THE SACRAMENTS OF INITIATION The Roman Catholic Church

THE SACRAMENTS OF INITIATION The Roman Catholic Church

WELCOME & HAPPY 2021! • In this Parent Session we will be asking you to answer a series of questions that are scattered throughout this Power Point Lecture. • There are 4 questions and they are numbered. • We ask that you submit your answers to the questions via a Word Document OR Handwritten via a photo (jpg format) to rfststephenps@yahoo. com • Your Due Date is January 23, 2021 by 9 AM! • Please note that this lesson is meant to coincide with Assignment #7 that your children are working on!

CHRISTIAN INITIATION • Not really a new beginning but more like a “realignment” • A transformation of something that already exists • What is that “something”? • A loving relationship between God (Father) and Us (His children). • God initiates the relationship (friendship). • God is the one who invites us to the relationship. • But, like all relationships it takes work. • Think of some of things it takes for you to have good relationships with the people in your life! If you feel comfortable express those to your spouse, friend or others.

CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH “The Sacraments of Christian initiation – Baptism, Confirmation, and the Eucharist – lay the foundations of every Christian life. ” (CCC 1212)

EVERY SACRAMENT HAS 3 ASPECTS Efficacious Something that makes real what it signifies. Mystery Visible sign of the unseen Divine reality. Cannot be totally understood or explained. We do not necessarily see God but we can see the Sacraments and the effects that the Sacraments have on us and others.

EVERY SACRAMENT HAS TWO ELEMENTS Form • The words of the Sacrament are its Form. • Example: “I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. ” Matter • The traditional physical element(s) or gesture(s) used in the Sacrament is the Matter. • Example: Immersion in water/pouring water over one’s head.

“Before you were born you were chosen by God to serve. ” – Fr. Marcus Mc. Fadin Question #1 Name some ways that you are in service to those in your family?

Baptism Confirmation • Incorporates us into Christ • Fills us with the Holy Spirit • Forgiveness for all our sins • The Holy Spirit brings Confirmation candidates into conformity with Christ and enables them to spread Christ’s presence to all. • “Death” in the water and Raised to a New Life as one of God’s children. • We are regenerated through water (matter) and the Word (form). • Confirmation is about CONVERSION! • It IS NOT a “Graduation”.

EUCHARIST (COMMUNION) • The Central Sacrament of the Roman Catholic Faith. • “It’s more than wine and bread” • Eucharist brings eternal life. • We should come to this Sacrament often, because it nourishes our souls. • ALL of the other Sacraments are directed towards Eucharist. • Receiving Eucharist is essential.

UNIQUE TO OUR CURRENT SITUATION • Due to the Covid-19 Pandemic Roman Catholics have been limited in their ability to go to Mass and receive Communion. • Our Church and the Pope recognize the constraints placed upon the Faithful at this time and we are exempt from the obligation to receive Eucharist on the Holy Days of Obligation. • Once we are able to do so safely, we will be invited back to reception of Communion which we are praying will be soon. • On March 27, 2020 our Holy Father, Pope Francis gave the entire Roman Catholic World a blessing titled “Urbi et Orbi” This is a very solemn blessing meant to be given only at the most serious of times. • If you would like to see this blessing; click on the link below: • https: //www. vaticannews. va/en/pope/news/2020 -03/pope-francis-urbi-et-orbi-blessingcoronavirus. html

ON THE NEXT SLIDE I HAVE POSTED A PRAYER TITLED “AN ACT OF SPIRITUAL COMMUNION” WE HIGHLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO WATCH MASS ON THE ST. STEPHEN FACEBOOK PAGE AND UPON DOING SO DURING COMMUNION YOU CAN PRAY “AN ACT OF SPIRITUAL COMMUNION”

AN ACT OF SPIRITUAL COMMUNION (MODERN TRANSLATION) My Jesus, I believe that You are present in the Most Holy Sacrament. I love You above all things and I desire to receive You into my soul. Since I cannot at this moment receive You sacramentally; come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You! Amen!

QUESTION #2 • Why do you think that Eucharist (receiving Communion) is the central act of our faith as Roman Catholics? – this means it is the most important of all 7 Sacraments!

CONFIRMATION: THE SACRAMENT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT Ø Matter: Laying on of hands by the Bishop or his representative. Ø Anointing with Sacred Chrism Ø Form: “Be sealed with the Gift of the Holy Spirit. ” Ø Increases and deepens baptismal grace. Ø Indelible character that helps us spread and defend the faith as a witness of Christ.

EUCHARIST THE SOURCE AND SUMMIT Ø Christ associates the Church with himself and his Paschal Mystery. Ø Liturgy of the Word & Liturgy of the Eucharist Ø The Graces: Unity with Christ, Forgiveness of venial sins, incorporation into the Church, Eucharist for others Ø Participating in the Mass is our obligation as well as one of the 6 Precepts of the Church. Ø Even if you cannot receive Eucharist going to the Liturgy of the Mass is important.

THE SACRAMENTS OF INITIATION • All 3 of the Sacraments discussed in this lecture – Baptism, Eucharist and Confirmation initiate us fully into the Roman Catholic Church. • Question #3: • If you only receive Baptism and Eucharist can you consider yourself to be fully Roman Catholic? In some ways you might consider this question to be an “opinion” question but in other ways it is not. I suggest you spend some time truly reflecting on the question and your answer! (Please feel free to share your own experiences if you would like. I assure you only the Parent Session Team will be reading your answers. )

QUESTION #4 • Here is your chance to “Ask a Catechist” • For Question #4 we would like you to ask us a question. By no means do we have the answers to everything Catholic but we will give it a try! • THE QUESTION: What is one thing you have always wondered or wanted to know about the Roman Catholic Church?

“I do not understand the mystery of Grace – only that it meets us where we are but does not leave us where it found us. ” --Anne Lamott