diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index a77a7e2b..53cf8890 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ dependencies = [
     "pyyaml",
     "numpy",
     "click",
-    "ceci>=1.10.1",
+    "ceci>=2.0.1",
     "qp-prob>=0.8.3",
     "scipy>=1.9.0",
 ]
diff --git a/src/rail/core/stage.py b/src/rail/core/stage.py
index b11f8a87..3cb430f4 100644
--- a/src/rail/core/stage.py
+++ b/src/rail/core/stage.py
@@ -136,10 +136,10 @@ class RailStage(PipelineStage):
 
     data_store = DATA_STORE()
 
-    def __init__(self, args, comm=None):
+    def __init__(self, args, **kwargs):
         """Constructor:
         Do RailStage specific initialization"""
-        PipelineStage.__init__(self, args, comm=comm)
+        super().__init__(args, **kwargs)
         self._input_length = None
         self.io = StageIO(self)
 
@@ -288,7 +288,7 @@ def set_data(self, tag, data, path=None, do_read=True):
         if isinstance(data, DataHandle):
             aliased_tag = data.tag
             if tag in self.input_tags():
-                self.config.aliases[tag] = aliased_tag
+                self._aliases[tag] = aliased_tag
                 if data.has_path:
                     self._inputs[tag] = data.path
             arg_data = data.data
diff --git a/src/rail/creation/degrader.py b/src/rail/creation/degrader.py
index 5296ffe0..d184821e 100644
--- a/src/rail/creation/degrader.py
+++ b/src/rail/creation/degrader.py
@@ -23,10 +23,6 @@ class Degrader(RailStage):  # pragma: no cover
     inputs = [("input", PqHandle)]
     outputs = [("output", PqHandle)]
 
-    def __init__(self, args, comm=None):
-        """Initialize Degrader that can degrade photometric data"""
-        RailStage.__init__(self, args, comm=comm)
-
     def __call__(self, sample, seed: int = None):
         """The main interface method for ``Degrader``.
 
diff --git a/src/rail/creation/degraders/addRandom.py b/src/rail/creation/degraders/addRandom.py
index 6a26bd88..6fbf74a0 100644
--- a/src/rail/creation/degraders/addRandom.py
+++ b/src/rail/creation/degraders/addRandom.py
@@ -17,13 +17,13 @@ class AddColumnOfRandom(Noisifier):
         ),
     )
 
-    def __init__(self, args, comm=None):
+    def __init__(self, args, **kwargs):
         """
         Constructor
 
         Does standard Noisifier initialization
         """
-        Noisifier.__init__(self, args, comm=comm)
+        super().__init__(args, **kwargs)
 
     def _initNoiseModel(self):  # pragma: no cover
         np.random.seed(self.config.seed)
diff --git a/src/rail/creation/degraders/quantityCut.py b/src/rail/creation/degraders/quantityCut.py
index 0790b0a8..171ab6c6 100644
--- a/src/rail/creation/degraders/quantityCut.py
+++ b/src/rail/creation/degraders/quantityCut.py
@@ -17,13 +17,13 @@ class QuantityCut(Selector):
     config_options = Selector.config_options.copy()
     config_options.update(cuts=dict)
 
-    def __init__(self, args, comm=None):
+    def __init__(self, args, **kwargs):
         """Constructor.
 
         Performs standard Degrader initialization as well as defining the cuts
         to be applied.
         """
-        Selector.__init__(self, args, comm=comm)
+        super().__init__(args, **kwargs)
         self.cuts = None
         self.set_cuts(self.config["cuts"])
 
diff --git a/src/rail/creation/engine.py b/src/rail/creation/engine.py
index 2e07639d..b7a056ad 100644
--- a/src/rail/creation/engine.py
+++ b/src/rail/creation/engine.py
@@ -19,9 +19,9 @@ class Modeler(RailStage):  # pragma: no cover
     inputs = [("input", DataHandle)]
     outputs = [("model", ModelHandle)]
 
