FAQ

What is Apprentices in Faith?
Apprentices in Faith is a unique online resource for the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA), based on the Church’s time-honored model of apprenticeship. It provides RCIA teams and participants with sound liturgical, scriptural, and doctrinal resources to use throughout the RCIA process. It includes resources for all participants in the RCIA process.

Who are the expert authors?
Gael Gensler, OSF, and Rev. Steven Lanza of the Archdiocese of Chicago are the authors of Apprentices in Faith. Both Sister Gael and Father Steve were members of the writing team for RCL Benziger’s widely-used Foundations in Faith resources, and noted team members of the North American Forum on the Catechumenate. They are well-respected for their insights and knowledge of the RCIA and its implementation.

How is Apprentices in Faith organized?
Apprentices in Faith is organized according to the periods and steps of the RCIA. You can access and download as much as you need whenever you need it, including background information, session materials, and additional resources. Each session download includes both catechist and participant materials. Resources include:

  • Introductory articles
  • Inquiry Sessions
  • Catechumenate Sessions
  • Doctrinal Sessions
  • Purification and Enlightenment Sessions (with emphasis on the six Sundays of Year A)
  • Mystagogy Sessions
  • Liturgical, Discernment, and Key Teachings of the Catholic Church Resources

How are the sessions formatted?
All sessions follow a four-step method: Welcome, Engage, Teach and Apply, Pray. This highly successful methodology is easy to follow and assists leaders and participants as they grow, learn, and put their faith into practice as true apprentices in faith.

Will RCIA team members and participants have easy access to additional background information?
Yes. Each Catechumenate session, along with Sunday Scripture references, has correlations to additional background in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the United States Catholic Catechism for Adults, and the Compendium: Catechism of the Catholic Church.

My parish has an ongoing RCIA process. Can we begin our subscription at any time of the year?
Yes. You can subscribe at any time of the year. You will always have the option of starting your subscription immediately or waiting for the next quarterly upload to begin, depending on your parish RCIA schedule. During the initial three years of the project, resources will be posted quarterly until three yearly cycles of Apprentices in Faith sessions have been posted. Thereafter, teams and participants will be able to access content in June of each year for the following twelve months. All previously loaded material will be archived on the Web site and remain available to you.

What additional online features and resources are planned for Apprentices in Faith?
Because it is an online resource, the site will be reviewed regularly and updated to reflect the latest revisions of liturgical and catechetical texts and documents. In addition, the possibility of children’s resources and Spanish-speaking resources are being researched now.

How do I buy Apprentices in Faith?
All Apprentices in Faith materials are offered in an online subscription format for download. The cost of the subscription is based on a one-year usage agreement and can be renewed yearly. Upon submission of your order through our Online Store or Customer Service, you will receive a password that will give you twelve-month access to the entire Web site.

How can I get more information about Apprentices in Faith?
Contact your local RCL Benziger sales representative or call RCL Benziger customer service at 1-877-275-4725. You can also visit our preview site at ApprenticesInFaith.com.