A PROCESS FOR DEEPENING THE FAITH OF ADULT CATHOLICS PREPARING FOR THE BAPTISM OF THEIR CHILDREN

by

Frank J. Lucero, Jr.

St. Norbert College

De Pere, WI

A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment

of the requirements for the degree

of

Master of Theological Studies

Approved:

Dr. Christina Spahn

Thesis Director

Dr. JoAnn DuPont Sandoval

Reader

Dr. Wallace Ford

Reader

© 2007 Frank J. Lucero, Jr. All rights reserved.

The author hereby grants to St. Norbert College permission to reproduce and distribute

publicly paper and electronic copies of this thesis document in whole or in part.

ABSTRACT

The Church, in its two thousand-plus years of existence, has experienced limited success in its attempts at forming disciples. This thesis presents one specific suggestion, which may be helpful in raising the Church’s disciple-forming success ratio. The author contends that adult faith formation is the key to such success and demonstrates how theological reflection can be employed to stimulate both a greater awareness and experience of the Transcendent in adults.

A baptismal preparation session for parents and godparents is suggested as one opportunity to form disciples. The session, developed by the author, uses theological reflection methods to engage participants in adult conversations about this particular sacrament, affording them the opportunity to learn as adults learn and to spiritually process the information presented. The potential for this baptismal preparation session to form disciples is evaluated through the use of a session survey. The final chapter reveals the results of said evaluation.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents......................................................................................................... 3

Introduction.................................................................................................................. 4

Chapter One: The Ideal Parish...................................................................................... 7

Chapter Two: Back from Fantasyland: Parishes as They Exist Today....................... 11

The Problem................................................................................................... 13

Why This Problem Must Be Solved.............................................................. 14

Chapter Three: Forming the Ideal Parish.................................................................... 16

Chapter Four: Instructions for Hitching the Horse to the Cart................................... 22

Moving Forward Once the Horse Is before the Cart...................................... 27

Theological Reflection.................................................................................... 29

Theological Reflection: The Model................................................................ 30

Theological Reflection: The Method.............................................................. 32

Chapter Five: Test-Driving the Correctly Hitched Cart.............................................. 36

The Pre-Baptismal Session as It Currently Exists.......................................... 36

The “New” Pre-Baptismal Session Presented as Theological Reflection....... 37

Chapter Six: Comparing the Old to the New.............................................................. 43

The Measuring Tool....................................................................................... 43

The Survey Results........................................................................................ 44

Revelations from the Data.............................................................................. 45

Chapter Seven: Conclusions...................................................................................... 53

Works Cited............................................................................................................... 62

Appendix A: Power Point Presentation..................................................................... 64

Appendix B: Course Survey...................................................................................... 69

Appendix C: Notes for the New Pre-Baptismal Session............................................ 72 ...............................................................................................................................................

INTRODUCTION

A disciple is a learner, one who follows another’s teaching and is an avid adherent to that teaching. Jesus the Christ is a teacher and those who follow and adhere to his teachings are known as his disciples.

In Luke 6:40 Jesus said, “Every disciple will be like his teacher.” A disciple of the Christ, then, is one who strives to imitate him. This coincides with God’s purpose for redeeming humankind, which is that all people be conformed to the image of his son (Romans 8:29).

According to John 8:31, a disciple is one who abides in Jesus’ words, that is, he or she is an avid student of scripture and one who, according to Matthew: 7:21, goes beyond simply studying scripture to actually living Jesus’ precepts. The main precept around which all others revolve is the law of love. Adherence to this law is an attribute that literally defines and describes a true disciple (John 13:34-35). Disciples then, love God with their whole hearts, their whole souls, and their whole minds, and their neighbors as themselves (Mark 12:30-31).

For a disciple of the Lord, Jesus is the most significant being in his or her life. Jesus comes first before anyone else including self, family, and friends. A disciple of Jesus also forsakes all things that are not of God (hatred, envy, vengeance, the refusal to forgive, etc.) in order to live a godly life. In addition, a disciple does not value anything (job, lifestyle, security, wealth, status, etc.) more than he or she values God.

Christian discipleship is a way of life and is the vocation to which Christians are called, but one will not hear the call unless one experiences significant mind/heart-changing moments, occasions when one becomes cognizant of God’s call to turn away from sin and to return to the gospel; occasions when one becomes aware that one’s life cannot be lived well unless one seeks God’s kingdom through desiring positive changes in oneself, in one’s neighborhood, in one’s church, and in society. This positive change of mind and attitude is a spiritual gift known as metanoia[1] and it comes to individuals when they experience a life-changing encounter with the Holy Spirit of God.

Like James Fowler, I believe that faith, another spiritual gift, is a human universal, that all people in one way or another are seeking faith in something or someone, but how we grow in faith “depends to a large extent on how we are welcomed into the world and what kinds of environments we grow in.”[2]

This thesis posits that it is a primary responsibility of the Church to provide the environments in which metanoia can be fostered and where faith in God may grow. All its members, whether they realize it or not, are seeking both of these spiritual gifts. It is important to remember that faith “is interactive and social; it requires community, language, ritual and nurture.” [3] Therefore, the Church must provide a myriad of opportunities for all seekers to hear the call to discipleship, especially through the medium of adult faith formation.

Herein I present an experimental method for said formation, which I have developed, and the results of my experiments with that method. I also present my conclusions wherein I answer the questions: can this proposed formation process move even a few people to experience metanoia and to hear the call to discipleship? Why or why not?

If the Church is not expending much of its time and resources on evangelizing and making disciples through ministry to the poor, the neglected, the marginalized, the poor in spirit, and even the aloof, then in my opinion, everything else the Church does is only noise as in the clanging of gongs and cymbals. If Christians are not actively engaged in bringing about God’s kingdom in the world, then we are Christians only in name. It is my prayer that this humble project will help inspire those who read it to truly be Church, “making disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that [Jesus the Christ has] commanded” (Matthew 28:11-13).

CHAPTER ONE

THE IDEAL PARISH

There is a Catholic parish, with 1,500 registered families, where 75% of its enrolled members are active participants in the life of the Church. A small portion of this majority is in a 50/50 split, half advocating a return to a pre-Vatican II Church, the other half promoting a progressive, liberal agenda. The remaining minority is marginally active, yet is continually encouraged to take part in the community’s affairs.

The members of this parish lack very little, for one of the commitments they have made to each other is to ensure that all members have the spiritual, material, and emotional essentials needed to survive. So when a young couple marries, for example, the parishioners make certain that they have a down payment on a home; when someone dies, they give aid to the bereaved family; in fatherless families, other fathers provide the children with the essential father image and other mothers do the same in motherless homes; if a family has plumbing problems, the plumbers of the community do the work gratis; the same holds true for those who may be in need of a carpenter, an electrician, a landscaper, or even a doctor or a lawyer. The members of this parish believe that, because they are the Body of Christ, they are the answers to their collective prayers.

It is rather interesting to note that this parish is also very active in the dealings of the local and state governments and is quite conscious of national and global affairs. The members are quite aware of their baptismal call to holiness as they strive to be perfect as God is perfect, to be merciful as God is merciful, and to love one another as God loves them. This is especially evident in one of this parish’s most vibrant ministries, which is that of social justice. This parish is very involved in visiting the sick and imprisoned, clothing the naked, feeding the hungry, and sheltering the homeless. The community funds all of this work, and many members participate in several projects.

These parishioners are also cognizant of the fact that they are a small part of the universal Church and are always willing to support archdiocesan initiatives as well as those originating from the Vatican.

Most members are easily accessible through e-mail, so, when there is a need in the parish, all parishioners are notified. When someone in the community dies, all know; when a couple is getting married, everyone knows; the community is aware of the children receiving baptism, those receiving their first Eucharist, and those being confirmed. Sacramental celebrations are indeed a community affair, since large numbers of parishioners participate. The people know, or at least know of, each other. When a new member or family moves in, they are immediately visited and the community is notified of their arrival, again, through e-mail.

All is not perfect in this parish. Disagreements and arguments occur, feelings are hurt, relationships are sometimes strained, and some individuals have made bad choices, thereby sinning against God and their community. However, the members realize that they are a Church of sinners, and so they gather communally on a regular basis to seek forgiveness from God and from one another and to confess their sins individually in the sacrament of reconciliation. They see these opportunities as a time of renewal and of re-commitment to God and to each other.

The children and youth of this parish are phenomenal. They are active in many aspects of parish life and seem very attached to and loyal to their parish community. To them, it seems, that Church is home away from home. They speak of Jesus as though they know him personally. The Lord is not a mere concept, but a real individual to whom they can relate. This is true even though their parochial, religious formation is minimal. They attend faith formation sessions, but it seems that they are more involved in parish-sponsored activities such as soccer, basketball, baseball, chess, crafting, etc. The cadre of volunteer coaches and mentors is quite impressive. These too are parishioners who do this work professionally in area schools. Therefore, those children and youth who are so inclined are well prepared to play sports competitively in their respective public or private schools. The facilities at this parish are also impressive. There is a gym for basketball, a baseball field, which doubles as a soccer field, and a well-equipped parish hall with many activity and meeting rooms.

Liturgies here are awe-inspiring. The Masses are transforming. Participation is extraordinary, and all know their roles in this magnificent act of worship. Every Sunday and holy day seem like Christmas and Easter, as the church building fills to capacity with devout faithful. It is a great joy to be there.

Why, one may wonder, is this parish so alive, so unlike most Catholic parishes in this country?

The answer, it seems, is three simple words: ADULT FAITH FORMATION. Over thirty years ago this parish’s leadership had the inspiration, the foresight, and the tenacity necessary to take the world’s bishops at their word[4] and to turn their parish upside down. Adult faith formation became the priority and adult disciples were formed, adult disciples who took ownership of their parish upon realizing that they, along with bishops, priests, deacons, and religious are THE CHURCH, adult disciples who realized that it was primarily their responsibility and not that of the parish, to raise their children to be true disciples of Christ and committed Catholic Christians. Adult faith formation resulted in veritable, across-the-board metanoia and this parish was transformed.

Where, one may ask, is this truly unique parish? Unfortunately, this parish exists where no one may go. It exists only in the author’s imagination. However, it is not an impossible dream. This parish and thousands like it can be the norm for the next generation and all those that follow if we take the initiative now to commit to adult faith formation.