-    def __init__(self, args, comm=None):
+    def __init__(self, args, **kwargs):
         """Initialize Modeler"""
-        RailStage.__init__(self, args, comm=comm)
+        super().__init__(args, **kwargs)
         self.model = None
 
     def fit_model(self):
@@ -56,9 +56,9 @@ class Creator(RailStage):  # pragma: no cover
     inputs = [("model", ModelHandle)]
     outputs = [("output", TableHandle)]
 
-    def __init__(self, args, comm=None):
+    def __init__(self, args, **kwargs):
         """Initialize Creator"""
-        RailStage.__init__(self, args, comm=comm)
+        super().__init__(args, **kwargs)
         self.model = None
         if not isinstance(args, dict):  # pragma: no cover
             args = vars(args)
@@ -144,9 +144,9 @@ class PosteriorCalculator(RailStage):  # pragma: no cover
     ]
     outputs = [("output", QPHandle)]
 
-    def __init__(self, args, comm=None):
+    def __init__(self, args, **kwargs):
         """Initialize PosteriorCalculator"""
-        RailStage.__init__(self, args, comm=comm)
+        super().__init__(args, **kwargs)
         self.model = None
         if not isinstance(args, dict):  # pragma: no cover
             args = vars(args)
diff --git a/src/rail/creation/noisifier.py b/src/rail/creation/noisifier.py
index c3d03165..3e03631a 100644
--- a/src/rail/creation/noisifier.py
+++ b/src/rail/creation/noisifier.py
@@ -29,10 +29,6 @@ class Noisifier(RailStage):
     inputs = [("input", PqHandle)]
     outputs = [("output", PqHandle)]
 
-    def __init__(self, args, comm=None):
-        """Initialize Noisifier that can add noise to photometric data"""
-        RailStage.__init__(self, args, comm=comm)
-
     def _initNoiseModel(self):  # pragma: no cover
         raise NotImplementedError("Noisifier._initNoiseModel()")
 
diff --git a/src/rail/creation/selector.py b/src/rail/creation/selector.py
index f143e55f..dc6e85a7 100644
--- a/src/rail/creation/selector.py
+++ b/src/rail/creation/selector.py
@@ -31,10 +31,6 @@ class Selector(RailStage):
     inputs = [("input", PqHandle)]
     outputs = [("output", PqHandle)]
 
-    def __init__(self, args, comm=None):
-        """Initialize Noisifier that can add noise to photometric data"""
-        RailStage.__init__(self, args, comm=comm)
-
     def __call__(self, sample):
         """The main interface method for ``Selector``.
 
diff --git a/src/rail/estimation/algos/equal_count.py b/src/rail/estimation/algos/equal_count.py
index be26e78b..f232a45b 100644
--- a/src/rail/estimation/algos/equal_count.py
+++ b/src/rail/estimation/algos/equal_count.py
@@ -29,9 +29,6 @@ class EqualCountClassifier(PZClassifier):
     )
     outputs = [("output", TableHandle)]
 
-    def __init__(self, args, comm=None):
-        PZClassifier.__init__(self, args, comm=comm)
-
     def run(self):
         test_data = self.get_data("input")
         npdf = test_data.npdf
diff --git a/src/rail/estimation/algos/naive_stack.py b/src/rail/estimation/algos/naive_stack.py
index 821b3dfa..0fa2470b 100644
--- a/src/rail/estimation/algos/naive_stack.py
+++ b/src/rail/estimation/algos/naive_stack.py
@@ -17,9 +17,6 @@ class NaiveStackInformer(PzInformer):
     name = "NaiveStackInformer"
     config_options = PzInformer.config_options.copy()
 
-    def __init__(self, args, comm=None):
-        PzInformer.__init__(self, args, comm=comm)
-
     def run(self):
         self.add_data("model", np.array([None]))
 
