Resources

The following is necessary for running a session:

• Access to the DeoQuest Academy platform for each facilitator. Each session of the program is accompanied by a set of slides and videos, as presented on the platform, which runs best on a Google Chrome browser.
• The relevant How to grow in faith Activities and Games Cards can be purchased from Freedom Publishing Books (1 deck per 4 participants) or downloaded and cut out for free (see downloads on the left).
• The Participants’ Journal can be downloaded on the left and printed as a booklet at the beginning of the program and made available to every participant. The journal can be edited and adapted to suit the local needs if required.
• It is highly recommended to give each participant a personal copy of the book Navigating with GOD (Tweeting with GOD), available from Freedom Publishing Books.

Optional further resources

• The Online with Saints book and app offer further questions, answered in dialogue with one or more saints. It is accompanied by the playful Online with Saints card game.
• The book Your neighbour is GOD helps to find answers to social questions on the basis of the social teaching of the Catholic Church. 
• The handbook Your neighbour is GOD can help facilitators to prepare their own sessions to expand on the 12 (or 24) RCIA sessions.

Preparation

The sessions can be run without much preparation, but the following can help the facilitator. Before starting the program with the participants, it would be beneficial for the facilitator to read the content summary provided on the DeoQuest Academy platform for each unit as background knowledge to help answer questions and facilitate the discussions. Further content information can be found in the Navigating with GOD book. 

Please ensure all technology is working so the videos can be easily accessed and heard during the session. It is best to run these sessions through Google Chrome as this is most compatible with the digital platform (in case of difficulty to access the platform, please go to ‘Settings’ > ‘Privacy and security’ > ‘Delete browsing data’).

The facilitator will need to print one copy of the ‘Participants Journal’ per person. This journal can help participants keep track of questions – and answers – that are found during the program. It also gives an overview of the sessions and topics. The images in the journal can be scanned using the DeoQuest app to access more information.  

Furthermore, the facilitator will have to order the How to grow in faith Activities and Games Cards or print the provided pdf and cut out the cards. You only need to purchase one deck per four participants, as each deck include four sets of cards that can indicate true/ false/ unsure for participants to use. The cards are used for the pop quiz in every session and for the Sacraments Memory in session 8. If you do not have the cards yet, people can initially use thumbs up to agree, thumbs down to disagree and thumbs in mid-air to remain neutral.

It has proven to be very beneficial for the participants if they can receive a personal copy of the book Navigating with GOD (Tweeting with GOD) to help them search for answers to their personal questions between the sessions. If this is not possible, at least consider purchasing several copies to be made available for the participants.

Slides, videos, and quiz

A set of slides for each topic provides a straightforward way for leaders to run these sessions, with additional facilitator notes to assist in running each unit. These units have been created so they follow a similar structure and allow for all to participate at various points during the unit to exchange on their understanding of the content. 

For each session, there are two videos featuring Father Michel Remery, running for approximately 10-15 minutes. They provide information that elaborates on the questions of the day. Towards the end is a one-minute long video featuring a saint. The purpose of this saints video is to see how the topic relates to someone who has lived out the gospel messages in their own unique circumstances. 

The pop quiz is an added way to check for the understanding of participants and get them to consider anything they are unsure about; it is a true/ false/ unsure quiz. There should be no pressure or expectation on participants to get the questions all correct. A gamely sense of competitiveness can help stimulate an enjoyable meeting. The answers to the quiz will be shown on a slide at the conclusion of the session.

Facilitator’s role

During the session, it is the facilitator’s job to read the slides or ask others to read where applicable, facilitate discussion between the participants and try to stick to the time limits given for each task. It is important to note that discussion time is key to participants feeling connected to the content. As some units have content that may raise more questions than others, it is important to allow slightly more time for discussions in these sessions. It is also key to the facilitator role that if there are challenging questions or ideas presented to acknowledge these. The program does not want to impose teachings, but kindly invite to things in the light of faith and reason. If necessary, the facilitator can help find a response that focuses on the key points taught in that session to assist the participants grow in understanding – without necessarily agreeing with everything that was said (just yet).

Facilitators may be helped by the tips for leading group sessions, dealing with questions and placing some of these ‘in the fridge’ to deal with later, and many practical tips in the first pages of the manual How to grow in faith.

DeoQuest ‘rules’

Every participant is invited to join in the conversations on different faith topics. To stimulate the participation of all, it helps to create a welcoming setting where they can share their thoughts without fear of making mistakes, touching on taboos or saying something wrong. Only thus can we progress on our path towards the truth in complete freedom of spirit. The DeoQuest ‘rules’ aim to stimulate the personal search of each participant and respect their freedom.

1. Welcome all questions regarding faith and life, regardless of the position they may represent or the answer they may imply.
2. Listen respectfully to the others in the group and try to understand the reasoning behind their statements.
3. Let the arguments behind the Church’s teaching speak for themselves.
4. Do not try too hard to convince; simply testify to your own faith. Remember that only God can convert people’s hearts.
5. Be discrete: do not discuss what people say with others outside the group.

Participants and program

RCIA is addressed to adults and young people alike. The DeoQuest resources have successfully been used with teenagers, young adults and adults. Depending on the local group, slight adaptations can help to keep things interesting. For example, it could be beneficial to add some physical games or sports to address active teenagers in an engaging way. A visit to the local church building with explanation of art and architecture can be very useful for all age groups. And so could enriching the program with one or more charity actions, e.g. helping in a local nursing home or soup kitchen.The book How to grow in faith contains further suggestions for stimulating group dynamics and further activities.

For many local communities, 12 formation meetings of 90 minutes seem to lead to a program of an acceptable length, while still offering a solid introduction into the faith. This program could easily be run within the course of a cycle. If a longer or more intense preparation program is desired, some meetings could easily be split in half, so that up to 24 formation meetings could be organised with the same material. Or the facilitator could turn to the How to grow in faith book for many ideas for further sessions, that could be interlaced with the 12 or 24 RCIA sessions on offer. As the duration of the preparation periods depends especially on the progress and the journey of the individual participants, this flexibility is important.