Blessed Sacrament Parish - Adult Christian Initiation

What do I have to do to begin?

Your first step is to call the Coordinator of Adult Faith Formation, Joan Brausch, to set up an appointment with her to discuss your interest. At this meeting, you will be asked to fill out an information sheet, to discuss with the Coordinator your previous experiences of God's presence in your life, your faith formation and involvement in a faith community up to this point in your life. From this discussion the Coordinator will determine where you should start the process and when. After this initial meeting, you will begin meeting with either the Inquiry team or starting the Catechumenate, depending on the results of your conversation with the Coordinator.

The Initiation process is a process of conversion - a time to "turn again" to God and to the Church, a time to realize one's dependence on God and one's need for community, a home in which to live one's faith. The candidate will find a growing sense of what it means to be Church, a growing desire to become more "one" with the faith community, the desire to call on God in prayer, and an acknowledgement of one's sinfulness and need for God's forgiveness. This process, its rituals and phases, has great power, not only for the candidate but for the sponsors, catechists and the faith community - - for all of us walk with the candidate during this journey to Initiation!

In the Initiation process, each phase leads to a public ritual. Each phase is a preparation for the ritual and the ritual celebrates the spiritual growth of the person during the previous phase. We celebrate these rituals with the community because each candidate is being initiated INTO the Church, the Body of Christ. Those who are part of that Body support, pray for and witness to the faith development of the candidate as they prepare for Initiation.

Phase 1: Pre Catechumenate or Inquiry
By the time they enter the pre-catechumenate, the participants may be already aware of the action of the Holy Spirit in their lives, may already have an awakened faith, but still need to make a firm decision to become Catholic. Many baptized Christians do not need the Inquiry phase or only need a brief time in Inquiry. Participates are called "Inquirers"
Aim of this period: Awakening of Faith

First Ritual: Rite of Welcoming the Candidates
Those who are already baptized are called "candidates". Through a special LITURGICAL RITE they state their intention to become Catholic and the Church accepts them as candidates. They are now called Candidates for Full Communion.

Phase 2: Catechumenate
The Candidates begin a new phase in the process, which takes them through a time of reflecting and sharing the scriptures and the teachings of the church. The Lectionary becomes the basis and food for the journey. They now attend Sunday Mass with the community and, after Mass, join the catechumens, their sponsors and spouses for the Initiation session, which includes Scripture study and reflection, Church teaching, shared reflection, a variety of prayer experiences and meditation. This part of the Initiation process may last a few months to a year, depending on previous faith formation the Candidate may have received in his or her former faith tradition.

Second Ritual: Call to Continuing Conversion (optional)
If a candidate is discerned to be ready to become Catholic before Lent begins, he or she will take part in the Call to Continuing Conversion which takes place at the same time as the Rite of Election: the First Sunday of Lent at the Cathedral.

Phase 3: Enlightenment during season of Lent (optional)
During this period of spiritual preparation for the Easter sacraments the Lectionary and Sacramentary are the basis for spiritual reflection. Times of prayer and spiritual direction are important. There is a special prayer over the candidates on the second Sunday of Lent and they celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation for the first time during the Lenten journey. They work very closely with their Sponsor at this time.

Third Ritual: Rite of Full Initiation
When a candidate is discerned to be ready to become Catholic at another time of the year than Lent, he or she will experience a morning of reflection before Initiation with the sponsor, catechists and director. Initiation into the Catholic Church can be celebrated at almost any time of the year, the exceptions being: Advent, Lent and Sundays where baptisms are already scheduled.

At Initiation, the candidate makes a profession of faith to the Roman Catholic Church, is confirmed and receives the Eucharist for the first time as a Catholic. It is a solemn and joyous moment in the life of the Church and is a living response to the mystery of Christ's passion, death and resurrection.

Phase 4: Mystagogia
All of us who have been initiated into the Catholic faith are in the phase we call Mystagogia (study of the Mysteries). We continue to grow in our understanding of the Paschal mystery in our daily lives, we continue to grow in our relationship with God and Church, we continue to learn about the faith, we continue to deepen our commitment to live as Jesus did. Those who have been just initiated join the rest of us on this journey. There are 3-4 reflection sessions after Mass during the Easter season, a social gathering around Pentecost, and monthly reflection sessions for the first year after Initiation - all to help the newly initiated person to feel more and more "at home" in their new faith.

THIS JOURNEY NEVER ENDS....

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