@@ -39,8 +36,8 @@ class NaiveStackSummarizer(PZSummarizer):
     inputs = [("input", QPHandle)]
     outputs = [("output", QPHandle), ("single_NZ", QPHandle)]
 
-    def __init__(self, args, comm=None):
-        PZSummarizer.__init__(self, args, comm=comm)
+    def __init__(self, args, **kwargs):
+        super().__init__(args, **kwargs)
         self.zgrid = None
 
     def run(self):
diff --git a/src/rail/estimation/algos/point_est_hist.py b/src/rail/estimation/algos/point_est_hist.py
index bb2e0bd5..ade6dde0 100644
--- a/src/rail/estimation/algos/point_est_hist.py
+++ b/src/rail/estimation/algos/point_est_hist.py
@@ -17,9 +17,6 @@ class PointEstHistInformer(PzInformer):
     name = "PointEstHistInformer"
     config_options = PzInformer.config_options.copy()
 
-    def __init__(self, args, comm=None):
-        PzInformer.__init__(self, args, comm=comm)
-
     def run(self):
         self.add_data("model", np.array([None]))
 
@@ -40,8 +37,8 @@ class PointEstHistSummarizer(PZSummarizer):
     inputs = [("input", QPHandle)]
     outputs = [("output", QPHandle), ("single_NZ", QPHandle)]
 
-    def __init__(self, args, comm=None):
-        PZSummarizer.__init__(self, args, comm=comm)
+    def __init__(self, args, **kwargs):
+        super().__init__(args, **kwargs)
         self.zgrid = None
         self.bincents = None
 
diff --git a/src/rail/estimation/algos/random_gauss.py b/src/rail/estimation/algos/random_gauss.py
index b35afaf7..67a4d0c7 100644
--- a/src/rail/estimation/algos/random_gauss.py
+++ b/src/rail/estimation/algos/random_gauss.py
@@ -20,9 +20,6 @@ class RandomGaussInformer(CatInformer):
     name = "RandomGaussInformer"
     config_options = CatInformer.config_options.copy()
 
-    def __init__(self, args, comm=None):
-        CatInformer.__init__(self, args, comm=comm)
-
     def run(self):
         self.add_data("model", np.array([None]))
 
@@ -47,10 +44,10 @@ class RandomGaussEstimator(CatEstimator):
         ),
     )
 
-    def __init__(self, args, comm=None):
+    def __init__(self, args, **kwargs):
         """Constructor:
         Do CatEstimator specific initialization"""
-        CatEstimator.__init__(self, args, comm=comm)
+        super().__init__(args, **kwargs)
         self.zgrid = None
 
     def _process_chunk(self, start, end, data, first):
diff --git a/src/rail/estimation/algos/train_z.py b/src/rail/estimation/algos/train_z.py
index b93cb481..7f95ee16 100644
--- a/src/rail/estimation/algos/train_z.py
+++ b/src/rail/estimation/algos/train_z.py
@@ -36,9 +36,6 @@ class TrainZInformer(CatInformer):
         redshift_col=SHARED_PARAMS,
     )
 
-    def __init__(self, args, comm=None):
-        CatInformer.__init__(self, args, comm=comm)
-
     def run(self):
         if self.config.hdf5_groupname:
             training_data = self.get_data("input")[self.config.hdf5_groupname]
@@ -65,11 +62,11 @@ class TrainZEstimator(CatEstimator):
     config_options = CatEstimator.config_options.copy()
     config_options.update(zmin=SHARED_PARAMS, zmax=SHARED_PARAMS, nzbins=SHARED_PARAMS)
 