This thesis project advocates a reversal in current parochial practice, which places greater emphasis on the religious formation of children than on that of adults, and it provides a model for making that transition. This is by no means an exhaustive treatment of the subject, but it is hoped that this work will spark the imaginations of others so that together we can build a vibrant Church of the future.

CHAPTER TWO

BACK FROM FANTASYLAND: PARISHES AS THEY EXIST TODAY

Many adult Catholics lack true spiritual formation. In addition, many adults lack a uniformity of belief and practice that was widely prevalent prior to Vatican II.

The existence of uniformity among Catholics prior to the [Vatican II] council had its roots in our fear of God’s wrath if we failed to earn his approval. Having set aside that motivation, we have failed thus far to replace it with the desired positive motivation intended by the council, namely, the motivation that is rooted in our discipleship with Jesus. Lacking this common vision and motivation of discipleship, the adult population of the Church . . . has become divided into rather disparate groupings. [There exist] two rather polarized groups. At one pole is a small but well-organized and quite vocal group of ultra-conservative Catholics who both reflect and advocate a return to the beliefs and practices of the pre-Vatican II Church. The opposite pole is a small, less-organized but equally vocal group of ultra-liberals, who, though remaining in the Church, are calling for extensive and rapid change in all aspects of Church life. . . .[5]

These vocal groups and some “moderates” who “participate regularly in the life and worship of their parish . . . many . . . quite generous with both their time and their money in supporting Church ministry . . . [and who] reserve for themselves the right to decide in what they consider matters of conscience, especially in areas of sexual morality,”[6] comprise those who are involved in the life of most parishes. Based on ministerial experience in my own parish, these two groups account for about 25% of the registered population, which, according to G.J. Mendoza, is representative of parishes across the United States.[7] That leaves the 75% majority uninvolved, which is a complete reversal of the situation in my fantasy parish.

It is safe to assert, then, that many Catholics, in some ways, have lost their sense of direction. Many conservatives and liberals, in my opinion, remain devoted to their own agendas; the moderates seem content to remain on a circular middle road, and the uninvolved 75% are left on the fringes of Christianity and remain oblivious of that fact. Few seem motivated to buy into the Second Vatican Council’s call to discipleship. Yet adherence to discipleship is one compass that can serve to set the Church back on a steady course. Through a commitment to discipleship, personal relationships with Jesus the Christ will develop, parents will catechize their children, agendas will become Jesus’ rather than those of conservatives or liberals, and the Church will pursue its true mission of evangelization and building the Kingdom of God.

It is the Church’s duty to proclaim the Vatican II teachings promoting Jesus’ eternal love for all peoples, and now is the time to do so. Because fear is no longer the motivation “for participation in the life and work of the Church . . . [we the Church] will have to awaken in its place a new kind of motivation, one understood as our free response to God’s unconditional love . . . .[We must] help adult Catholics complete this sentence: God loves us totally and unconditionally; therefore we should . . . .[8] By doing so, adult Catholics will become cognizant of their true Christian duties, one of which is to make their homes extensions of their parish churches wherein they live their Christian heritage, exemplifying the Christian lifestyle for their children. By example, then, the children will learn the practice of the faith, keeping “God’s commandments as Christ taught us, by loving God and our neighbor.”[9] Through a commitment to discipleship Christian parents will “clearly understand what [they] are undertaking”[10] when they present their children for baptism, and the nurturing of the Christian faith will continue from generation to generation.

The Problem

Jesus the Christ has mandated, through the apostles, that we who comprise his Church, “make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that [he has] commanded” (Matthew 28:19-20). We have baptized millions through the centuries and we have taught many to observe all he has commanded, so we’ve been true to a portion of our Lord’s mandate. However, we have not been true, I believe, to the most vital portion of the mandate and that is to make disciples.

In fact we have made very few disciples. I submit that a minority of the multitude that is labeled “Christian” has experienced metanoia and thus the majority is incapable of seeing the world and others through the eyes of the Resurrected Lord.

Because this metanoia is lacking, only about 25% of the population at any given parish actively participate in parish life and the other 75% either marginally participate or participate only at Christmas and/or Easter, or when they need a baptism, when their children reach first Eucharist and/or confirmation age, when they plan a wedding, or when they need a funeral.[11] This is so because, as mentioned above, in our efforts to educate many to observe the precepts of the Lord, we have focused mainly on the very young and immature.

Why This Problem Must Be Solved

The adverse effects of deficient metanoia are legion and are felt in our homes, neighborhoods, communities, and even on the entire earth, for the practice of true Christianity is rare in our world and the worship of false gods rampant. Materialism, rationalism, relativism, narcissism, secularism, and even religious fundamentalism have become the “great religions” of this age, with such idols as wealth, self, fame, pride, government, and religion being some of the major objects of worship. It is little wonder, then, that many in the world and in our societies are so selfish, so full of hate, lacking in compassion, with little concern for the common good.

This is not how Jesus envisions his kingdom on earth. His is a kingdom of compassion, of selfless concern for the well-being of others, and love of God and neighbor (Matthew 25: 31-46). Therefore, we the Church must rethink our strategy. The things we’ve been doing are obviously not enough or they may be efforts that we should aim in other directions. I firmly believe that faith is caught, not taught. However, I also believe that formation venues inundated with faith-catching opportunities must be made available to the people of God. We must ask ourselves, then, how can true conversion of heart and thus the formation of true disciples be effected in Catholic parishes across the land? What would have to change in our parishes and how would we make the changes? How could we measure the effects of any changes and their ultimate impact on the faith community? What follows are a few suggestions.

CHAPTER THREE

FORMING THE IDEAL PARISH

Jesus did not teach children. His entire teaching ministry was devoted to adults, who would then teach their children, thus future generations, what it meant to be a disciple. This was Jesus’ way, probably because that is exactly how he was formed in his Jewish faith. He learned his faith from his parents and family, and this can be deduced from the book of Deuteronomy wherein the Hebrew people were directed by God to teach their children about him and his law:

. . . lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul; and you shall bind them as a sign upon your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. And you shall teach them to your children, talking of them when you are sitting in your house, and when you are walking by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. And you shall write them upon the doorposts of your house and upon your gates, that your days and the days of your children may be multiplied in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers to give them, as long as the heavens are above the earth (Deuteronomy 11:18-21).

I contend that in modern times, we have placed the cart before the horse. For whatever reason we seem to have adopted the assumption that all Catholic adults are mature in their faith and in an intimate relationship with their God, thus adept at raising their children to love God and their neighbor as Christ has commanded us. This may have been partially the case in bygone years when God and Church held a prominent place in family life. The chance that children learned the Christian faith from their parents and/or extended families was probably excellent. However, based on my own ministerial experience, I believe that in today’s society it is naïve to assume that all children learn their faith at home. A myriad of other activities and/or distractions consume a family’s time.

It is my intuition that many Catholic families overly rely on parish-sponsored religious formation programs for their children’s religious development. However, if that is all that is done, the children, unless they take their own initiative, receive inadequate religious formation. This is not an indictment of parish or Church catechetical programs. This is simply to say that one hour a week of religious formation over a nine-month period for a few years is minimal formation at best.

This is not a novel assertion. Parishes have been lamenting this situation for years. However, little change, if any, has occurred. In general, the Church continues to sponsor children’s religious formation for families to use as a crutch, and children and families both suffer from an inadequate knowledge of God, and worse, a slight to non-existent relationship with Jesus the Christ.

Thus we have the uninvolved 75% spoken of above. They are the people we are called to involve and to include. However, we will not catch many of these adults by merely providing religious education for their children or by enticing them to bring their children to religious education by dangling the “carrot” of first Eucharist and confirmation before them. They will become involved only when we make great efforts to form them in their faith and when, through the power of the Spirit, they experience the glory of transformation. Then they will become the primary teachers of their children in the practice of the faith; these children will teach their children and so on.

By beginning with the faith formation of adults, we place the horse before the cart, and the process of conversion has a chance to take root. No longer will “carrots” be needed. Adults will teach their children to celebrate the sacraments, not simply as rites of passage, but as the Christ-connecting realities they are. Adults can be expected to do this only after they themselves have undergone adequate faith formation, for how can they teach what they do not know?

Adults, then, must be the priority subjects in all faith formation endeavors. This is so, first of all, because Jesus set that precedent over two thousand years ago. Furthermore, our Church leadership has emphasized this necessity time and again.

In the National Directory for Catechesis (NDC), for example, the US Bishops have written that

the catechesis of adults . . . is the principal form of catechesis, because it is addressed to persons who have the greatest responsibilities and the capacity to live the Christian message in its fully developed form. The catechetical formation of adults is essential for the Church to carry out the commission [to make disciples] given the apostles by Christ. Because of its importance and because all other forms of catechesis are oriented in some way to it, the catechesis of adults must have high priority at all levels of the Church.[12]

It is incumbent, then, upon us as Church, to heed these directives, while taking into consideration the three main groupings mentioned above, for adult Catholics in the different groups are at varied stages in their faith development. I contend, for example, that the involved 25% “practice their faith and desire to deepen it,”[13] whereas the uninvolved 75% probably fall into the category of those who “. . . have been baptized but . . . have not received a comprehensive catechesis or . . . no longer practice their faith [and] need to be renewed through an enthusiastic preaching of the word and a vibrant evangelization.”[14]

To form lively and ideal parishes, we the Church must be prepared to transmit the Word of the Lord as a living Word, full of promise, full of hope, full of joy, full of peace. We can do that only if we demonstrate that the Word is alive in us as individuals and as Christian communities. Furthermore, if we wish to form disciples as the Christ has commanded, we must:

1. “Invite and enable adults to acquire an attitude of conversion to the Lord.”

2. Help them “to make a conscious and firm decision to live the gift and choice of faith through membership in the Christian community.”

3. Help them to become more willing and able to be a Christian disciple in the world, enabling them to “accept their rightful place in the Church’s mission to evangelize, to hear the cry for justice, to promote unity among Christians, and to bear witness to the salvation won by Jesus Christ for all.”[15]

In a document published in the year 2000 entitled, Our Hearts Were Burning Within Us, the U.S. Catholic Bishops further state that adult faith formation is indeed a priority.

