by Deacon Mike Bulson SALT LAKE CITY — "Exhilarating and exhausting all at the same time," is how Martha Happ, RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) director at St. John the Baptist Parish, Draper, describes her experience of the North American Forum on the Catechumenate she attended several years ago in the Las Vegas diocese. During the weekend of June 4-6, Martha intends to repeat her experience when the North American Forum comes to Utah for the first time in over 10 years. Martha and many other participants from around the Diocese of Salt Lake City and other states will be gathering at the Skaggs Catholic Center, 300 East 11800 South, Draper, starting at 12:30 p.m. for the North American Forum calls: The Initiation Experience: Beginnings. Timothy Johnston, director of the Office of Liturgy for the diocese, who organized the event, describes the North American Forum on the Catechumenate as an organization "dedicated to the full implementation of the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults through the formation of the clergy and lay ministers." He sees the June event as "a tremendous opportunity for our diocese, especially for our catechumenate teams." Participants in the Beginnings Institute will be given the opportunity to learn more about the RCIA process from a team of nationally recognized leaders, including Father Timothy Piasecki, Sister of Charity Donna Steffer, and well-known composer, Christopher Walker. Together they will lead the participants through all stages of the RCIA process, starting with the precatechumenate and ending the period of mystagogia. A sample of the presentations include: • Overview of Structure and Language of Initiation • The Catechumenate: Sample Sunday Celebration Session • The Process of Mystagogia: Time for Postbaptismal Catechesis. Interspersed with training sessions will be opportunities for prayer, song, and socializing. Friday morning will begin with Morning Song of Praise and Gathering Prayer. Eucharist will be celebrated at the closing Saturday session. Light social events are planned for each day. For Happ it was these opportunities, not just the excellent training, that made the Forum she attended so meaningful. It was meeting people from many other parishes and dioceses who shared the same enthusiasm for introducing adults to the Catholic faith that made her experience worthwhile. Happ says of her experience, "We prayed together and alone, sang beautiful songs, and discussed the gospels." Those who accept the opportunity to attend the North American Forum will not only be better-trained in the RCIA process but will, come away renewed, enthused and excited to come home and implement some of the great ideas they learned." For more information about RCIA or workshops hosted by the North American Forum, contact Timothy Johnston, at (801) 328-8641, ext. 321.
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