-    def __init__(self, args, comm=None):
+    def __init__(self, args, **kwargs):
         self.zgrid = None
         self.train_pdf = None
         self.zmode = None
-        CatEstimator.__init__(self, args, comm=comm)
+        CatEstimator.__init__(self, args, **kwargs)
 
     def open_model(self, **kwargs):
         CatEstimator.open_model(self, **kwargs)
diff --git a/src/rail/estimation/algos/true_nz.py b/src/rail/estimation/algos/true_nz.py
index 0b89f083..8b148672 100644
--- a/src/rail/estimation/algos/true_nz.py
+++ b/src/rail/estimation/algos/true_nz.py
@@ -28,8 +28,8 @@ class TrueNZHistogrammer(RailStage):
     inputs = [("input", TableHandle), ("tomography_bins", TableHandle)]
     outputs = [("true_NZ", QPHandle)]
 
-    def __init__(self, args, comm=None):
-        RailStage.__init__(self, args, comm=comm)
+    def __init__(self, args, **kwargs):
+        super().__init__(args, **kwargs)
         self.zgrid = None
         self.bincents = None
 
diff --git a/src/rail/estimation/algos/uniform_binning.py b/src/rail/estimation/algos/uniform_binning.py
index 9a96d00c..62bd6cb0 100644
--- a/src/rail/estimation/algos/uniform_binning.py
+++ b/src/rail/estimation/algos/uniform_binning.py
@@ -36,18 +36,6 @@ class UniformBinningClassifier(PZClassifier):
     )
     outputs = [("output", Hdf5Handle)]
 
-    def __init__(self, args, comm=None):
-        """Initialize the UniformBinningClassifier.
-
-        Parameters
-        ----------
-        args : dict
-            Configuration arguments for the classifier.
-        comm : MPI.Comm, optional
-            MPI communicator for parallel processing.
-        """
-        PZClassifier.__init__(self, args, comm=comm)
-
     def _process_chunk(self, start, end, data, first):
         """Process a chunk of data for uniform binning classification.
 
diff --git a/src/rail/estimation/algos/var_inf.py b/src/rail/estimation/algos/var_inf.py
index b4abf2f2..29c5563e 100644
--- a/src/rail/estimation/algos/var_inf.py
+++ b/src/rail/estimation/algos/var_inf.py
@@ -20,9 +20,6 @@ class VarInfStackInformer(PzInformer):
     name = "VarInfStackInformer"
     config_options = PzInformer.config_options.copy()
 
-    def __init__(self, args, comm=None):
-        PzInformer.__init__(self, args, comm=comm)
-
     def run(self):
         self.add_data("model", np.array([None]))
 
@@ -63,8 +60,8 @@ class VarInfStackSummarizer(PZSummarizer):
     inputs = [("input", QPHandle)]
     outputs = [("output", QPHandle), ("single_NZ", QPHandle)]
 
-    def __init__(self, args, comm=None):
-        PZSummarizer.__init__(self, args, comm=comm)
+    def __init__(self, args, **kwargs):
+        super().__init__(args, **kwargs)
         self.zgrid = None
 
     def run(self):
diff --git a/src/rail/estimation/classifier.py b/src/rail/estimation/classifier.py
index 25f613ba..5014f886 100644
--- a/src/rail/estimation/classifier.py
+++ b/src/rail/estimation/classifier.py
@@ -23,9 +23,9 @@ class CatClassifier(RailStage):  # pragma: no cover
     inputs = [("model", ModelHandle), ("input", TableHandle)]
     outputs = [("output", TableHandle)]
 
-    def __init__(self, args, comm=None):
+    def __init__(self, args, **kwargs):
         """Initialize Classifier"""
-        RailStage.__init__(self, args, comm=comm)
+        super().__init__(args, **kwargs)
         self._output_handle = None
         self.model = None
         if not isinstance(args, dict):  # pragma: no cover
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ class PZClassifier(RailStage):
     inputs = [("input", QPHandle)]
     outputs = [("output", Hdf5Handle)]
 
-    def __init__(self, args, comm=None):
+    def __init__(self, args, **kwargs):
         """Initialize the PZClassifier.
 