We are convinced that the energy and resources we devote to adult faith formation will strengthen and invigorate all the charisms that adults receive and the activities they undertake, in the Church and in Society, to serve the Gospel of Christ and the people of today. Every Church ministry will be energized through a dynamic ministry of adult catechesis. . . . The Church . . . insists that adult faith formation is essential to who we are and what we do as Church and must be situated not at the periphery of the Church’s education mission, but at its center. Despite the consistency and clarity of this message, the Catholic community has not yet fully heard and embraced it . . . . Accordingly, we strongly reaffirm that, without neglecting its commitment to children, catechesis needs to give more attention to adults than it has been accustomed to do.[16]

By making adults the center of faith formation Catholic adults will know and understand that:

As sharers in the role of Christ as priest, prophet, and king, [they] have their work cut out for them in the life and activity of the Church. Their activity is so necessary within the Church communities that without it the apostolate of the pastors is often unable to achieve its full effectiveness. . . [They] with the right apostolic attitude supply what is lacking to their brethren and refresh the spirit of pastors and of the rest of the faithful. . . . [17]

The uninvolved 75%, then, will come to understand and to believe that they are essential and that the Church cannot reach its full potential with only one-fourth of its body functioning, for the Body of Christ needs its full compliment of apostles, prophets, teachers, workers of miracles, healers, helpers, and administrators (1Corinthians 12:38) to be whole.

Now is the time for action. The Church can no longer afford to ignore the mandates of its leadership, for those mandates echo the precepts of our Lord. These mandates accomplish nothing if they remain as mere words in a myriad of books. We the Church must take these words to heart, and we must, through the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit, accomplish what they mandate, lest the ideal parish described above remain a mere figment of this author’s imagination.

CHAPTER FOUR

INSTRUCTIONS FOR HITCHING THE HORSE TO THE CART

It is quite difficult to attract adults to faith formation sessions. Like their children, they too are distracted by many other interests. Therefore, I contend that they must be heavily engaged and evangelized at every opportunity the Church has to connect with them. I speak specifically about the mandatory pre-baptismal, pre-first Eucharist, pre-confirmation, and pre-marriage faith formation sessions they are required to attend. It is during these events that the Church has a great opportunity to enthusiastically catechize using unconventional methods, thus sparking a lively curiosity in the hearts of attendees about the ways of our Lord and the workings of his Holy Church, we who are the people of God. By “unconventional methods” I mean by methods more effective than the traditional and conventional academic model. I agree with Reichert who asserts that, up to now, the Church has failed to communicate to adults that the goal of catechesis is not religious education. Rather the goal is discipleship, and unlike religious education, which may be construed as an optional endeavor ending in some sort of graduation ceremony, discipleship is an on-going and essential process that is not optional if one desires to be a true follower of Jesus the Christ.[18]

The Church’s task then, is to convince adults that they are disciples of Christ. Being Catholic is wonderful, but it means little if we are not continuously learning from and serving the Master. So when significant evangelizing opportunities arise, such as those occasions listed above, our first endeavor must be to enthusiastically convince individual attendees that each is indeed as much a child of God as is Jesus the Christ. Then they must be convinced that this God of ours is not a recluse but a God who desires and even needs to have a personal relationship with all of his children. If we can instill this truth through consummate evangelization, then we will have accomplished much, for this realization in the hearts of God’s children triggers a hunger for God, a hunger for truth, a hunger that we the Church must be prepared to satiate, a hunger that could change society and the world. We as Church, then, must

. . . intend that people come to know their faith at the depth of their very souls. This will be a ‘knowing’ that informs, forms and transforms people in Christian faith. Reaching beyond what the GDC[19] calls mere information, catechesis should enable participants to comprehend and embrace Christian teachings with conviction, to allow such convictions to shape their identity and holiness of life, and their commitment to forge God’s reign in the world.[20]

Simultaneously, as we feed that spiritual hunger, we must teach God’s people how to stimulate and to feed the same hunger at home, with their families. They must be led to view their domiciles not simply as places to gather at the end of the day, but as veritable Churches, domestic churches, where according to the US Catholic Bishops, “two or three are gathered in the name of the Lord”[21] and where “the Christian family is a true cell of the Church, because we recognize in it many realities essential to the constitution of the entire Church – Christ’s presence, the mission of evangelization, the life of prayer and charity. It represents in some manner a unity fundamental to the Church and realizes her presence concretely in a determinate milieu.”[22]

The people of God must understand, through our efforts, that where they live, no matter how unremarkable, no matter how ordinary or extraordinary, no matter how their lives have been influenced by secular society and even by sin, no matter how regular or irregular their relationships with one another may be, there too is where Christ our God resides in all his glory.

Therefore, they must be taught that our common baptism is what makes our homes a domestic church, and it is that baptism, which is the sacramental basis for being a domestic church. When we were baptized, we were “symbolically [marked] . . . with Jesus’ name and [invited] . . . to commit to his mission.” [23]

The family has many forms. No longer can we view it as we have traditionally, with a man and a woman living together as spouses, raising at least one child. The domestic church has no common face, no common composition. It is indeed a place where a baptized two or three are gathered in the name of the Lord, and it is that portion of the uninvolved 75% within these families that we must teach to be the domestic church.

Helping people to recognize that their homes and families are indeed churches is integral to our mission of making disciples, for it is in the domestic church where the children can best be evangelized, where the children should preferably be taught, where the children are best formed into disciples. It is there where they should learn the significance of the sacraments of initiation, and from there where they ought to be sent out to sanctify the world by all that they say and that they do. It is almost impossible to effect this transformation on a grand scale in parish religious education classes. Intimacy and the potential for vulnerability are frequently lacking, the atmosphere and environment in too many cases are unsuitable, and children (as well as adults) in general, hesitate to speak in large groups. However, transformation is quite possible and attainable at home where the groups are smaller, relationships more intimate, and it is more possible to create a suitable environment for prayer and sharing.

Being raised in a Catholic family, I have fond memories of my domestic church, even though at the time neither my family nor I had any awareness of such a concept. Yet, I recall having very intimate encounters with God. Not that he ever appeared to me or announced his presence with thunderclaps and lightening bolts, but I sensed his presence in many instances. One day, for example, my dad explained to me that God made everything, the rocks, the trees, the birds, the air, the water, and even the dirt. He went on to say that even though you may not see God, it is possible to see the things he made and to know that he is here with you, all around you, in the dirt, in the rocks, in the water, in the trees, in the air, and so forth. To this day, when I look at the dirt, I see God.

I remember feeling God’s intimate presence, when on Good Fridays my mom would gather us outdoors around an old pan in which she would burn the palms of the previous year’s Palm Sunday and tell us that the smoke was our prayers ascending to God. Then she would sit us down to pray the Rosary and prepare for Good Friday services at the church in the evening. I could feel God’s presence when my parents would talk about the night Jesus was born a poor baby in the town of Bethlehem; and I could feel him all the times through the year when we were called together to pray because someone in the family or extended family was sick or needed help or had died.

Because of those experiences I learned to see God later in life in other experiences and people. Examples are in my wife, at the birth of our son, in our daughter-in-law and in a very special way at the births of our four grandchildren.

In my domestic church, I learned to see God and to look for him everywhere, even in the dirt, so the domestic church for me was a holy place. All of God’s people should develop and be nurtured in their own holy place, for it is there where they will find the strength to hope, to live, and most importantly to love when, for example,

adult children care for sick parents; when spouses tend daily to each others unique, “for better or worse” personal needs and to the continual demands of their shared household; or [when] siblings [are] compelled to go through the motions of hospitality, generosity, and forgiveness so that they grow up committed to love each other despite their differences.[24]

And adults should know that the spirituality of the domestic church is real and valid and no less efficacious than that of monks living in a monastery, for

No monk rising from his bed of straw in the darkness of night for prayers has more chances for dying to selfishness than parents who rise in the night to care for a hungry or fussy baby or a child who is sick. This is dying to self for the love of one’s neighbor. No ascetic practices of fasting and penitence embraced by the saints of old were more valuable in the eyes of God as ways of growing in love than the sacrifices made by parents to be able to spend more time with their children or to be able to provide them with enough food or good schooling. The parent who struggles to keep an open mind about his or her teenager’s tastes in music and clothing strives to love in ways that cannot be measured. The parent who trusts a little more this year than last, and lives with the anxiety that comes with letting go just a little bit more, is attempting to grow in his or her trust in God in ways that cannot be matched.[25]

Moving Forward Once the Horse Is before the Cart

After hitching the horse to the cart, our work of preaching and teaching begins in earnest. Our efforts to effect conviction and transformation within willing hearts commence and our commitment to doing so must last until the end of our lives.

At this point, then, we are ready to shelve our conventional academic model of education, and begin to employ a more effective method, a method that engages adults and one that effects metanoia. The method I advocate is one that can lead adult Catholics to meaningfully reflect on their life experiences and subsequently recognize the intimate connection between their faith and their daily lives. Thus, they can see how their faith informs their work life, how their family life enhances their spirituality, how their values formed by their Catholic faith can affect society and public policy, in short how their faith touches their lives, and how their lives touch their faith.[26] Rather than being bombarded with religious facts and academic theology, as is the norm with the academic model of religious education, they are led, by a well-trained, faith-filled facilitator, to discovering how these facts and the theology behind them apply to their daily lives. Through these discoveries they begin to realize that their faith is more than mere belief in God. They come to see it as a living, life-changing gift, which, if nurtured, leads to a wondrous revelation of the nature of our God who is the all loving, all caring, all knowing, Father, Son and Holy Spirit; the God who so fervently wishes that each of us become an intimate part of his triune community of love, and that we manifest that community in his holy Church, in our domestic churches, and in the world.

Theological Reflection

The andragogical process[27] that in my opinion can accomplish the transformation described above is known as Theological Reflection, a method described in detail by James and Evelyn Whitehead.[28] In general, theological reflection is comprised of two concepts, each concept incorporating three steps. The first concept is termed “the model,” which is precisely that as it provides a template for collecting and compiling data that comes to us in its three steps, which are experience, tradition, and culture. The second is called “the method,” which provides a guide for analyzing the aforementioned data, incorporating that information into our lived experiences, and discerning how that data has shaped or reshaped our attitudes regarding our view of God and of our society. The three steps of the method are attending, asserting, and responding.

