Description
Trade ReviewIn F
ield Hospital Catechesis, Nick Wagner uses Pope Francis' image of the Church as a "field hospital" to help us understand the catechumenate. Understanding the Church as a place of healing, aimed at the ailments at hand, reshapes the way we approach catechetical ministry. If we start our approach to the RCIA by attending to the needs of those in front of us, the joy of knowing God's love will shine through our ministry. Wagner gives us a practical guide in how to bring this central insight into our catechetical ministry, reminding us that, at its core, the proclamation of the Gospel is an encounter with the person of Jesus Christ.Michael J. Martocchio, Director of the Office of Catechesis and Christian Initiation, Diocese of Charleston
Nick Wagner has once again written a practical and insightful book for those directing or supporting the RCIA in a parish. This book provides RCIA teams and directors with a place to start, where to go and a good idea of what seekers need. Nick is a great storyteller and this book is rich with stories that enlighten and inform us. In particular, the parallel he draws between the demise of the steel industry and what we do in RCIA is thought provoking and accurate. The importance of the Kerygma is central to this book as Nick leads the reader through an uncomplicated core content focused on Jesus and aimed at making not just Catholics but "Catholic Disciples."Cathy Marbury, Associate Director of Religious Education, Archdiocese of Atlanta
Starting from the ground up is just what Nick Wagner does in his newest book. Our RCIA processes have become encumbered by false understandings that the `program' needs to be a graduate course in theology, and not about a time of catechesis on changing hearts for living the life of a disciple of Christ: a process. So often our contemporary Church is lured away from the wisdom of lived experience by the newest and shiniest `program' on how to enliven our parishes. Nick starts with what the Church teaches, and he stays the course regarding his solid experience on presenting the richness of the RCIA process for changing hearts. Nick lays out the fact that the RCIA process is not about knowledge only, but about discipleship.Dean Daniels, Office for Worship, Archdiocese of Milwaukee
Wagner's question-asking model tailors the experience to the needs of the seeker, allowing the RCIA leader to become less of a Catholic "expert" and more of a mentor or coach who helps guide the inquirer through their journey of gathering the information they need not only to join the Church, but to become lifelong disciples.
The PriestTable of ContentsContents Chapter 1 Disrupting the Church
Chapter 2 Why the Teaching of the Church Is at Risk
Chapter 3 Where Do We Learn the Core Message?
Chapter 4 Field Hospital Protocol: What to Do First
Chapter 5 Making a Plan
Chapter 6 The Beginning: Know Who God Is
The Most Important Lesson Seekers Must Learn God Became One of Us What Jesus Did and Why It Matters Chapter 7 The Climax: Jesus Makes a Difference
The Jesus Sacrifice The Resurrection The Jesus Offer Chapter 8 The End: Walking the Talk
Everybody Matters The Secret to Discipleship Announce the Good News Conclusion
Appendix 1 A Simple, Low-Risk Plan for “Going Out”
Appendix 2 Four Amazing Stories of Resurrection
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