         Parameters
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ def __init__(self, args, comm=None):
         comm : MPI.Comm, optional
             MPI communicator for parallel processing.
         """
-        RailStage.__init__(self, args, comm=comm)
+        super().__init__(args, **kwargs)
         self._output_handle = None
 
     def classify(self, input_data):
diff --git a/src/rail/estimation/estimator.py b/src/rail/estimation/estimator.py
index fee3e9a9..7425a381 100644
--- a/src/rail/estimation/estimator.py
+++ b/src/rail/estimation/estimator.py
@@ -36,9 +36,9 @@ class CatEstimator(RailStage, PointEstimationMixin):
     inputs = [("model", ModelHandle), ("input", TableHandle)]
     outputs = [("output", QPHandle)]
 
-    def __init__(self, args, comm=None):
+    def __init__(self, args, **kwargs):
         """Initialize Estimator"""
-        RailStage.__init__(self, args, comm=comm)
+        super().__init__(args, **kwargs)
         self._output_handle = None
         self.model = None
 
diff --git a/src/rail/estimation/informer.py b/src/rail/estimation/informer.py
index a9075a32..0ef4f1e4 100644
--- a/src/rail/estimation/informer.py
+++ b/src/rail/estimation/informer.py
@@ -32,9 +32,9 @@ class CatInformer(RailStage):
     inputs = [("input", TableHandle)]
     outputs = [("model", ModelHandle)]
 
-    def __init__(self, args, comm=None):
+    def __init__(self, args, **kwargs):
         """Initialize Informer that can inform models for redshift estimation"""
-        RailStage.__init__(self, args, comm=comm)
+        super().__init__(args, **kwargs)
         self.model = None
 
     def inform(self, training_data):
@@ -88,9 +88,9 @@ class PzInformer(RailStage):
     inputs = [("input", QPHandle)]
     outputs = [("model", ModelHandle)]
 
-    def __init__(self, args, comm=None):
+    def __init__(self, args, **kwargs):
         """Initialize Informer that can inform models for redshift estimation"""
-        RailStage.__init__(self, args, comm=comm)
+        super().__init__(args, **kwargs)
         self.model = None
 
     def inform(self, training_data):
diff --git a/src/rail/estimation/summarizer.py b/src/rail/estimation/summarizer.py
index c323b141..9d932ba0 100644
--- a/src/rail/estimation/summarizer.py
+++ b/src/rail/estimation/summarizer.py
@@ -26,10 +26,6 @@ class CatSummarizer(RailStage):
     inputs = [("input", TableHandle)]
     outputs = [("output", QPHandle)]
 
-    def __init__(self, args, comm=None):
-        """Initialize Summarizer"""
-        RailStage.__init__(self, args, comm=comm)
-
     def summarize(self, input_data):
         """The main run method for the summarization, should be implemented
         in the specific subclass.
@@ -74,10 +70,6 @@ class PZSummarizer(RailStage):
     inputs = [("model", ModelHandle), ("input", QPHandle)]
     outputs = [("output", QPHandle)]
 
-    def __init__(self, args, comm=None):
-        """Initialize Estimator that can sample galaxy data."""
-        RailStage.__init__(self, args, comm=comm)
-
     def summarize(self, input_data):
         """The main run method for the summarization, should be implemented
         in the specific subclass.
@@ -145,9 +137,9 @@ class SZPZSummarizer(RailStage):
     ]
     outputs = [("output", QPHandle)]
 
-    def __init__(self, args, comm=None):
+    def __init__(self, args, **kwargs):
         """Initialize Estimator that can sample galaxy data."""
-        RailStage.__init__(self, args, comm=comm)
+        super().__init__(args, **kwargs)
         self.model = None
         # NOTE: open model removed from init, need to put an
         # `open_model` call explicitly in the run method for
diff --git a/src/rail/evaluation/evaluator.py b/src/rail/evaluation/evaluator.py
index 40e0cd9f..140f3e13 100644
--- a/src/rail/evaluation/evaluator.py
+++ b/src/rail/evaluation/evaluator.py
@@ -79,8 +79,8 @@ class Evaluator(RailStage):  #pylint: disable=too-many-instance-attributes
 