When appropriately done, theological reflection can have transformative effects on those who engage in it, as it can and will challenge previously held understandings of religion, of God, and of his interaction with his people. It is this challenge that I contend will spark a spiritual hunger in the souls of participants as they become ever more curious about other spiritual fruits with which the Lord God may wish to gift them. An in-depth explanation of “the model” and “the method” will illustrate this point.

Theological Reflection – The Model

As previously mentioned, the model incorporates three steps of reflection, these being experience, culture, and tradition. In each step participants scrutinize, ponder, and discuss data relevant to the topic being studied. If, for example, the topic were baptismal preparation for parents and godparents the session would proceed as follows.

The attendees would be asked to break into groups of no more than four and to reflect upon and discuss among themselves their understanding and experience of baptism. The discussion would be structured and guided, as they would answer within their groups certain questions that would initiate the conversation.

The reasoning behind this experiential discussion is that it provides an opportunity for attendees to express and to discuss with peers strong feelings they may have about a certain topic as well as certain convictions, ideas, and biases. The discussion also allows participants to share their inherent faith-wisdom and knowledge of the topic with each other.

The intention of this stage of the method is that self-knowledge which has always been a central part of Christian spirituality. As believers come to greater consciousness and clarity about their personal feelings and convictions on a particular [topic of concern] this experience can be placed in an assertive conversation with insights drawn from Christian tradition and the culture.[29]

In the second stage, the attendees, again in small groups with structure and guidance, would be asked to ponder how our culture impacts, informs, deforms, distorts or enhances our idea of baptism. Because our culture bombards each of us daily with a myriad of messages and continually influences our thinking and attitudes, it is essential to discern how it affects our spirituality and religious convictions. We come to see how “the voices of culture . . . speak with both positive and negative force. Neither simply demonic nor unambiguously enlightened, culture produces interpretations which the Christian tradition rejects and also provides interpretations which challenge Christian reflection to reconsider and correct limitations within its own self-understanding.”[30]

The third stage most closely resembles the academic model of education, as it is the information portion of the session during which a well-trained and qualified catechist presents to participants, in a vibrant and dialogical manner, the precepts of the Christian tradition. Here participants consider the scriptural basis for baptism, a basic theology of the sacrament, the magisterial teachings on the subject, and a presentation of the spiritual fruits of the sacrament and its necessity for salvation. Participants also reflect on their vocation as the first teachers of their children in the ways of the faith and all that implies.

In our attempt to transform the hearts of Catholic adults, this stage is obviously the most important, yet it cannot stand alone. Our experiences and our culture are continuously in contact with our Christian heritage and vice versa. Our Christian tradition, however, brings to the conversation, the “meat” of our discussion, as it presents to us

. . . not ahistorical truths but compelling glimpses of God’s mysterious presence in our past and present. Our religious heritage contributes to the conversation of contemporary faith not sound bites of salvation but privileged metaphors. The metaphors – God’s lasting covenant, our stewardship in creation, the paradox of the cross – illumine our journey of faith. They hint of a plot hidden in the mayhem of human history; they offer trustworthy scripts to follow – scripts of generosity and self-sacrifice, of justice and charity – as we struggle to make sense of our personal and shared lives.[31]

This data along with that gathered in discussions of our experiences and our culture, cannot help but invite metanoia into the hearts of those who hear.

Theological Reflection – The Method

As the group is acquiring and assimilating the data from the three sources (experience, culture, tradition) in the model, they are simultaneously employing the components of the method, which are attending, asserting, and responding.

While attending, they are listening carefully to what each individual has to contribute to the conversation, as they mine the rich veins of information in the three sources. While this attentive listening proceeds, the participants all the while are called to suspend premature judgment, which is

. . . a threatening venture. Opening ourselves to new information leaves us vulnerable to challenge and even to change yet the effectiveness of this first stage of theological reflection depends on the ability to explore honestly the information available in the three sources. A tendency to quick evaluation will cut short this exploration and lessen the chance of coming to new insight that may lead to creative pastoral response.[32]

At the same time participants are processing the information whereby the contributions of each of the three sources interact in an assertive relationship of challenge and confirmation. This dynamic can be illustrated in a metaphor of conversation whereby “the different voices we have heard in the attending stage are now allowed to speak to one another. The challenge here is to bring these separate and often conflicting voices into contact.”[33]

For theological reflection to be fruitful, this assertive stage is necessary

. . . at both a theological and an interpersonal level. A willingness to face diversity and to tolerate ambiguity are essential. With these, a faith community can sustain different and possibly conflicting testimony about a single issue. This model of reflection argues that only with the mature development of this stage of mutual assertion can the reflective process move toward the final stage.[34]

At this assertive stage, it is possible for meaningful theological reflection to come to a halt. Diverse views and conflicts with what one thought was gospel truth, for example, could lead to non-assertive interaction (no interaction), or even to aggressive interaction among participants. This endeavor of theological reflection could be volatile because highly volatile “ingredients” collected from the three sources are being mixed in the crucibles of our minds, and the reaction of this interaction is unknown. However, if handled carefully and facilitated by one who is theologically well-trained, mature in faith, and skilled in group dynamics, this endeavor of reflection will produce much spiritual benefit for individuals and for the Church. Just as we must die to live, so too must old perceptions perish or be clarified in order to see anew.

In the third stage, that of responding, the participants reflect on their insights from the session and the differences these insights made or can make in their lives and in their relationship with one another and with God. If done correctly, the great fruits of theological reflection lead to significant transformation, to a recommitment to God, to courageous action and to continuous life-long searching for and responding to the God who calls.

Whatever one is led to, the ultimate result is that most individuals will be touched by God and prompted to fervently seek his Kingdom. I say this because those who seek baptism for their children, or marriage in the Church, or confirmation, or first Eucharist, or whatever the case may be, no matter how disconnected they have been from the Church, are led there by the very hand of God. It is God who seeks to teach them, to nurture them, and to make disciples of them. We the Church must do the best job we can to welcome them into the community.

Theological reflection, then, is the method I suggest be used to “hitch the horse to the cart,” so that the Church may stop talking about the need for adult religious formation and begin moving forward to accomplish it; so that the Church may cease expounding so eloquently about the concept of the domestic church and embark upon a journey toward making it a vibrant reality in Christian homes around the globe.

Obviously, as indicated throughout this paper, the possibilities and opportunities for metanoia are innumerable. There are also many processes, models, and methods, for helping people to grow in faith and in their commitment to discipleship. What I have attempted to do in the chapter that follows is to use theological reflection as the model and method for a pre-baptismal program for parents and godparents of small children. This experimental program was compared to the current baptismal program as it is usually presented in a real-life parish. Data was gathered through an evaluation tool employed by the participants to contrast the old program with the new. This information was then analyzed to determine which program was more efficacious and which could inspire adults to continue their faith formation in other similarly conducted formation opportunities.

While the program I developed is a very small effort in terms of all that needs to be done, my hope is that, by looking at the results of this program, we might discern implications for methods and processes that might be capable of awakening within the “uninvolved 75%” their dormant spirituality, thus freeing them to bless the Church and their children with their untapped giftedness.

CHAPTER FIVE

TEST DRIVING THE CORRECTLY-HITCHED CART

Most parishes require that parents and godparents attend some form of sacramental preparation before a child is baptized, and even though many begrudge attendance, they do come because it is a mandatory prerequisite to having their child receive the sacrament. Therefore, that is precisely where I will focus the rest of this work. Here I will discuss the pre-baptismal program as it is currently presented in an existing, large, suburban Catholic parish in Albuquerque, New Mexico; then I will reveal and discuss the program I’ve developed and how it fared during its testing.

The Pre-Baptismal Session as It Currently Exists

In my parish, baptismal preparation sessions for parents and godparents are held monthly. I attended the January 2007 session to become familiar with the process as it now exists. Currently, those presenting their children for baptism in this particular parish are required to attend one pre-baptismal session. The facilitator has the participants sign-in; then they are shown a thirty-minute video, entitled So You Want to Have Your Baby Baptized, wherein Fr. Joe Champlin presents an informative reflection on the sacraments, particularly the sacrament of baptism. The priest also discusses the logistics of the sacrament’s reception.

After the video, the facilitator presents archdiocesan policies and parish regulations regarding the reception of baptism and then opens the floor to any questions. After the question and answer session, participants are presented certificates of participation and dismissed. The entire session is conducted within an hour.

The “New” Pre-Baptismal Session Presented as Theological Reflection

The following is the outline and lesson plan for the “new,” three-hour, pre-baptismal session, which I conducted at the same parish for a different group of thirty participants one month later. The Power Point slides used in conducting the session can be viewed in Appendix A. It should be noted that the material for the Christian tradition segment as presented below is taken exclusively and almost verbatim from the Catechism of the Catholic Church and the United States Catholic Catechism for Adults.

PRE-BAPTISMAL SESSION

LESSON PLAN

GOALS: 1. To help foster within participants a positive change in their relationship with God and the Church.

2. To guide participants to an understanding of why Jesus instituted baptism and how the graces of this sacrament can have profound spiritual effects upon their lives as well as on the lives of their children who are to be baptized.

2. To instill within participants the concept of “the domestic church,” leading them to understand that they are the first teachers of their children in the practice of the faith; thus they should commit to becoming educated and informed in that faith.

PRELIMINARIES

Environment

Efforts should be made to conduct the session in a comfortable, inviting, meeting room the arrangement of which should avoid any resemblance to a school classroom. Instead the meeting place should function as a place of dialogue, where adults can be free to share thoughts and ideas under the guidance of a well-trained facilitator.

A prayer focus should also be designed in a prominent location in the room so that participants can constantly be reminded of the Lord’s presence among them. This can be as simple as a small table covered with a suitable, liturgically-colored cloth, with an open Bible and a lighted candle on its surface. For the purposes of a baptismal session, a small portable fountain or a nice bowl filled with water, a baptismal candle, a small white baptismal garment, and the baptismal ritual book, elegantly arranged on a cloth-covered table would be appropriate.

Hospitality

The facilitator(s) of the gathering should be at the door to joyfully greet the participants individually as they arrive and to present them with name tags. An initial connection is essential to developing rapport with those attending. Food is another great rapport builder, therefore snacks and refreshments for breaks are strongly recommended.

