People and documents that played a significant role in developing and recording the rites.

This invaluable guide for preparing the liturgies for the rites of Christian initiation will assist priests, liturgists, liturgy commissions, and coordinators of Christian initiation. The book focuses primarily on the rites for unbaptized adults but also considers the rites for uncatechized adults, the reception of baptized Christians into full communion, and the reception of Orthodox Christians. A Q & A chapter answers a range of questions for those who coordinate the process and parish pastors. A table outlines each period and step of the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, indicating the rites that occur during each period and the length of each period. A glossary defines terms relevant to the Christian initiation process. The section on resources provides a library of initiation materials.

The recent retranslation and US adaptation of the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults can be seen as the work of the Second Vatican Council continuing to unfold, fulfilling the council’s mandate to draw up texts and rites so that they “express more clearly the holy things that they signify” (Sacrosanctum concilium, 21). In this present volume, A Pastoral and Theological Commentary on the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults, fourteen authors—all scholars and pastoral ministers steeped in the Church’s living liturgical tradition—help us appreciate this unfolding more deeply by presenting the historical development and theological significance of the OCIA rites and texts, thus enriching our pastoral practice. Introductory essays present a contextual foundation, including discussion of historical and theological roots and an exposition of Christian Initiation: General Introduction Then, following the structure of the OCIA, eight chapters of commentary concentrate on each stage of Christian initiation, from acceptance into the Order of Catechumens through the Period of Mystoagogy, including chapters on the Rites for Particular Circumstances. Further commentaries on the musical enrichment of the rites and on the newly revised National Statues for the Catechumenate round out this panoramic, yet accessible, view of the rites of the OCIA. “This book is for anyone ministering in or studying Christian initiation. We believe it offers a deep understanding of the rites for both those long familiar with this process and those fairly new to it. For those who wish to pursue further study, either casual or in-depth, a vast array of endnotes and bibliographies offer plenty of suggestions” (editor Victoria Tufano, from the introduction).

A unique resource for identifying issues involved in Protestant pastoral ministry and adjusting pastoral approach to those issues.

Conversion has been an essential element of Christianity, and especially of Roman Catholicism, for centuries--from the Apostle Paul's dramatic conversion on the road to Damascus to the spiritual transformations of such prominent modern individuals as Cardinal Newman, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Thomas Merton, and G.K. Chesterton. In a 1926 essay, Chesterton expressed reluctance to describe his conversion, on account of "a strong feeling that this method makes the business look much smaller than it really is." As David Yamane shows in Becoming Catholic, the business was not only spiritually but literally very large, and growing ever larger: roughly 150,000 Americans join the Catholic Church each year, and more than one in fifty American adults is a Catholic convert. Altogether, these 5.85 million individuals are the fifth-largest religious group in America. In this first significant study of the phenomenon of Roman Catholic conversion in the contemporary United States, Yamane provides an in-depth look at the process of adult initiation in the twenty-first century Catholic Church, including the new process of spiritual formation--called the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA)--that was ushered in by Vatican II. The RCIA process, which has become an integral part of Catholic parish life, takes individuals on a journey through four distinct, formative periods, punctuated by elaborate ritual transitions, before they are finally baptized at Easter. Drawing on years of observational fieldwork and candid interviews with more than 200 individuals undergoing the initiation process, Yamane follows would-be Catholics through all four stages of the RCIA and offers an incisive new perspective on what it means to choose Catholicism in America today.

The principal liturgies of Holy Week underwent a series of revisions between 1951 and 2011. In this book, noted liturgist Paul Turner charts the rubrics and prayers of the current rites paragraph by paragraph, explaining the historical development of individual components, how and why the post 'Vatican II liturgical reform made its revisions, and where the Roman Missal, Third Edition has added nuances. This book will help ministers, liturgists, catechists, and all the faithful enter more deeply into the mystery of the cross of Christ, their glory and their hope.

This resource forms Christian initiation coordinators in the many aspects of their role. It provides the vision of the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, outlines the roles of the coordinator in animating the parish and forming the team, and presents catechesis as framed within liturgical prayer. The Role of the Coordinator in Christian Initiation offers many practical tips to help the process flow smoothly in the parish.

Where nature writing meets humor—a raucous, hilarious look at life in the high desert of Nevada, from the author of Raising Wild and Rants from the Hill. Edward Abbey encouraged his readers to “be loyal to what you love, be true to the Earth, and fight your enemies with passion and laughter.” Here is Michael Branch’s response. Full of clear-eyed explorations of the natural world, witty cultural observations, and heart-warming family connections, How to Cuss in Western is a cranky and hilarious love letter of sorts to the western Great Basin Desert of Nevada.

An actor, presenter, producer, and director, David Branson was a dazzling fountain of energy whose artistic endeavors throughout Australia enlivened and advanced the careers of many performing artists. In this book, many of those share intriguing encounters with this particularly individual figure of inspiration, reflecting upon and revealing how he—and they—helped to shape the grass-roots avant-garde of the performing arts in Australia. Author Joel Swadling, who worked with Branson, highlights how Branson gained fame throughout Australia as one of the founders of Splinters Theatre of Spectacle, a twelve-year experiment in multimedia, cross-discipline outdoor ritual, and through other endeavors. After Branson’s death, the avant-garde excitement of Canberra faded for a time without his spirit and guidance. If This Is the Highway (I’ll Take the Dirt Road) celebrates and illuminates the impact of one of the avant-garde’s most talented titans.