Catholic Diocese of Richmond / Office of Christian Formation / November 2022

Leading groups in prayer this Advent Season?



Check out these beautiful prayers that evoke the imagination. Great for opening or closing a gathering. From Catholic Relief Services.

Need some Advent music? A video collection of 8 hymns to set the environment.

Working with children or parents seeking initiation?

Check out these resources to bring some fun to the season, including a holiday scavenger hunt in the community and family movie night.

Plan ahead for an Epiphany House Blessing.

RCIA Team Members!

Check out these links for yourself and then share some favorite findings with others.

Catholic Apostolate Center (be sure to scroll down to see them all!)

O Antiphons

Participate in a three part online-training in February to learn ways to involve parishioners more extensively in the initiation journeys of your various seekers, children, youth and adults.

Registration is required by Feb. 5th and costs $45. Connect with Sheri ahead of time and receive a $40 rebate at the completion of the course.

Course streams live and is also recorded for later viewing.

February 16, 23, and March 2, 2023

8:00pm - 9:30pm ET

More information and registration can be found here.



Advent and Christmas bring out the "good" and "hoping" in people. Don't miss the opportunity to share with "visitors" the truth, beauty and hospitality of our faith and your parish community. RCIA Teams and Liturgical Ministers are uniquely poised and gifted to welcome those who seek.

Read this article for more ideas.



Gathered with 250 catechists from throughout the Eastern Vicariate, Bishop Knestout celebrated mass and blessed the catechists in their ministry. It was a joyful morning of inspiration, learning and fellowship. We thank Loyola Press for their sponsorship of our keynote presenters, Joe Paprocki and Adrian Herrera, and the staff at St. Gregory the Great who assisted in making this event such a success. Click here to see more photos.

All catechists of children, youth and adults were invited. If you are a catechist in the Eastern Vicariate who did not receive an invite, please speak with your parish formation leader to be registered for the catechist training program and be included in future events.

Next year Heralds of Faith will be in the Central Vicariate.

The RCIA Webpages have been updated.

Take a look and find resources for Team Training as well as for the catechumenate, both children and adults, English and Spanish.

Do you have others on your RCIA Team that are not receiving this newsletter? Ask around and find out.

If so, send me their name, parish and email, or forward this newsletter and have them CLICK HERE and tell me themselves.