BEGINNING THE SESSION

Introductions (30 minutes)

After all have gathered, invite the participants to introduce themselves and ask them to briefly discuss what they know about the sacrament of baptism. This will reveal to both the facilitator(s) and each participant where the group is in terms of its familiarity with the sacrament.

Prayer (10 minutes)

After the introductions are completed, ask participants to recall that they are in the presence of the Lord and to surrender whatever troubles them, at least for a little while, to God. Ask them to see in their mind’s eye an image of themselves holding their child, who will soon be baptized, and ask them to see Jesus in their midst. Tell them that Jesus is there to lead them to holiness and to tell them that he will be with them always. As they are meditating, sing or play the song entitled “Isaiah 49” or any other suitable hymn.

Then pray:

Glorious and gracious God, we thank you for being our God and for choosing us to be your people. We praise you for the fact that you know each of us by name, that you care for us so deeply, and that you will never forget any of us. Thank you, Almighty God, for calling us together this day to discuss your beautiful sacrament of baptism. Send your Holy Spirit upon us so that our hearts and minds will be open to all the blessings you have for us this day. May we leave here uplifted and enlightened, filled with the wisdom that only you can give and with a renewed appreciation for this holy sacrament and its effect on our lives.

We ask this in the name of Jesus, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever. Amen.

Break (10 minutes)

THEOLOGICAL REFLECTION PROCESS

Attending Phase (75 minutes)

A. Personal Experience

Ask participants to break up into groups of three or four, preferably away from family and friends, and ask them to reflect upon and to complete the following statement:

Ø I am presenting my child for baptism because . . . .

After a few minutes of silent reflection, ask them to discuss their thoughts with each other.

B. Cultural Experience

Ask the participants to reflect upon and to complete the following statement:

Ø Our cultural attitudes, our society, and our world can/cannot be affected by baptized Christians because . . . .

After a few minutes of silent reflection, ask them to discuss their thoughts with each other.

C. The Christian Tradition

Distribute to the participants copies of the Rite of Baptism and engage them in a discussion of the eight major elements in the baptismal ceremony. Also give them copies of the Power Point presentation[35] on the Christian Tradition.

Tell them that there are eight major elements in the baptismal celebration, which will serve as an excellent background for the Church’s teaching on this sacrament. The eight elements are:

Ø The sign of the cross

Ø Readings from scripture

Ø Exorcism and anointing

Ø Blessing the baptismal water

Ø Renunciation of sin and profession of faith

Ø The essential rite of the sacrament

Ø The anointing with sacred chrism

Ø Reception of the white garment and the candle

Draw out from the participants the significance of each element.[36]

Reflect on the necessity of baptism, encouraging the participants to discuss and respond to the following questions:

Ø Why do we need baptism?

Ø Why is it important to be here learning about this sacrament?

Ø Who can baptize?

Ø Why do we baptize babies?

Ø Are there other ways of being baptized?

Ask if there are any questions or comments; then proceed with the next section to discuss the effects of baptism as follows:

Everything that happens to us at baptism occurs at the spiritual level of existence. Therefore, it is essential that we have faith in order to believe and to actually feel the great and wondrous things that God does to us or to our children through this sacrament. So, just what happens to us when we are baptized?

Ø Our sins are forgiven

Ø We become adopted children of God

Ø We are initiated into the Church

Ø We are bonded to other Christians, and

Ø We receive a certain baptismal character

Ask participants to explain each effect of baptism.

Ask if there are any questions or comments, then explain that baptism is a call to holiness, which includes the following:

Ø Living out one’s baptism is a lifelong responsibility

Ø Our baptism mandates that we be Christian families

Ø For children to have faith, parents must first have faith

Ø As parents, our responsibilities, challenges and duties are great

Discuss any questions or comments.

Break (10 minutes)

Asserting/Dialoguing Phase (15 minutes)

Ask the participants to quietly reflect on the following questions:

Ø What is your perception of baptism now as compared to before you came to this session?

Ø Has there been a change in the reason(s) why you are presenting your child for baptism? Why or why not?

Ø Is it possible for baptized Christians to transform the world with God’s help? Why or why not?

After several minutes of silent reflection on these questions, have the participants discuss them in their small groups.

Responding Phase (15 minutes)

Ask the group to reflect on the following questions:

What changed for me today?

Ø In my spirituality

Ø In my attitude(s) about baptism

Ø In my commitment to God and to others

Will anything change in the way I lead my life?

If time permits, ask participants to share what they wish with the larger group.

Conclusion of Pre-Baptismal Session (15 minutes)

Thank the group for their participation and express the hope that they have received something meaningful from the day. Encourage them to remain on the journey of faith formation and discuss opportunities to do so. Finally, encourage them to use their baptismal gifts as Christ has commanded them so that they may spend the rest of their days making God’s Kingdom a reality here and now.

Then ask them to recall once again that they are in God’s presence.

In silence bring a bowl of water to the focus table. Bless the water. Then with the participants renounce sin and profess the faith as in the Baptismal Rite. Ask the participants to come to the holy water, one by one, and to bless themselves with it in commemoration of their own baptism as the Litany of the Saints plays in the background. Have them return to their seats until all have come to the water, then all join hands and recite the Lord’s Prayer. Bless them and, as they leave, present them with their certificates of attendance.

CHAPTER SIX

COMPARING THE OLD TO THE NEW

The Measuring Tool

To compare the current parish baptismal session with the one devised in this work, a survey was designed to determine the efficacy of each. Participants were asked to indicate their degree of agreement with the following statements:

1. My ideas and attitudes about baptism changed today. (Detects any change in the participant’s perception and/or understanding of the sacrament).

2. After today I feel a need to learn more about my Catholic heritage. (Detects whether the participant perceives a dearth in his or her knowledge of Catholicism).

3. Because of what I learned today, I envision making my home a place for nurturing my family’s faith in God. (Detects whether the participant understands the concept of the domestic church.).

4. Today I became more aware of God’s activity in my life. (Detects the participant’s consciousness of the Living God in his/her life).

5. After today I envision myself participating more in the life of the parish. (Detects any new or renewed commitment to the community).

6. Today I was inspired to live out the baptismal promises I made, or which were made for me, when I was baptized. (Detects possible inner transformation on the part of the participant).

7. Today inspired me to teach my children/godchildren all I can about living a Catholic, Christian life. (Detects a new or renewed commitment to handing the faith down to younger generations).

8. After today I envision finding ways to enhance my spiritual life. (Detects an awareness of the necessity of nurturing one’s spirituality).

9. Today inspired me to seek a closer relationship with others and with God. (Detects an awakening of God’s call to love one’s neighbor).

10. Something I heard or experienced today sparked a spiritual change within me. (Detects whether the session sowed any seeds of potential spiritual growth).

The actual survey can be seen in Appendix B. By marking the number one, participants indicated that they strongly agreed with the statement. A mark on the number five was an indication that the participant strongly disagreed.

The Survey Results

The data from the survey were analyzed to determine any differences between the two programs. To aid in the analysis, responses marked “1” and “2” on the survey were grouped together because these indicated a high level of agreement. Responses marked “4” and “5” were also combined because they denoted a high level of disagreement. Those marked “3” were viewed as neutral responses.

The analysis of the responses entailed answering the question inherent in each statement. That is, the data gleaned from statement number one had to do with discerning a change in one’s perception and/or understanding of the sacrament of baptism. Therefore, the question inherent in the statement is: did the session have any effect on the participant’s perception of and/or understanding of the sacrament of baptism? What follows is each statement with its corresponding inherent question and the data obtained from the survey.

Revelations from the Data

Statement 1: My ideas and attitudes about baptism changed today.

Inherent Question: Which session had a greater effect on the participants’ perception of and/or understanding of the sacrament of baptism?

Degree of Agreement/ Disagreement	Percentage of those attending Current Session	Percentage of those attending New Session
1 (Strongly Agree)	30	59
2	20	27
3 (Neutral)	35	9
4	15	5
5 (Strongly Disagree)	0	0

From the above data, it is apparent that both sessions had some effect. Fifty percent of the respondents in the current or “old” session marked either a “1” or a “2,” while 86% of those who attended the “new” one did the same. However, 35% of the “old” attendees were neutral on the issue, and 15% disagreed. On the other hand, only 9% of the “new” attendees were neutral on the subject and only 5% disagreed with the statement. It seems then, that the new session had a greater effect on the participants’ perception of and/or understanding of the sacrament of baptism.

Statement 2: After today I feel a need to learn more about my Catholic heritage.

Inherent Question: Did the session help the participant to recognize that his/her knowledge of Catholicism may need some updating?

Degree of Agreement/ Disagreement	Percentage of those attending Current Session	Percentage of those attending New Session
1 (Strongly Agree)	26	50
2	46	32
3 (Neutral)	14	5
4	14	9
5 (Strongly Disagree)	0	0

The data indicate that both sessions strongly sparked recognition among the participants that the knowledge of their faith needed some work. However, this recognition was stronger in the new session at a level of 82% compared to that of 72% in the old. Also in the old session, 14% were neutral and 14% disagreed compared to 5 and 9% respectively for those attending the new session. It could be that those expressing neutrality and/or disagreement felt they already knew all there was to know about the Catholic faith.

Statement 3: Because of what I learned today, I envision making my home a place for nurturing my family’s faith in God.

Inherent Question: Did participants become aware of their call to “be” church at home?

Degree of Agreement/ Disagreement	Percentage of those attending Current Session	Percentage of those attending New Session
1 (Strongly Agree)	45	90
2	30	10
3 (Neutral)	17	0
4	8	0
5 (Strongly Disagree)	0	0

From the data, it can be seen that three-fourths of those attending the old session indicated they became aware of the need to “be” church at home, whereas 100% of participants in the new one had the same awakening. Seventeen per cent of the old session’s participants were neutral on the subject, whereas 8% indicated that they were not made aware of the domestic church concept.

Statement 4: Today I became more aware of God’s activity in my life.

Inherent Question: Did the participant become more aware of the Living God in his/her midst?

