Our Catholic Faith Living What We Believe CHAPTER 6 The Sacraments of Initiation  Our Need for Signs and Symbols  Baptism  Confirmation  Eucharist  The Liturgical Year

Chapter 6 The Sacraments of Initiation Our Need for Signs and Symbols Christ left his Church the sacraments: special symbols of God’s love and important signs of grace and divine friendship A sacrament is a “visible sign of an invisible reality, a visible sign of invisible grace.” (St. Augustine of Hippo)

Chapter 6 The Sacraments of Initiation Our Need for Signs and Symbols The three Sacraments of Initiation  Baptism brings new life in Christ  Confirmation strengthens the new life  Eucharist nourishes Catholics with Christ’s Body and Blood They “gather in” God’s people and make us members of Christ’s Body, the Church They give us the life of Christ and bestow the gift of the Holy Spirit so that we can be Christ for others

Chapter 6 The Sacraments of Initiation Our Need for Signs and Symbols Initiation in the Early Church Most converts were adults and initiation was seen as a journey that took place in stages Sponsors helped them prepare through a three-year period of prayer, fasting, and self-denial After a forty-day period of prayer and formal instruction in the faith during Lent, they received all three Sacraments at the Easter Vigil The bishop was the main celebrant Catechumens were questioned and anointed with oil

Chapter 6 The Sacraments of Initiation Our Need for Signs and Symbols Initiation in the Early Church They were plunged into the baptismal waters three times The five senses were anointed and the Holy Spirit invoked (Confirmation) The neophytes received white garments to symbolize a new life in Christ The neophytes received candles to remind them of their new vocation to be the light of Christ The Eucharist was celebrated and they received their first Holy Communion

Chapter 6 The Sacraments of Initiation Our Need for Signs and Symbol Initiation today After AD 313, most Catholics were baptized in infancy Holy Communion is typically received at age seven The Second Vatican Council restored the ancient way of initiating adults into the Church The Catechumenate has distinct steps, consisting of four periods and three stages and are found in the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA)

Chapter 6 The Sacraments of Initiation Baptism Baptism is foreshadowed in the Old Testament accounts of creation and the Great Flood In the New Testament Jesus himself was baptized and commanded: Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them all that I have commanded you. Mt 28:19-20

Chapter 6 The Sacraments of Initiation Baptism Infant Baptism The practice of infant Baptism shows that Salvation is a pure gift of Christ’s grace that extends even to children. It shows that that the Church relies on the faith of the parents, godparents, and all the Church to ensure that infants are baptized in a faith-filled environment The essential rite is when the minister pours water on the head of the child three times and pronounces the words, “N., I baptized you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”

Chapter 6 The Sacraments of Initiation Baptism Symbols of Baptism Symbol Water Oil White garment Candle Meaning cleansing, death to an old life of sin and rebirth into new life with Christ anointing with Christ (the “anointed one”), we belong to him, we receive the Holy Spirit who protects, guides, strengthens purity, happiness, and a new identity of living in union with the Lord Christ is the light of the world and his followers should be Christ’s light to others

Chapter 6 The Sacraments of Initiation Baptism Effects of Baptism Baptism initiates and incorporates us into Christ’s Body, the Church Baptism seals Christians with and indelible spiritual character that marks us as belonging to Christ Baptism gives us birth into a new life in Christ Baptism gives us birth into a new life in Christ Baptism forgives both Original Sin and personal sin and remits all punishment due to sin

Chapter 6 The Sacraments of Initiation Confirmation The Sacrament of Confirmation completes the sacramental grace of Baptism Today Confirmation is often received in the teen years to help represent a teen’s increasing personal commitment to the faith Prayer and the Sacrament of Penance are part of the preparation for the sacrament A sponsor accompanies the candidate in preparation for the rite

Chapter 6 The Sacraments of Initiation Confirmation The effects of Confirmation The full outpouring of the Holy Spirit Binding us more closely to the Church and more firmly to Christ Increasing the gifts of the Holy Spirit in us, especially his strength to spread and defend the Christian faith by word and deed Like Baptism, Confirmation imprints an indelible spiritual mark on the soul and so can be received only once

