Eliot Kapitan - Unfolding the Mystery of Christ: Sunday by Sunday Formation of Catechumens

The great gift of this book is that it has been written by someone with decades of parish and diocesan experience. Its conversational style draws the reader in and encourages effective habits among RCIA team members and parish communities. In Part One, Kapitan lays a firm foundation with an authentic vision of the RCIA, substantiated by the churchs documents and liturgical texts. Chapter Four offers an impressive history of the churchs major catechetical texts and the methods they have endorsed. In Part Two, he examines common errors in parish practice, yet offers practical solutions and effective catechetical preparations based upon Scripture. Throughout, he cites helpful resources for every issue, including annotated bibliographies. This book should be mandatory reading for all who journey with catechumens and candidates.

Rita A. Thiron, Executive Director, Federation of Diocesan Liturgical Commissions

Eliots genuine concern for and love of the RCIA comes through in this work. With its blend of personal witness, teachings of the church, and very practical suggestions and models, this text would benefit any parishs initiation ministry. You will come away from it not only with the inspiration to want to do better for those who participate in the RCIA, but also equipped to do so. Thank you for this wonderful gift!

Matthew Miller

Director, Office of Worship

Diocese of Evansville

Eliot Kapitans considerable experience, knowledgeand loveof the RCIA come to bear in Unfolding the Mystery of Christ. The vision he presents is at once faithful to the churchs mission of forming disciples of Jesus Christ and a challenge to delve more deeply into the catechetical process. I am especially grateful for the practical strategies he offers and I look forward to using this book to inspire catechists in my diocese!

Jonathan F. Sullivan

Director of Parish Ministries, Services, and Catechesis

Diocese of Lafayette-in-Indiana

Informational. Inspirational. Practical. Eliot is so knowledgeable about all aspects of the RCIA and explains formation in a way that can be understood and appreciated by the novice to the seasoned catechist. This is a resource that I will return to again and again. All will want this book in their library.

Sue A. Huett

Director, Department of Pastoral Services and Office of Worship

Diocese of Belleville

Scripture texts in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington, D.C., and are used by permission of the copyright owner. All rights reserved. No part of the New American Bible may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Other Scripture excerpts in this work are from the Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States of America, second typical edition 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC. Used with permission. All rights reserved. No portion of this text may be reproduced by any means without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Excerpts from the English translation of Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults 1985, International Commission on English in the Liturgy Corporation (ICEL); excerpts from the English translation of The Roman Missal 2010, ICEL. All rights reserved.

Excerpts from documents of the Second Vatican Council are from Vatican Council II: Constitutions, Decrees, Declarations; The Basic Sixteen Documents, edited by Austin Flannery, OP, 1996. Used with permission of Liturgical Press, Collegeville, Minnesota.

Excerpts from the English translation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church for use in the United States of America copyright 1994, United States Catholic Conference, Inc.Libreria Editrice Vaticana. English translation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church: Modifications from the Editio Typica copyright 1997, United States Catholic Conference, Inc.Libreria Editrice Vaticana. Used with Permission.

2020 by Eliot Kapitan
Published by Liturgical Press, Collegeville, Minnesota. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever, except brief quotations in reviews, without written permission of Liturgical Press, Saint Johns Abbey, PO Box 7500, Collegeville, MN 56321-7500. Printed in the United States of America.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Kapitan, Eliot, author.

Title: Unfolding the mystery of Christ : Sunday by Sunday formation of catechumens / Eliot Kapitan.

Description: Collegeville, Minnesota : Liturgical Press, 2020. | Includes bibliographical references. | Summary: A resource giving readers and RCIA teams an ordered method for preparing the Period of the Catechumenate using the Sundays of the liturgical year as the basis of the formation plan for catechumens and candidatesProvided by publisher.

Identifiers: LCCN 2019041950 (print) | LCCN 2019041951 (ebook) | ISBN 9780814665558 (paperback) | ISBN 9780814665800 (epub) | ISBN 9780814665800 (mobi) | ISBN 9780814665800 (pdf)

Subjects: LCSH: Catholic Church. Ordo initiationis Christianae adultorum. | Initiation ritesReligious aspectsCatholic ChurchStudy and teaching. | CatecheticsCatholic ChurchStudy and teaching. | CatechistsHandbooks, manuals, etc.

Classification: LCC BX2045 .I553 K37 2020 (print) | LCC BX2045 .I553 (ebook) | DDC 268/.82dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019041950

LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019041951

Vatican II, Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, 102

In the course of the year, moreover,

[the church] unfolds the whole mystery of Christ

from the incarnation and nativity to the ascension,

to Pentecost

and the expectation of the blessed hope of the coming of the Lord.

Universal Norms on the Liturgical Year

and the General Roman Calendar, 1

Holy Church celebrates the saving work of Christ

on prescribed days in the course of the year with sacred remembrance.

Each week, on the day called the Lords Day,

she commemorates the Resurrection of the Lord,

which she also celebrates once a year in the great Paschal Solemnity,

together with his blessed Passion.

In fact, throughout the course of the year

the Church unfolds the entire mystery of Christ...

Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, 1

The rite of Christian initiation presented here

is designed for adults [including children of catechetical age]

who, after hearing the mystery of Christ proclaimed,

consciously and freely seek the living God

and enter the way of faith and conversion

as the Holy Spirit opens their hearts.

Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, 75

The catechumenate is an extended period

during which the candidates

are given suitable pastoral formation and guidance,

aimed at training them in the Christian life.