Degree of Agreement/ Disagreement	Percentage of those attending Current Session	Percentage of those attending New Session
1 (Strongly Agree)	17	63
2	33	32
3 (Neutral)	25	5
4	25	0
5 (Strongly Disagree)	0	0

Here the data show that the new session was much more effective at helping participants become more aware of God’s activity in their lives. Ninety-five per cent of those in the new session agreed with the statement, whereas only half of those in the old one agreed. The other half in the old session indicated either neutrality (25%) or disagreement (25%).

Statement 5: After today I envision myself participating more in the life of the parish.

Inherent Question: Did the session spark any renewed commitment to the parish community?

Degree of Agreement/ Disagreement	Percentage of those attending Current Session	Percentage of those attending New Session
1 (Strongly Agree)	8	45
2	59	50
3 (Neutral)	25	5
4	8	0
5 (Strongly Disagree)	0	0

Both sessions seemed to have sparked commitment to the community; however, the new session once again surpassed the old, with 95% of the participants in the new agreeing compared to 67% in the old. In the new session, 5% of the respondents were neutral compared to 25% in the old and no one in the new disagreed, with 8% doing so in the old.

Statement 6: Today I was inspired to live out the baptismal promises I made, or which were made for me, when I was baptized.

Inherent Question: Did the session spark inner transformation on the part of the participant?

Degree of Agreement/ Disagreement	Percentage of those attending Current Session	Percentage of those attending New Session
1 (Strongly Agree)	30	77
2	45	18
3 (Neutral)	25	5
4	0	0
5 (Strongly Disagree)	0	0

Both sessions were strong in this area; however, the new one still showed more strength by garnering 95% agreement and only 5% neutrality, whereas this aspect in the old session was supported by 75% of the participants, with 25% holding neutral views.

Statement 7: Today inspired me to teach my children/godchildren all I can about living a Catholic, Christian life.

Inherent Question: Did the session inspire a need to hand the faith down to younger generations?

Degree of Agreement/ Disagreement	Percentage of those attending Current Session	Percentage of those attending New Session
1 (Strongly Agree)	42	77
2	42	18
3 (Neutral)	16	5
4	0	0
5 (Strongly Disagree)	0	0

Again, both sessions were strong in this aspect. The new one, however, still showed more efficacy here with 95% of the participants agreeing, compared to 84% from the old. Sixteen per cent from the old session were neutral, whereas only 5% from the new had the same opinion.

Statement 8: After today I envision myself finding ways to enhance my spiritual life.

Inherent Question: Did the session spark an awareness of any need to enhance one’s spiritual life?

Degree of Agreement/ Disagreement	Percentage of those attending Current Session	Percentage of those attending New Session
1 (Strongly Agree)	14	54
2	36	37
3 (Neutral)	50	9
4	0	0
5 (Strongly Disagree)	0	0

In this aspect, half of the old session participants became aware of a need to enhance their spiritual lives, whereas 91% of those attending the new one did so. Nine per cent of the new-session participants were neutral on the subject, but 50% of the participants in the old responded to neutrality. Thus, the new session showed more strength in this aspect as well.

Statement 9: Today inspired me to seek a closer relationship with others and with God.

Inherent Question: Did the session foster an awakening of God’s call to love one’s neighbor?

Degree of Agreement/ Disagreement	Percentage of those attending Current Session	Percentage of those attending New Session
1 (Strongly Agree)	22	55
2	50	36
3 (Neutral)	28	9
4	0	0
5 (Strongly Disagree)	0	0

Seventy-two per cent of those who attended the old session agreed with this statement. Ninety-one per cent of those who attended the new did as well. Nine per cent of new-session attendees were neutral, whereas 28% of those who attended the old expressed neutrality. Again, the new session seems to have had a greater impact upon participants.

Statement 10: Something I heard or experienced today sparked a spiritual change within me.

Inherent Question: Did the session sow any seeds of potential spiritual growth?

Degree of Agreement/ Disagreement	Percentage of those attending Current Session	Percentage of those attending New Session
1 (Strongly Agree)	7	69
2	56	18
3 (Neutral)	30	13
4	7	0
5 (Strongly Disagree)	0	0

In this aspect, the new session was clearly the leader with 87% of the participants agreeing, and only 13% expressing neutrality. In the old session, 63% of the respondents agreed, 30% were neutral and 7% disagreed.

CHAPTER SEVEN

CONCLUSIONS

At the beginning of this paper I promised to answer the question: can this proposed formation process move even a few people to metanoia? Based on the above data I believe that I can answer with a tentative “yes.” This particular “test drive” was a success. However, it was one trial and a conclusion of true success or failure can be attained only by many trial sessions in many parish settings and by some way monitoring the lived response of those who participated in the process. What the data does show, however, is that this proposed formation process is certainly worth a try.

Table 1 graphically illustrates this point. The bars in the table show the percentage of the old-session participants that agreed with each statement; the line shows the percentage of their counterparts in the new one that agreed. As can be seen, a higher percentage of those in the new process agreed with each of the ten statements, indicating that the new one offered much more, thus giving participants the opportunity to view their Church and their faith in a new light. Table 2 compares the neutrality of the two groups. As the bars indicate, participants of the old formation process indicated a much higher level of neutrality than did participants in the new (shown by the line). This clearly indicates the higher efficacy of the new process.

Another illustration of how the new session was more effective can be seen in Table 3. That table compares the difference in disagreement with the various statements. Again, as the bars indicate, there were more respondents disagreeing with the statements in the old process than there were in the new, indicating that the new had more to offer participants in terms of religious education and formation, spirituality, and tips on living a Christian lifestyle.

Another promise I made at the onset was to answer the “why” question regarding the success or failure of this proposed andragogical method. I was loathing, back then, the possibility of having to report why the project failed. However, after developing the formation process and experimenting with it, and finally testing it, I am relieved and elated to testify as to why this method was effective, at least in a one-time trial in this particular setting.

First of all, it worked because of God’s grace. More important and even more essential than the academic and manual labor that went into this program’s formulation, were the answered prayers and guidance provided by our God.

Secondly, the hospitality for the new session was superb. The participants were made to feel welcomed as soon as they entered the meeting space. My assistant and I personally greeted each individual and thanked him or her for coming to this very important session. They were then led to the food table where they were greeted with coffee, juice, donuts and breakfast rolls. Ample time was given them to socialize before the session actually began.

Third, the process developed herein with God’s help, that of my mentors (whose signatures appear on the title page of this document) of my wife (who assisted me in conducting the new pre-baptismal session) and of all those I cite in this work, I believe, is truly an andragogical method to which adults can relate. During the session, participants heard no extensive lecture(s). Instead they were challenged to recall from their own life experiences all they knew about the subject, then allowed to express, to each other, their collective knowledge. Whatever was missing in their experiential repertoire was filled in or corrected by our look at the Christian Tradition, which all found quite enlightening, as they realized that Jesus the Christ authorizes all that we the Church do in his name.

Finally, the spirituality and prayer time was meaningful. Many took advantage of the opportunities to connect with their God on a personal level as they meditated to sacred music and/or prayers and participated in a paraliturgy designed to, at least for a moment, connect the session with the baptism of their child and humanity with the Transcendent.

Contrast this with the old session, which provided no hospitality or prayer/spirituality or any opportunities for people to connect with each other. Participants were herded into chairs, shown an instructional video, lectured to about archdiocesan and parish rules and regulations, allowed to ask questions, and finally dismissed. It is not difficult to see why the new session would be more effective. Adults are better formed in their faith when an andragogical process rather than a pedagogical process is employed.

The data shows that the old way is marginally adequate, but very minimal, and I believe that the people of God deserve much more than the minimum. They deserve the opportunity to encounter the God who dwells within them so that he may convert them to his ways. The old session offered few if any opportunities for that to occur.

The question may be raised, “How would one know whether conversion occurred in any session at any parish?” One way of knowing would be through participant testimony, which I received, unsolicited, regarding the formation process designed in this thesis. The comments are quite encouraging. For example, one participant wrote, “You made me aware of what I have been missing in my life -- faith in God and people. Thank you for making me aware of these beautiful gifts.” Another commented that the session was “very interesting. Dialoguing and sharing with other participants sparked other ways of looking at things. Thank you!” Yet another participant felt that “the personal stories helped to make the class more enjoyable. They also helped me understand more of what my role will be as a godparent.”

There is one testimony in particular that stands out. With the permission of the author (who wishes to remain anonymous) I present it here:

My brother was born and raised a Catholic, a “Cradle Catholic” as we are called.  He had been a fallen away Catholic for several years, so many years that I lost track.  Maybe he lost his faith in Catholicism due to a bad experience, bad priest, mean religious sister/brother, or maybe rules that he did not agree with.  Whatever his experience was, he lost his faith in our Church, not necessarily in God, but in our religion.  Throughout the years my brother tried other denominations . . . but never ever felt fulfilled, and at times felt very lost and empty in his spirituality so he decided to not go to any church.

Recently his granddaughter was born and he was asked to baptize her.  My brother, knowing very well that he was not a practicing Catholic, nor registered in any parish, called me for my help and asked if I could get him permission from a parish so he could baptize the baby. . . . Reluctantly, and with a hurting heart I told my brother that I would not be able to get him the permission he needed to baptize his granddaughter. I recommended that he register at a parish of his choice, and sign up for a baptismal class. 

Through God’s grace, my brother found his way to . . . Deacon Frank Lucero, who was giving the baptism class.  My brother called me after his class, and was on fire, happy, and so excited about the class that he had just taken, and could not say enough about the class.  His words were that he “loved every minute of the class,” that this class made him realize just what he had been missing all these years.  He truly had a connection with Deacon Frank Lucero, and his wife . . . who shared knowledge, wisdom, and true-life experiences that he connected to, and to our Church.  My brother said he is a “changed man.” 

Since this class, my brother is now a “registered parishioner,” and said that he came back to the Church, and will never miss Mass again.  Deacon Frank, I truly believe that you saved my brother in his spirituality, heart and soul.  You made a huge impact on his life, and for this I am truly grateful to you.

Needless to say, this testimony caught my eye and my heart, and although the person here says that I did all this for the brother, I did very little. It was Christ our God who showered us all with his grace. I accept neither glory nor credit. I am just glad I was there to help. I will accept from this testimony, however, the fact that this process is much more effective than the conventional academic model of education used previously, and it is indeed one that engages adults and most importantly, it is one that is capable of effecting metanoia.

