RCIA Catechist Manual, Participant Guide from ACM

[puzzleannie]

attention RCIA catechists, directors, team members sponsors: finally we have available orthodox, complete catechetical program for the RCIA that is affordable and reusable, from the Association for Catechumenal Ministry (ACM), Clinton MD. Chair is Professor Barbara Morgan, director of Office of Catechetics at Franciscan University in Steubenville. ACM is outgrowth of the RCIA Catechist certification track in summer conferences and through the university. co-editor is William J. Keimig.

review both resources online at acmrcia.org

Catechist manual is 39.95, Participant Manual is $290, but it is reusable - 123 handouts that you can reproduce from printed materials or CD, plus additional material on saints, psalms, liturgies, rites, etc., everything you need for a comprehensive RCIA catechesis.

If you have 30 RCIA candidates, cost of Journey of Faith handouts which can only be used once comes to $300, so in a couple of years the participant manual will pay for itself. Plus the materials can be used for adult education, confirmation classes, catechist formation, small faith communties, retreats, bulletin inserts and other uses. no restriction on how many copies you can make.

these materials are distributed through the same people that have the RCIA ritual book, as well as many of the more problematic RCIA materials that originate from the North American Forum on the Catechumentate. Finally, the Forum has some competition. Long awaited, long overdue. Children’s and Spanish versions are in the works.

tHERE IS A 10 percent discount if you order before Jun 25

Liturgy Training Publications
800-933-1800
fax 800-933-7094
email orders@ltp.org
to order online www.ltp.org
in Canada www.ltp.org/distributors.html

 

[Livnlove55]

puzzleannie:

these materials are distributed through the same people that have the RCIA ritual book, as well as many of the more problematic RCIA materials that originate from the North American Forum on the Catechumentate. Finally, the Forum has some competition. Long awaited, long overdue.

Annie, I’m curious… Exactly which “more problematic RCIA materials” are you referring to? And why do you consider them “more problematic”? As one who recently completed what I considered quite a “problematic” RCIA program, I’m wondering if these materials were used. Please let me know specifically what you meant by this. Thanks.
In His love,
Rhonda

 

[puzzleannie]

LTP is also a major distributor of fine, orthodox materials for liturgy, catechesis and scripture. By problematic RCIA resources I mean some resources used for Breaking Open the Word which contain scripture interpretations and teaching at odds with Catholic doctrine.

Also programs that rely entirely on a lectionary-based model, which do not incorporate a thorough, systematic doctrinal catechesis. Also programs that base their methods on feelings, emotions and experience of the facilitators and the participants, rather than on the actual scriptural and doctrinal teachings. this model reduces religion to a subjective experience and does not impart strongly enough objective reality.

This weakness is one of those intentionally addressed by ACM.

 

[Livnlove55]

puzzleannie:

LTP is also a major distributor of fine, orthodox materials for liturgy, catechesis and scripture. By problematic RCIA resources I mean some resources used for Breaking Open the Word which contain scripture interpretations and teaching at odds with Catholic doctrine.

Also programs that rely entirely on a lectionary-based model, which do not incorporate a thorough, systematic doctrinal catechesis. Also programs that base their methods on feelings, emotions and experience of the facilitators and the participants, rather than on the actual scriptural and doctrinal teachings. this model reduces religion to a subjective experience and does not impart strongly enough objective reality.

This weakness is one of those intentionally addressed by ACM.

Thanks for the reply, Annie, but I am not sure I understand. Are you speaking only of resources and programs for Breaking Open the Word or are you also referring to the entire RCIA catechesis program?

Our BOW sessions never focused on “thorough, systematic doctrinal catechesis.” That was supposed to be done in the classes afterwards. (Not that they came close to succeeding but I do believe that was the goal. ) In most of our BOW sessions we simply discussed the readings and the homily. And yes, they often began by asking us how we “felt” about the readings and the homily. With a couple of our catechists it was more like a Bible study with them as teachers and little participation by us. But the BOW sessions never focused on doctrine, per se.

What I really wanted to know, though, was **specific **examples of these “problematic” resources so I could find out if our catechists were using them. If this new guide by ACM is as good as you say it is then I would like to suggest it to our RCIA director but I’d first like to be able to judge whatever resources they may currently be using.

Sorry to be such a pest but I was **sooooo **frustrated during my time in RCIA and if there is anything I could do to make it better for future participants, I would love to do it.
In His love,
Rhonda

 

[puzzleannie]

RCIA resources are distributed by many publishers, it is beyond the scope of this forum to discuss them. Most RCIA directors know what I am talking about. A persistent complaint about RCIA programs on the market is that with very few exceptions they are long on subjectiver personal experience and short on doctrine.

On the other had, RCIA is not intended to be an exhaustive college level course on Catholic doctrine. It is intended to be an introduction to the Catholic Church, its teachings, sacraments, worship and practice as give by its founder, Jesus Christ and as with all catechesis, to lead one to Christ. The more in depth study begins after baptism or reception into the Church, and is called mystagogia. This should be at least a year after entrance into the Church of regular study of doctrine and scripture, followed by life-long learning, scripture reading and growth in the spiritual life.
For anyone who is participating in RCIA as a catechumen, candidate or sponsor, I would urge you to first to make sure you are in a parish where you can trust that the priest, deacons, DRE, adult education director, catechists, anyone involved in religious education teaches according the magesterium of the church. for someone entirely new to the church, this will be very hard to discern. You have to begin by going to a parish and pastor you trust. Go through the program they provide. Once you have been received into the Church and received the sacraments of initiation, begin your life-long learning. If you come across things that seem to contradict what you learned in RCIA, ask questions, study more, come here and discuss them.

 

[puzzleannie]

Livnlove55:

What I really wanted to know, though, was **specific **examples of these “problematic” resources so I could find out if our catechists were using them. If this new guide by ACM is as good as you say it is then I would like to suggest it to our RCIA director but I’d first like to be able to judge whatever resources they may currently be using.

Sorry to be such a pest but I was **sooooo **frustrated during my time in RCIA and if there is anything I could do to make it better for future participants, I would love to do it.
In His love,
Rhonda

a more helpful approach than criticizing and comparing classroom resources would be for you, and all participants, to evaluate the program and the process, noting good and bad points, experiences, frustrations, so that your director can use this to improve the program overall.