Retreat Leader Introduces RCIA Candidates To Their Personal Gospels
“What is your Good News?”
Kathy Wolf McCormack posed that question to 130 RCIA catechumens, candidates, sponsors and teams during a Jan. 25 retreat at the Catholic Center. McCormack, the retreat facilitator, is the Director of Faith Formation and Evangelization for the Cathedral of Christ the King in Atlanta, Ga., a parish of 5,000 families.
Building on the liturgical readings of the day, the feast of the conversion of St. Paul, McCormack shared her story as a cradle Catholic who came to a new understanding of God’s call in her life. Using St. Paul as a guide in his life-changing recognition of the Risen Christ, she moved the participants to a new vision of God’s presence in daily life through reflection on Paul’s story, their personal stories and the Gospel.
McCormack’s presentation style emphasized the power of story. “All of us have a Gospel,” she said. “How has God brought you to this point?” She reinforced that God stopped Saul in his tracks. Saul couldn’t see. He couldn’t eat or drink for three days. She asked those gathered how God stopped them in their tracks. She also asked about the events in their lives that have ignited their hearts to move toward God.
We continue to pray with the catechumens and candidates as they discern God’s call and walk the journey of faith through the RCIA process. They do not do this alone. As members of the Catholic community, we walk the same journey. RCIA helps adults become Catholic Christians, and helps them remain Catholic Christians though formation and ongoing growth.
Conversion is an ongoing process, and it’s the thrust of RCIA. Since conversion is a process and cannot be programmed, RCIA models the process of an adult church on the faith journey. It never ends.
Therefore, as we celebrate with the catechumens and candidates, we remember our own search; we revisit our questions; we discern the presence of God in our lives; we continue to learn about the sacraments with each other; and we remember our Baptism, our Confirmation and the central place Eucharist holds in our lives. We know that every day is a new experience of coming to know God and that we are companions on the journey.
