A Simple Way to Start the Day with Faith
There’s something about mornings. The stillness, the caffeine, the little window of peace before everything gets noisy. That’s why it’s the perfect time to read something that grounds you—and no, I don’t mean just scrolling quotes on Instagram. I’m talking about something that connects your spirit and your story. That’s where Journey Through Time fits surprisingly well.
You might not expect a thesis-style book to pair with breakfast, but Chapter II, which dives into the Catechumenate, actually makes a great read over your first cup of coffee. It’s reflective, historical, and low-key inspiring.
You’re sipping on your brew while reading about how people in the early Church gave up everything just to be baptized. Suddenly, your quiet morning feels connected to something ancient and meaningful.
The Catechumenate, Simplified and Satisfying
Chapter II covers the development of the Catechumenate, that big word for the process early Christians went through before baptism. And no—it wasn’t a quick Sunday class and done. It took years. Literal years of learning, living, and being slowly formed by the Church. Aucella lays all this out clearly, and somehow it doesn’t feel dry. It feels real.
He explains how this process shaped not just knowledge but identity. Catechumens weren’t just students—they were becoming part of a community. They weren’t baptized until they had walked the walk, and they were supported the entire way. That’s something you can reflect on while stirring cream into your coffee. How am I being formed? Who’s walking with me in my faith right now?
And here’s the wild part—it still applies today. RCIA might be structured differently now, but the core idea remains: faith is a journey, not an event. Reading about the Catechumenate in the morning gives you something solid to hold onto through the rest of the day. It reminds you that transformation is slow, often quiet, but deeply real. Just like a good cup of coffee—it brews best when you take your time.
The Author Who Brews It With You
Dr. Laurence F. Aucella doesn’t just write history—he’s lived the catechetical life. He’s led Sunday School, served as an altar server and Eucharistic minister, and spent years walking with real people through RCIA. What he writes about in Chapter II isn’t just studied—it’s witnessed. He’s seen how formation changes lives. He’s seen how patience, support, and small daily choices (like prayer and reflection) shape a soul.
His background in counseling and theology helps him write about spiritual formation with a kind of gentleness. He gives you the facts, but they’re never cold. He shows you how even the early Church, with all its rituals and structure, cared deeply about people becoming who they were called to be. And that’s what makes this book feel so readable—even with your morning toast.
Journey Through Time:
The Catholic Church and Christian Initiation
by 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 […]