How RCIA Leaders Can Use Aucella’s Study in Their Own Parish
If you’ve ever helped run an RCIA program, you know it’s part spiritual formation, part event planning, part pastoral care, and honestly, part improvisation. Everyone’s coming from different places—some cradle Catholics, some brand new, some unsure—and it’s hard to know if what you’re doing is actually working. That’s where Dr. Aucella’s study can be a real help.
Journey Through Time isn’t just a deep dive into Church history. It includes a full-blown research study focused on actual RCIA participants in real parishes. The data isn’t abstract—it’s connected to people who showed up, stayed, and changed. If you’re coordinating RCIA in your own parish, this book doesn’t just inform you—it gives you a model you can build from.
Turning Research into Real Practice
In Chapter III, Dr. Aucella lays out his study design step by step: from how he chose his participants to the way he designed his survey to track motivation and engagement . He even got permission from pastors and RCIA leaders to attend sessions, sit in on Easter Vigil Masses, and walk alongside the groups. The whole thing was designed to keep things real, not just theoretical. And that’s exactly what makes it useful.
Parishes can take this same structure and use it to evaluate their own programs. You don’t need a PhD to do it. Dr. Aucella’s questions are practical and to the point—why did you join? Who helped you stay? What parts of the experience impacted you the most? RCIA coordinators can easily turn those into Google Forms, exit interviews, or small group discussions. Boom—you’ve got real feedback that tells you what’s working and what’s missing.
He also shows that mentorship and community support were the biggest motivators for people staying in the process. That’s huge. It means small tweaks—like assigning sponsors earlier or creating more consistent small-group time—can have a measurable impact. And if you want to go further, follow his lead and track your changes over time. You’ll start seeing patterns. And those patterns will help you build a formation process that’s not just busy—it’s fruitful.
The Author Who Knows the Ministry Side Too
Dr. Laurence F. Aucella didn’t do this study from a distance. For four years, he embedded himself in RCIA programs across urban Connecticut. He didn’t just hand out surveys—he attended meetings, got involved in discussions, even served as a sponsor when needed. That pastoral heart is all over the book. It’s clear he understands how this process works in real parishes, with real people who come in with real questions .
With his background in education, counseling, and theology, Dr. Aucella knows how to connect research with everyday parish life. He’s not writing for ivory tower scholars—he’s writing for ministry leaders who care deeply about walking with people through the faith journey. And that’s why this study is so adaptable. It’s not just something to read—it’s something to try.
Journey Through Time
The Catholic Church and Christian Initiation
Dr. Laurence F. Aucella
Journey Through Time: The Catholic Church and Christian Initiation
The Catholic Church and Christian Initiation regards the process of RCIA, the process by which one becomes a convert to the Roman Catholic Faith. It also contains valuable history about Christianity and how it has evolved over the centuries that will aid in nourishing the faith and increased the knowledge of both new converts and […]