The development of such a process was the goal of this project, so success can tentatively be declared. However, success here does not bring loud shouts of joy and shrieks of “Eureka!” Instead success powerfully thrusts the gauntlet down and strongly challenges us the Church. If it is possible to effect metanoia with God’s help, and if it is possible to make true disciples, even if it is only one or a few, during every opportunity we have to catechize and evangelize, then why have we not done better through the years? Have we done the minimum with God’s gifts instead of using them to the greatest extent possible?

As I ask these questions I wonder what became of those who expressed some sort of benefit from this process. Did they seek further formation? Did I show them the path and then neglect to walk the journey with them? It is obvious that I failed to consider follow-up processes for those who profited from the session. This is a shortcoming of this work, and a consideration that perhaps was beyond the scope of my endeavor. However, it is a shortcoming that should be rectified in any subsequent use of this process by others or myself. We the Church must encourage, nurture, and guide our recently enlightened brothers and sisters, lest they become discouraged, disillusioned, and/or disoriented as they continue their journey of faith.

My involvement with these two baptismal preparatory sessions reminded me of Matthew 9:36-38 where it is written:

When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; pray therefore the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

The “uninvolved 75%” mentioned above are, in my mind, the sheep without a shepherd, the sheep yearning to be brought back into the fold, longing for the compassion of the Shepherd, those plentiful and ripe for the harvest. They are indicative of Fowler’s contention that faith is a human universal (see footnote number 2). We the Church are the laborers, the answered prayers sent out into the harvest, so there is no excuse for the “uninvolved 75%,” for a majority of those would be connected to God’s Church, if we the laborers were more attentive to our duties of providing the necessary environment and affording vibrant opportunities for faith formation.

Therefore, the time is now to abandon the old, unsuccessful ways of religiously forming God’s holy people. We must put the horse before the cart. The Church cannot remain complacent. Much of what we do now is not working. We seem to evangelize and re-evangelize the same involved 25%. Adults must be the new focus of the Church’s catechetical and evangelical efforts, for it is they who should take the lead in spiritually forming their children.

This work provides fodder for “thinking outside the box.” The formation process herein developed can be adapted to suit any situation. It can be used, for example, to formulate or reformulate marriage preparation sessions, first Eucharist sessions for parents, and confirmation sessions for parents and sponsors. It can also be used to develop other formation sessions for adults such as in theology, studying aspects of the Second Vatican Council, making sense of Church teachings on social justice issues, to name a few. In fact, the Archdiocese of Santa Fe employs similar andragogical methods in its basic and intensive levels of adult faith formation processes.

All of this is some of the most important work in which the entire Church must be involved. Hopefully others will develop grander and more effective methods of adult formation using the same ideas presented herein.

By no means does this present work purport to have all the answers. This is a single contribution to a much larger task. This work merely points out deficiencies in our faith formation endeavors as Church and provides only one example of a solution. There are many more creative solutions that we as Church, with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, must develop. That is our vocation; that is why God made us in his image and likeness; that is why he sends us into the vineyard to tend it and to gather the harvest (Matthew 20:4); that is why we are called “co-workers” in that vineyard.[37]

Let us move forward, then, all the while making disciples as Christ has commanded, forging ideal parishes in our wake. With our exuberant faith and the help of the Holy Spirit let us guide the “uninvolved 75%” to be filled with that same faith in Christ the Lord so that our God’s Kingdom may come and his will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

WORKS CITED

Ad Hoc Committee to Oversee the Use of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. United States Catholic Catechism for Adults. Washington, DC: USCCB, 2006.

Bourg, Florence. Where Two or Three are Gathered: Christian Families as Domestic Churches. Notre Dame: Notre Dame Press, 2004.

Committee on Education and Committee on Catechesis. National Directory for Catechesis. Washington, DC: USCCB, 2005.

Committee on the Laity of the United Sates Conference of Catholic Bishops. Co-Workers In The Vineyard Of The Lord: A Resource For Guiding Lay Ecclesial Ministry. USCCB: Washington, DC, 2005.

Congregation for the Clergy. General Directory for Catechesis. Washington, DC: USCCB, 1998.

Fowler, James W. Stages of Faith: The Psychology of Human Development and the Quest for Meaning. New York: HarperCollins, 1981.

Groome, Thomas. “The Purposes of Christian Catechesis.” Empowering Catechetical Leaders. Washington, DC: National Catholic Education Association, 1999.

Gros, Joye. “Connecting Faith and Life: Theological Reflection.” The Effective DRE: A Theology Series. Chicago: Loyola Press, 2001.

Libreria Editrice Vaticana. Catechism of the Catholic Church. Washington, DC: USCC, 1994.

National Advisory Committee on Adult Religious Education. Our Hearts Were Burning Within Us. Washington, DC: USCC, 2000.

Pope Paul VI. Apostolicam Actuositatem. Solemnly promulgated on November 18, 1965.

Reichert, Richard J. Renewing Catechetical Ministry: A Future Agenda. New York: Paulist Press, 2002.

United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. The Rite of Baptism for One Child and for Several Children. Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 1970.

Whitehead, James D. and Whitehead, Evelyn Eaton. Method in Ministry: Theological Reflection and Christian Ministry. Lanham: Sheed and Ward, 1995.

APPENDIX A

Power Point Presentation

Slide 1		___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________
Slide 2		___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________
Slide 3		___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________
Slide 4		___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________
Slide 5		___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________
Slide 6		___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________
Slide 7		___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________
Slide 8		___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________
Slide 9		___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________
Slide 10		___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________

APPENDIX B

Course Survey

Course Assessment

Please indicate your degree of agreement with the following statements by marking the graph in the appropriate location. If you mark the one, for example, that indicates you strongly agree, whereas a five indicates you strongly disagree. Please don’t take the middle road. Be truthful with your answers. Your truthfulness will be very instrumental in the development of adult faith formation programs based on your needs and expectations.

My ideas and attitudes about baptism changed today.

After today I feel a need to learn more about my Catholic heritage.

Because of what I learned today, I envision making my home a place for nurturing my family’s faith in God.

Today I became more aware of God’s activity in my life.

After today I envision myself participating more in the life of the parish.

Today I was inspired to live out the baptismal promises I made, or which were made for me, when I was baptized.

Today inspired me to teach my children all I can about living a Catholic, Christian life.

After today I envision myself finding ways to enhance my spiritual life.

Today inspired me to seek a closer relationship with others and with God.

Something I heard or experienced today sparked a spiritual change within me.

APPENDIX C

Notes for the New Pre-Baptismal Session[38]

Background Information

There are eight major elements in the baptismal ceremony, which can serve as an excellent background for the Church’s teaching on this sacrament. The eight elements are:

Ø The sign of the cross

Ø Readings from scripture

Ø Exorcism and anointing

Ø Blessing the baptismal water

Ø Renunciation of sin and profession of faith

Ø The essential rite of the sacrament

Ø The anointing with sacred chrism

Ø Reception of the white garment and the candle

The significance of each element is as follows:

Ø The Sign of the Cross

Early in the celebration the celebrant traces the Sign of the Cross on the forehead of the one to be baptized, and he invites the parents and godparents to do the same. This ritual recalls Christ’s death on the cross and the redemption it brought. Through this sign of the cross, we are reminded that baptism is a sacrament of salvation. Through the death of our Lord we have been saved!

Ø Readings from Scripture

Proclaiming God’s word in the midst of the community sheds divine light on the celebration and is meant to build the faith of all the participants. One of the traditional names for baptism is “illumination.” The Holy Spirit fills the heart and the mind with the light of revealed truth and enables the response of faith. This part of the celebration consists of the reading of one or more passages from holy scripture; a homily, followed by a period of silence; the general intercessions, with its concluding prayer, drawn up in the style of an exorcism, to introduce either the anointing with the oil of catechumens or the laying on of hands. When baptism is celebrated during the Eucharistic liturgy on Sunday (the preferred day for its celebration) the readings are taken from the lectionary, as prescribed for that particular Sunday.

Ø Exorcism and Anointing

Baptism frees us from sin. An exorcism prayer is recited over the one being baptized, preparing the person to renounce sin and be released from evil. The celebrant anoints the person to be baptized on the chest with the oil of catechumens or imposes hands on the person. In this way, the person is being called to renounce sin and to leave behind the domination of the power of evil.

Ø Blessing the Baptismal Water

Baptismal water is blessed at the Easter Vigil. Outside the Easter Season the water used for baptism can also be blessed at each celebration of the sacrament. The blessing prayer asks the Father “that through his Son the power of the Holy Sprit may be sent upon the water, so that those who will be baptized may ‘be born of water and the Spirit’” (John 3:5).

Ø Renunciation of Sin and Profession of Faith

Those being baptized are asked to reject sin and Satan, and to profess their faith in the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, our Triune God. In the case of infants, parents, godparents and the entire community present for the baptism do this on behalf of those who cannot yet speak for themselves.

Ø The Essential Rite of the Sacrament

The bishop, priest, or deacon either pours water three times on the person’s head or immerses the candidate in water three times. He accompanies the act with the words, “[Name] I baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” The celebrant matches each pouring or immersion with the invocation of each of the Divine Persons. The ritual of immersion or washing helps us understand that our sins are buried and washed away as we die with Jesus and we are filled with divine light and life as we rise from immersion in the water or are cleansed by the pouring.

Ø The Anointing with Sacred Chrism

The celebrant anoints the newly baptized with the sacred chrism (perfumed oil signifying the gift of the Holy Spirit) so that united with God’s people the person may remain forever a member of Christ, who is Priest, Prophet, and King.

Ø Reception of the White Garment and the Candle

After the anointing with chrism, the minister of baptism presents the newly baptized with a white garment and a candle. The white garment shows that the newly baptized have put on Christ and have risen with him. To be clothed in the baptismal white garment is to be clothed in Christ’s protective love. Included in this ceremony is the admonition to keep the garment unstained by sin.

The candle is lit from the paschal candle, which represents the Risen Christ. The lighted candle reminds the newly baptized of the light of Christ they have received. It also reminds us that all those baptized in Christ are to be lights for the world.

These two symbols used at baptism appear again in the Church’s funeral liturgy in the forms of the white pall covering the casket and the lighted paschal candle, which ordinarily stands near the casket. We are reminded by these symbols that the salvation and new life promised at baptism can now be experienced fully by the one who has died and gone to God.

