It is the beginning of April, less than two weeks until Easter, and there's still lots to do. Many of you are probably getting ready for the Easter vigil. It is such a joy, after months of preparation, to watch the folks you have walked with be baptized or received into the Church. Their eagerness and joy in embracing the faith is a lesson to us: The RCIA process works. The welcoming environment; the use of rituals and symbols; the storytelling and sharing of Scripture; the involvement of the community; and the gradual and comprehensive character of the process all help both newcomers and team members grow in their faith.

With the success of the RCIA in mind, the General Directory for Catechesis makes the dramatic suggestion that the baptismal catechumenate be the inspirational model for all catechesis. (Note the word "inspirational"; the process is not meant to be slavishly copied.) Click here to read a section from Practical Catechesis on initiatory catechesis.

You were probably already incorporating many of the elements of the process into your programs even before the GDC came out. It is just good catechesis. However, it is still a good idea to take some time and become even more deliberate in applying the various elements of the baptismal catechumenate.

Try to assimilate the various features of initiatory catechesis into one or two specific catechetical projects. For example, use this catechetical process when preparing for First Communion, or celebrating Pentecost. Invite catechists to see how they can adapt the various elements of the baptismal catechumenate into their class time. Perhaps you would like to take just one aspect of the process to focus on throughout the year. How can you make youngsters and adults feel more welcome? How can you integrate the liturgical year into next year's program? What symbols or rituals can you use throughout the year that speak to the uniqueness of your parish?

If we take the time and make the effort to engage newcomers in a process designed to help in their formation as well as their education, shouldn't we do the same for our own youngsters and adults? The baptismal catechumenate is a process that brings people closer to Christ and the community. And that's the objective of all catechesis.

The process of initiatory catechesis fits very well into a family setting. Its gradual nature and comfortable format reflect what family is all about. We know that all families have rituals, and our houses are filled with symbols. Family by its very nature is a community. We just need to make sure that some of those rituals and symbols reflect the faith life of the household, and that the family itself realizes its call to be a community of faith.

Helping families become comfortable praying, serving, reading Scripture and sharing their faith together is an important job for catechetical leaders. It is important in the faith formation of children and adults.

I've been involved in family catechesis for over twenty years—facilitating family faith sharing in both large suburban and smaller urban parishes. I learned over the years that it is not enough to just convince parents of how important it is they share their faith with their children; we also have to provide the resources to get them started.

That's one of the reasons my friend Mary Wlodarski and I put together the God Is Calling series. It is story-based (mostly Scripture) with a "Together Time" activity that accompanies each story. No textbooks, no lesson plans, just Scripture, prayer, faith sharing and faith learning. Each session ends with a simple prayer ritual.

Consider using one of the sessions this Easter. Gather some families, dye Easter eggs or just have an Easter egg hunt. Sit down together, read the story and give families a chance to fill out the "Together Time" pages (adults' and children's pages are different but similar). Invite each family to come together and share their responses with each other. (Click here for story materials and here for family activities from Jesus Lives, the second book in the God Is Calling series.)

One of the things I like about the catechetical approach we use in the baptismal catechumenate is that it respects the fact that people learn in different ways. Catechumens and candidates learn about the faith by listening and watching and by participating in the life of the Church community.

The witness of the community through word and action is important, but more subtle factors can also be effective. The church's environment, its smells and sounds, also help in the formational process. A painting or a picture can touch the heart or express our faith in ways beyond words. Music can stir the heart to prayer, and sometimes a song's lyrics or melody can offer new insights.

All of the Catholic Update videos end with a music video. The music can be used reflectively in a prayer service, or as a more conventional catechetical tool through discussion. The video, "Adult Baptism: Exploring Its Meaning" ends with the song "I Say 'Yes,' Lord." by Donna Pena. (Click here for a sample.)

The images used in the song illustrate both the ceremony of Baptism as well as scenes from life that express the concrete living out of our baptismal commitment. These images emphasize the heart of life—its joys and sorrows, its tough choices as well as its affirmation of God's creative power. The music video suggests the appropriate response to the call of Baptism, "I say 'Yes,' Lord."

These days are difficult times for the institutional Church—particularly surrounding the issue of clergy and the sexual abuse scandal. Many people are questionning whether they can really trust those who have been entrusted with the preaching of the Gospel message that teaches us to care for God's little ones. As we approach the Easter mysteries, we might take the opportunity to reflect with our parish community on the mystery of forgiveness as a key to healing within a hurting community. In the April issue of Catholic Update, Franciscan Father Tom Richstatter offers an exploration of the many aspects of forgiveness as they relate to the present crisis of trust within the Church community. This Catholic Update would be an excellent parish-wide handout to begin fruitful reflection toward healing on this most sensitive issue within the Catholic community.

When celebrating Baptisms within the parish, one of the most tangible signs of the belonging that we celebrate is what the family takes away with them at the end of the ceremony: the baptismal certificate. St. Anthony Messenger Press offers a number of beautiful, full-color certificates that make wonderful keepsakes. One style features an image of the baptismal font, candle and white garment at the bottom of the page, with the words "All of you who were baptised in Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ" across the top. A second style features the image of the candle, font and white garment the entire height of the page, with the same words across the top of the page. Yet a third design features a beautiful full-color photograph of waves crashing on the shore at sunrise, with spaces for vital information about the neophyte on the upper portion of the page. Envelopes are also available for all these certificates.

How do you use elements of the baptismal catechumenate in other catechesis? Our editors will screen and post your ideas on our online bulletin board at AmericanCatholic.org. You can check the board from time to time to see others' ideas. Submit your ideas by clicking here.