     metric_base_class = None
 
-    def __init__(self, args, comm=None):
-        RailStage.__init__(self, args, comm=comm)
+    def __init__(self, args, **kwargs):
+        super().__init__(args, **kwargs)
         self._output_handle = None
         self._summary_handle = None
         self._single_distribution_summary_handle = None
@@ -415,10 +415,6 @@ class OldEvaluator(RailStage):
     inputs = [("input", QPHandle), ("truth", Hdf5Handle)]
     outputs = [("output", Hdf5Handle)]
 
-    def __init__(self, args, comm=None):
-        """Initialize Evaluator"""
-        RailStage.__init__(self, args, comm=comm)
-
     def evaluate(self, data, truth):
         """Evaluate the performance of an estimator
         This will attach the input data and truth to this `Evaluator`
diff --git a/src/rail/evaluation/single_evaluator.py b/src/rail/evaluation/single_evaluator.py
index 8a758be8..20d3e854 100644
--- a/src/rail/evaluation/single_evaluator.py
+++ b/src/rail/evaluation/single_evaluator.py
@@ -32,9 +32,9 @@ class SingleEvaluator(Evaluator):  # pylint: disable=too-many-instance-attribute
 
     metric_base_class = BaseMetric
 
-    def __init__(self, args, comm=None):
+    def __init__(self, args, **kwargs):
         """Initialize Evaluator"""
-        Evaluator.__init__(self, args, comm=comm)
+        super().__init__(args, **kwargs)
         self._input_data_type = QPOrTableHandle.PdfOrValue.unknown
         self._truth_data_type = QPOrTableHandle.PdfOrValue.unknown
         self._out_table = {}
diff --git a/src/rail/tools/table_tools.py b/src/rail/tools/table_tools.py
index 54b96ab9..c05702a0 100644
--- a/src/rail/tools/table_tools.py
+++ b/src/rail/tools/table_tools.py
@@ -25,9 +25,6 @@ class ColumnMapper(RailStage):
     inputs = [("input", PqHandle)]
     outputs = [("output", PqHandle)]
 
-    def __init__(self, args, comm=None):
-        RailStage.__init__(self, args, comm=comm)
-
     def run(self):
         data = self.get_data("input", allow_missing=True)
         out_data = data.rename(columns=self.config.columns, inplace=self.config.inplace)
@@ -77,9 +74,6 @@ class RowSelector(RailStage):
     inputs = [("input", PqHandle)]
     outputs = [("output", PqHandle)]
 
-    def __init__(self, args, comm=None):
-        RailStage.__init__(self, args, comm=comm)
-
     def run(self):
         data = self.get_data("input", allow_missing=True)
         out_data = data.iloc[self.config.start : self.config.stop]
@@ -122,9 +116,6 @@ class TableConverter(RailStage):
     inputs = [("input", PqHandle)]
     outputs = [("output", Hdf5Handle)]
 
-    def __init__(self, args, comm=None):
-        RailStage.__init__(self, args, comm=comm)
-
     def run(self):
         data = self.get_data("input", allow_missing=True)
         out_fmt = tables_io.types.TABULAR_FORMAT_NAMES[self.config.output_format]
diff --git a/tests/core/test_point_estimation.py b/tests/core/test_point_estimation.py
index 6ea352cd..9ad133fb 100644
--- a/tests/core/test_point_estimation.py
+++ b/tests/core/test_point_estimation.py
@@ -16,9 +16,6 @@ def test_custom_point_estimate():
     class TestEstimator(CatEstimator):
         name = "TestEstimator"
 
-        def __init__(self, args, comm=None):
-            CatEstimator.__init__(self, args, comm=comm)
-
         def _calculate_mode_point_estimate(self, qp_dist=None, grid=None):
             return np.ones(100) * MEANING_OF_LIFE