The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults requires several steps of discernment, as those contemplating a major step attempt to discover what direction to take. Beneath the public ritual of turning to God, candidates wrestle with personal questions, asking themselves: Is God truly calling me? How can I be sure? Am I called to join this community? Which past behaviors have given me life and which were destructive? How can I let go and be open to God's love?

This volume is an invaluable reference for sponsors and other guides who journey with RCIA candidates. It describes the decision-making process and how people have experienced it. The book serves to improve the listening skills of guides and helps them ask the right questions at the right time. The appendix contains specific suggestions for interviews during the four stages of the catechumenate and offers a format for a discernment day before the Rite of Election.

Donna Steffen, SC, is an educator and spiritual director in Cincinnati and a member of the North American Forum on the Catechumenate. She has been a director and consultant for Christian initiation on a parish, diocesan, and national level.