Diocese takes new direction for forming unbaptized youth in the faith

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Lorena Needham

As the new liturgical year opens with the season of Advent, our diocese will renew its efforts in faith formation, especially for our unbaptized youth.

Under normal circumstances, the Church asks parents to present their children for baptism within a few weeks of their birth. Often that is not possible for a variety of reasons. Frequently today, parents wait to bring their children for baptism and faith formation when they are 8 years old or older. When parents do approach a parish for this, the pastor must discern the best possible path to prepare those children based on their age and the resources of the parish. Bishop Oscar A. Solis is very aware of these situations and is taking steps to ensure a complete and comprehensive faith formation process is available for these children.

To understand the challenge faced by our pastors, it is important to recognize the two main paths to the Sacraments of Initiation (Baptism, Confirmation and Communion). The first path is for infant baptism, which typically applies to children below the age of 7. For this, parents are interviewed for their readiness to live a Christian life, commitment to raising their children in the Catholic faith, and for their registration in or residence in a parish. Instruction is given to the parents and godparents and the Sacrament of Baptism is administered within a month or two of the request.

Preparation for Communion is aligned with the regular faith formation programs of every parish and Catholic school. It is a process that takes at least two years, with Confirmation following for students between the eighth and 11th grades.

When Baptism is delayed for several years, a different process is incorporated. This is because above the age of 7, the Church considers children to be at the “age of reason.” In other words, they are able to make some decisions of faith for themselves and make choices about sin. The formation of these youth requires an approach to Christian initiation similar to that of adults.

For adults, the Church uses an ancient form of initiation called the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults. It is a process that begins with a period of evangelization. This is a time of grace in which, with God’s help, a person feels “called away from sin and into the profound mystery of divine love,” as the Order of Christian Initiation states.

During this time of initiation, the Gospel is proclaimed and explained, and when the person voluntarily confirms their intention to become Christian, they enter the second phase of conversion, which is formally called the Rite of Entrance into the Catechumenate. This period lasts a minimum of one liturgical year (Lent to the following Easter) and can last several years. There is no maximum time limit. It includes instruction in doctrine, blessings, experiences of works of mercy/Christian life, rituals of purification, participation in liturgy and understanding Scripture.

The Catechumenate ends with the Rite of Election and a period of Purification and Enlightenment that lasts up to the Easter Vigil, where the Sacraments of Initiation are administered. From Easter to Pentecost, a final period of instruction follows in which the Sacrament of Reconciliation is explained and made available, and the new Christians have an opportunity to understand their new experience of faith and increase their participation in parish life. The process of learning to live the faith extends to the end of our earthly life.

As you can see, the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults is more complex than simple catechesis and faith formation sessions. For children, for parishes, for pastors and for parents, following the processes and rituals of Adult Christian Initiation can be challenging.

Because of these many challenges and our limited ability to overcome them in a missionary diocese, Bishop Solis has determined a need to place a temporary moratorium on use of the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults for children (ages 7-17). A moratorium in this case simply means we will temporarily be using an alternate path of faith formation for children in that age group. The moratorium will end when the pastoral planning efforts of the diocese result in a comprehensive faith formation plan.

The moratorium will allow each parish to ensure that it is equipped with catechists and knowledge to guide older children on their faith journey. The goal is to have parish programs that continually provide catechesis to every age group, for every year of their life, not just sacramental preparation. There are three reasons why this is important.

The first concern is for adequate catechesis. The length of the catechumenate was often shortened in some parishes to less than one year for a number of different reasons. However, one year is not sufficient to form children (or adults) in the Christian faith, especially if they had not had any previous experience in living the Christian life. The liturgical rules of the Church require at least one year in the catechumenate, or more depending on the person. In addition, the catechetical process of the Church recognizes the need for lifelong learning. More to the point, children need instruction tailored to their age and learning level, and opportunities to test and grow their faith in concert with their peers.

The second concern in these matters is adequate consent. Canon law says consent must come first from the parents, who demonstrate by their example of regular weekly Mass participation, frequent reception of the sacraments and support for the parish that the child will be brought up in the faith.

Consent must also come from the child, who cannot adequately give it if they do not know and understand what the Sacraments of Initiation are. The bottom line in the words of our Vicar General, the Very Reverend John Evans, “once a person has reached the age of reason – usually age 7 – they must have enough information about the sacraments and the faith to be able to give consent to receiving the sacraments and to live the faith completely.”

The third concern is the ability of a young child to assimilate and receive the sacraments and live their faith fully, especially at a young age. This is a key component of the bishop’s guidance to administer Confirmation in the eighth grade and no later than 11th grade. While acknowledging that in the United States the age of Confirmation varies within dioceses from between 7 and 18 years of age, Bishop Solis’ desire is that candidates for Confirmation should be prepared for and receive First Communion, and then have the opportunity to participate in a sustained and comprehensive program of preparation. The program should include doctrine, spiritual formation, liturgy, Scripture, vocational discernment and active involvement in the parish community through service projects.

So, what does a pastor do under the moratorium when parents present an unbaptized child aged 7 or older? To put it succinctly, he prepares them for immediate Baptism.

The Pastoral Directives of the diocese require the following:

– A parent interview at least 60 days prior to baptism.

– Discernment of readiness of the parents to help the child live a Christian life.

–Ensuring parents are registered in the parish or reside in its boundaries.

– Giving baptismal instruction/preparation to the child, parents and godparents.

Following Baptism, the child will join a faith formation class appropriate for their age. When ready, they will then enter a two-year preparation period for First Reconciliation and Communion. First Reconciliation could take place within the first year of instruction. After receiving First Communion, and after participating in a sustained and comprehensive program of religious education with regular participation in Sunday Mass, the child may join in preparation for Confirmation.

The moratorium includes a provision that the three Sacraments of Initiation should not be administered simultaneously for our youth, not at the Easter Vigil nor at any other time. This will permit additional time for instruction, for growth, for learning, for consent, and for assimilation in faith formation experiences, to include Sunday Mass, Scripture study and participation in a youth group.

The hope for our youth, our families, and indeed for all of us in this diocese, is that we have the best possible opportunities to learn and live our faith, regardless of when the Holy Spirit moves us or our parents to take the next step of faith.

If we are to grow vocations and build the kingdom of God here and now, then we need a carefully planned path to follow. Faithful participation in Mass, frequent reception of the sacraments and regular participation in comprehensive faith formation will strengthen us for the journey to eternal life.

May God bless all our pastors, parents and initiation catechists.  

Lorena Needham is director of the diocesan Office of Worship.