Chapter 6 The Sacraments of Initiation Confirmation While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul traveled through the interior of the country and came (down) to Ephesus where he found some disciples. He said to them, them, "Did you receive the holy Spirit when you became believers?” They answered him, “We have never even heard that there is a holy Spirit.“ He said, “How were you baptized?" They replied, "With the baptism of John.“ Paul then said, "John baptized with a baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, in Jesus.“ When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul laid (his) hands on them, the holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. Acts 19:1-6 Roots and history of Confirmation In the Old Testament, the prophets promised the Spirit would rest on the Messiah In the New Testament, the origin is found in the apostolic laying on of hands In the Western Church the custom grew of the bishop “confirming” the baptismal commitment of those baptized as infants Eastern Rite Churches administer all three initiation sacraments at the same time

Chapter 6 The Sacraments of Initiation Confirmation The Rite of Confirmation Renewal of baptismal promises and profession of faith The bishop extends hands over the confirmands and invokes the outpouring of the Holy Spirit The minister anoints the forehead with Chrism, lands on his hand, and recites the words: “Be sealed with the Gift of the Holy Spirit.” The sign of peace concludes the rite

Chapter 6 The Sacraments of Initiation Eucharist Sacrament of the Eucharist Completes a person’s Christian initiation Is foreshadowed when: ● the priest Melchizedek offered God bread and wine ● God gave manna to the Chosen People ● Jesus’ multiplied the loaves and fishes ● Jesus changes water into wine at Cana ● Jesus declared the importance of eating his body and drinking his blood ● Jesus celebrated the Last Supper

Chapter 6 The Sacraments of Initiation Eucharist Breaking the Bread Names for the Eucharist Eucharist “thanksgiving” Holy Communion Eucharistic Assembly Most Blessed Sacrament Holy and Divine Liturgy Lord’s Supper Holy Sacrifice Holy Mass

Chapter 6 The Sacraments of Initiation Eucharist The Celebration of the Mass INTRODUCTORY RITES Entrance & Greeting Penitential Rite Gloria Opening Prayer LITURGY OF THE WORD First Reading Responsorial Psalm Second Reading Alleluia or Acclamation Gospel Homily Creed General Intercessions LITURGY OF THE EUCHARIST Offertory Eucharistic Prayer Communion Rite CONCLUDING RITE Blessing Dismissal

Chapter 6 The Sacraments of Initiation The Liturgical Year Advent – prepares for Christ’s coming Christmas Season – a feast that proclaims Emmanuel Ordinary Time 1 Lent – prepares us for the solemn and joyful feast of Easter Triduum – celebrates our Redemption in Christ Easter Season Ordinary Time 2 

Chapter 6 The Sacraments of Initiation The Liturgical Year Sacramentals Sacred signs that resemble sacraments Help us become aware of Christ’s presence Prepare us to received the sacraments They include: objects: candles, holy water, statues, icons, rosary beads, relics, scapulars, church buildings actions: blessings, genuflections, the Sign of the Cross places: the Holy Land, Rome, Lourdes, chapels prayers: grace before meals sacred time: holy days, feasts of saints, Fridays in Lent

Chapter 6 The Sacraments of Initiation VOCABULARY Friendship (160) Sacrament (160) Catechumen (161) Neophytes (161) RCIA (161) Essential rite (163) Chrism (163) Christ (164) Confirmands (167) Myron (167) Rite (168) Eucharist (170) Liturgy (171) Sacrifice (171) Transubstantiation (171) Preface (173) Epiclesis (174) Anamnesis (174) Emmanuel (175) Lent (176) Triduum (176) Sacramentals (176) Icons (177)

Chapter 6 The Sacraments of Initiation Dear Jesus,  help me to spread your fragrance wherever I go.  Flood my soul with your spirit and life.  Penetrate and possess my whole being so utterly  that my life may only be a radiance of yours.  Shine through me and be so in me that every soul I come in contact with may feel your presence in my soul. Let them look up and see no longer me, but only Jesus!  Stay with me and then I will begin to shine as you shine,  so to shine as to be a light to others. The light, O Jesus, will be all from you; none of it will be mine.  It will be you, shining on others through me.  Let me thus praise you in the way which you love best,  by shining on those around me.  Let me preach you without preaching, not by words but by example,  by the catching force, the sympathetic influence of what I do,  the evident fullness of the love my heart bears for you.  Amen.  The Jesus Prayer of Cardinal Newman