Blessed Sacrament Parish - Christian Initiation for the Unbaptized Adult

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 probably begin meeting with the Inquiry team, thus beginning Phase 1 of the process.

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 catechumen (an unbaptized person) 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 catechumen but for the sponsors, catechists and the faith community - - for all of us walk with the catechumen 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 catechumen 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 catechumen 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. During this period they build community, share their faith story, ask their questions, hear the Word proclaimed and shared and pray together. Participants are called "Inquirers". This phase can last a few months to a few years, depending on the faith development of the person.
Aim of this period: Awakening of Faith

First Ritual: Rite of Acceptance into Catechumenate
The Inquirers now arrive at the FIRST STEP of their journey as they seek to become members of the Church. Through a special LITURGICAL RITE they ask to be accepted into the Catholic family and the Church accepts them as candidates. They are now called CATECHUMENS.

Phase 2: Catechumenate
The Catechumens 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 and are formally "sent forth" after the homily, to study the Word proclaimed. Sessions are on Sunday mornings and include Scripture study and reflection, Church teaching, shared reflection, a variety of prayer experiences and meditation. This part of the process usually lasts at least a full year so that the catechumen may experience the richness of the entire liturgical year and the Scriptures of the liturgical seasons which will give the catechumen the fullest possible formation in the Catholic faith.

Second Ritual: Rite of Election
When the Church community believes the catechumens have had sufficient instruction and catechesis and they have expressed the desire to become one with the community, they are called to a new stage of spiritual preparation. This moment of DISCERNMENT and CALL is celebrated in the RITE OF ELECTION, which usually takes place at the cathedral with the local Bishop and the catechumens from around the diocese.

Phase 3: Enlightenment (during season of Lent)
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. The Scrutinies are part of the Lenten journey. They work very closely with their Sponsor at this time.

Third Ritual: Rite of Full Initiation at Easter Vigil
At this stage the Catechumens enter the community of the faithful in full membership through the sacraments of INITIATION - BAPTISM, CONFIRMATION AND EUCHARIST. It is a solemn and joyous moment in the life of the Church and is a living response to the Easter mystery.

Phase 4: Mystagogia
This time between Easter and Pentecost is very important to the newly initiated Catholic. It is the time to share their experience of conversion, their journey in Christ, their experience of the Vigil. During this time they are initiated into the wider community and prepare for the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.

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. 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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