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puzzleannie
Guest
they have almost zero impact in my estimation but we have to have this published someplace, and the bulletin is also of course on the website, and there is a website link to RCIA info.
no. 1 source of candidates is other family members, or fiances who refer those adults who need sacraments or want to investigate the Church or become Catholic
no. 2 is direct in person contact with a Catholic who issues and invitation, brings them to Church, and moves them to inquire
we have an organized “evangelization program” that sponsored by the Diocese, Disciples in Mission, on its 4th year, but I have as yet received not one single person referred or sponsored by the 200 or so participants in that endeavor. Nor I have I received one single volunteer catechist or sponsor (someone who was not already active) through it. Participants still see it as personal spiritual enrichment and do not at least in any way I can discern feel called to evangelize.
no. 3 source of converts, recently, is those who have become active in social and outreach ministries of the parish, and now want to become Catholic or complete their sacramental initiation.
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Joannm
Guest
I put pictures and articles about the progress of our catechumens and candidates in our bulletin maybe once every 4 weeks. During Lent I had an article about them every week and I got several calls from inquirers saying they read the articles. I interviewed two. One I don’t think will come back because she has marriage issues. The other was just darling and we will see her on SUnday at our after mass meeting. This will be a good one because our neophytes will share about their experience and this would be great for her to hear. I also have a man who may come Sunday but I haven’t interviewed him yet, and another woman whose husband I spoke to but so far she hasn’t come.
I get inquirers all year and since we have a year round process they can join at any time.
I get inquirers all year and since we have a year round process they can join at any time.
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puzzleannie
Guest
this may be the single most important factor in attracting inquirers and candidates. People who are told “come back in September” may never come at all. Any parishes still stuck in the dark ages with this attitude toward bringing people to Christ needs IMO a shakeup.
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InternetWoman
Guest
In our RCIA program there is a logical sequence to the lessons. We start by exploring belief in God, then we talk about knowing what God wants (revelation), then we cover acting on that belief (faith), then we cover Jesus and his life and message, then on to finding God’s revelation today (church, 4 marks).
How the heck do you handle some Inquirer coming in at this point who is still back at the “that may be true for you but it’s not true for me” stage? Make everyone wait while you educate him/her starting with “well if God is real then…”???
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quiet52
Guest
Your response is to a poster’s comments about having year-round RCIA.
I am in awe and sometimes am envious of parishes with large groups of catechumens and candidates – and who have SEVERAL people on thet team. I guess they have more than one group and can begin at staggered times throughout the year? But with parishes like mine who might have two RCIA participants one year, maybe a few the next, and with only one or two people willing to commit to the ministry, we can only do our best. I meet with the inquirers informally throughout the year, and invite them to my classes which begin in September. I am an unpaid volunteer, and that is all I can do. The priests and deacons do not participate in RCIA. For people who inquire after September, I’ll try to provide some “make-up” classes, but if they are not catechized, it’s best to work with them informally, and invite them to the breaking open the word, until the following September. Reality trumps “what should be.”
I’m the person who posted the question about how parishes advertise. I wish I knew how to recruit enough parishioners (and team members and sponsors) so we can offer a year-round RCIA! Maybe “recruit” isn’t such a good word to use. It’s the Holy Spirit who prompts the hearts, I know. But the Holy Spirit prompts my heart to do more in encouraging people to participate!
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InternetWoman
Guest
I too am an unpaid volunteer. Our priests and deacons have minimal involvement (I recruit them to give the classes on the sacraments of ordination, Eucharist and confession). It started with just me, then I “recruited” a sponsor who had a masters degree in Catechetics. Then we recruited some catechumens/candidates from one year to help with hospitality and babysitting the following year. Then we got them to be sponsors. We’ve been “bootstrapping” the program year by year. We are up to a team of about a six dedicated folks with another dozen part timers. Each year we grow by one or two.
I think we are at the point where we can begin to offer year round Breaking Open the Word. (Just waiting for our community center to be completed so we’ll have enough room.)
We have yearly pot luck dinners where we invite prior catechumens/candidates to come. We do it at the start of the RCIA year (September) and have them witness to the new folks what RCIA means/meant to them. It helps keep them connected and involved.
We get large groups. We started this year with almost 60, but ended with 18. Not everyone is ready to put in the time it takes, not submit to the moral teachings. On the other hand four of our 18 were returnees, so maybe some of our missing 40 will come back later.
One thing we do is allow parishioners who want to learn more about their faith to join us. They usually end up being sponsors. Then they go out into the parish and spread the word and we get more folks.
Hope this is helpful.
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