The Necessity of Baptism

Ø Why do we need baptism? Why is it important to be here learning about this sacrament?

As mentioned earlier, the Lord himself affirms that baptism is necessary for salvation. Christ commanded his disciples to preach the Gospel, draw people to faith in him, and baptize those who come to conversion. The Church does not neglect the mission she has received from Christ to ensure that all be baptized and reborn of water and the Spirit.

As parents and godparents, then, neither can you neglect your mission to teach your children to become Christians in the world. Baptism is a sacrament that gives grace to the person to become a true Christian. However, the sacrament is not a magic spell. The only way your children will become Christian is if you teach them to do so and if you nurture that grace they receive at baptism.

Therefore, yours is a very solemn responsibility. If the reason they should not live their Christian vocation is because you as parents and godparents neglected your duties, then it will be you who will have to answer to God for that neglect. If, on the other hand, you did all you could to raise your children to be Christians and they ignored your teachings and your efforts, then it is they who will have to answer to God for their actions.

Ø Who can baptize?

The ordinary ministers of baptism are the bishop, the priest, and the deacon. In case of necessity, anyone, even a non-baptized person, with the required intention, can baptize, by using water and the Trinitarian baptismal formula. The intention required is to will to do what the Church does when she baptizes. The Church finds the reason for this possibility in the universal saving will of God and the necessity of baptism for salvation.

Ø Why do we baptize babies?

Infant baptism has been practiced since the days of the apostles. Infants need to be baptized because through this sacrament, they are freed from original sin and are welcomed into the community of the Church, where they have access to the fullness of the means of salvation. Their parents, godparents, and the parish community commit themselves to their ongoing formation in faith and knowledge of the traditions of the Church. The best gift that parents can give their children is a life in the Church. The Church and the parents would deny a child the priceless grace of becoming a child of God were they not to confer baptism shortly after birth. However, the Church also teaches that baptism of an infant may be postponed if there is not a “founded hope” that the child will be brought up in the Catholic faith.

There are children – born and unborn – who die without baptism. The Church entrusts them to the mercy of God, who wills that all people be saved. We recall Christ’s tender welcome of children saying, “Let the children come to me and do not hinder them” (Luke 18:16). Because of this the Church confidently hopes for the salvation of children who die without baptism.

Ø Are there other ways of being baptized?

The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches us that “God has bound salvation to the sacrament of baptism, but he himself is not bound by the sacraments” (no.1257). The Church believes, then, that a baptism of blood saves those who suffer and die for their faith in Christ before they can be baptized.

Likewise, candidates for baptism who die before they receive the sacrament but have repented their sins and have embraced Christ’s love are saved by what is called baptism of desire (no. 1259). And what about those people who have never had the Gospel presented to them, who do not know Jesus or the Church, yet seek the truth and try to do God’s will as they understand it? Again, the Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that “it may be supposed that such persons would have desired baptism explicitly had they known its necessity”(no. 1260).

As can be seen, our Almighty God seeks to save all people of good will, no matter where or who they are!

The Effects of Baptism

What happens to us when we are baptized?

Everything that happens to us at baptism occurs at the spiritual level of existence. Therefore, it is essential that we have faith in order to believe and to actually feel the great and wondrous things that God does to us or to our children through this sacrament. The main things that occur when we are baptized are the following:

Ø Our sins are forgiven

Ø We become adopted children of God

Ø We are initiated into the Church

Ø We are bonded to other Christians

Ø We receive a certain baptismal character

Let’s take a close look at each one of these effects.

Ø Our Sins are Forgiven

By baptism, all of our sins are forgiven, original sin and all personal sins, and temporal punishment due to sin is removed. After one has been reborn in Christ, there is nothing to prevent one’s entry into God’s Kingdom.

However, though all sins are removed, there remains, as an effect of original sin, the inclination to sin that is called concupiscence. This inclination to sin shows itself in what is sometimes referred to as a darkening of the mind and a weakening of the will, that is, the inability to know clearly the right or wrong of an action and/or the lack of strength to resist temptation and always to do the right thing no matter how hard this is. The effects of original sin need not harm us so long as we seek strength to resist them through the sacrament of reconciliation (confession), the sacrament of the Eucharist, prayer, a deepening spirituality, growth in virtue and a wholehearted dependence on God.

Ø Adopted Children of God

Baptism also gives us new life as adopted children of God. We become sharers of divine life and temples of the Holy Spirit. We are now made righteous by God and live in a state of grace; that is, we live in union with God because of his gracious and loving initiative. Our permanence in the state of grace is called sanctifying grace because God sanctifies us. That is, he makes us his holy people by giving us his life. God continues to assist us by many helps that are called actual graces. Thus, we have the ability to live and act under the guidance and light of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. This helps us mature in goodness through the practice of virtues, such as the cardinal virtues: prudence, justice, temperance, and fortitude.

Ø Initiated into the Church

By baptism we become members of the Church, the body of Christ. We share in the priesthood of Christ as well as his prophetic and royal mission. “You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of his own, so that you may announce the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light” (1Peter 2:9). We enjoy the community we find in the Church, share our talents and gifts with its members, respond willingly to its teachings and requirements, and assume the responsibilities that our membership implies.

Ø Bonded to Other Christians

The sacrament of baptism provides a common foundation among all Christians, including those not yet in full communion with the Catholic Church. The Church recognizes the validity of baptism in other Christian Churches as long as the rite involved the pouring of or immersion in water, a Trinitarian formula, and the intention to baptize. Those who have been baptized have been saved by their faith in Christ and the grace of baptism. According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, “They therefore have a right to be called Christians and with good reason are accepted as brothers [and sisters] by the children of the Catholic Church” (no. 1271).

Ø Baptismal Character

The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches, “Incorporated into Christ by Baptism, the person baptized is configured to Christ. Baptism seals the Christian with the indelible spiritual mark (character) of his belonging to Christ. No sin can erase this mark, even if sin prevents baptism from bearing the fruits of salvation. Given once for all baptism cannot be repeated” (no.1272). This spiritual mark is also called a character, which St. Augustine likened to distinctive brandings impressed upon soldiers and slaves during Roman times to signify the commander or owner to whom they belonged. Baptism marks us permanently as belonging to Christ, whose image we bear. And even though we may forget and abandon Jesus, He will never forget or abandon us!

In Summary:

Baptism: A Call to Holiness

What follows is simply a presentation of ideas, which may be useful for summarizing the session:

Living out one’s baptism is a lifelong responsibility. Growing in holiness and discipleship involves a willingness to continue to learn throughout one’s whole life about the faith and how to live it. It also involves a willingness to support and encourage others who share that faith and who have committed themselves to the ongoing process of conversion of heart and mind to God (metanoia) which results in the holiness to which we are all called.

Finally, and most importantly our baptism mandates that we be Christian families, for a Christian family, no matter its form, is the Church at home. The Christian family, in other words, is the domestic church. Because Christian families are the domestic church, they have numerous responsibilities and duties for the common good of society.

It is up to the parents in these domestic churches to ensure that the family carries out its responsibilities, for parents hold a privileged role and responsibility in family life. It is you, the parents, for example, who name your children and ask the Church for Baptism—the gift of faith and life of grace. In doing so, you accept the responsibility of "training them in the practice of the faith, to bring them up to keep God’s commandments [and to] love God and our neighbor" (Rite of Baptism for Children, 4).

Only after acknowledging this responsibility do you trace the sign of the cross on your infant child with the cross of salvation, claiming the child for Christ. Through this sacrament, you the parents ritually express your personal commitment to God, to the community of faith, and to your child. You can do so only because you first have faith. It is the promise of this living tradition, of God present in the community of faith—as parish and as domestic church—that is the foundation of hope and our ability to transmit faith from generation to generation.

For our children to have faith, parents must first have faith. The old adage "faith is caught, not taught" is true especially for the domestic church. Simply put, parents teach most effectively by example. They profoundly affect the faith of their children by attending first to their own faith and religiosity. Each parent is obliged to live the baptismal vocation as priest, prophet, and servant-ruler in the home, in the workplace, and in the marketplace. They must actively seek growth in adult faith formation, deeply investing themselves in the life of the parish community and the work for peace and justice in the world. In this way, you parents model faith for your children while deepening your own.

As the Rite of Baptism aptly indicates, children first experience God in the arms of you, their parents. The home is where children first experience the sacred presence of God as either personal and intimate or impersonal and indifferent. By watching and imitating their parents, children learn how to love and embrace, to listen and respond, to belong, to forgive, to pray, to reach out and to serve.

If children do not learn to love, to listen, to belong, to forgive, to serve, and to pray at home, they will not know how to do so anywhere. Therefore, you parents are indeed the primary educators of the faith. In their manner of child rearing, parents will either cultivate faith in their children or stifle it. Ignoring our faith, taking it for granted, or relinquishing the teaching of it to others hurts everyone, especially the children.

As parents, your responsibilities, challenges, and duties are great. Yet, you are not alone. God is with you and with faith in him and in his goodness, he will grant you all the graces you need to be the parents, to be the families he has called you all to be. You will have the grace to teach your children how to be excellent Catholic Christians so that they can live their lives and their faith out in the world to transform our world and our culture and our society from the secular, materialistic, narcissistic mess it now is, to the veritable Kingdom of God!

---

[1] Derived from the Greek word metanoiein, which means literally to change the way one thinks: a transformative change of heart, especially a spiritual conversion (http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary).

[2] James W. Fowler, Stages of Faith: The Psychology of Human Development and the Quest for Meaning (New York: HarperCollins, 1981) xiii.

[3] Fowler xiii.

[4] Since the end of Vatican II, leadership in the Catholic Church has advocated robust adult faith formation processes for its members. See, for example, Our Hearts Were Burning Within Us, The General Directory for Catechesis (GDC) and The National Directory for Catechesis (NDC).

[5] Richard J. Reichert, Renewing Catechetical Ministry: A Future Agenda (New York:

Paulist Press, 2002) 124-25.

[6] Reichert 125-26.

[7] Gerald J. Mendoza, Why do Catholics Become Evangelicals, in Homiletic and Pastoral Review. (http://www.ignatius.com/magazines/hprweb/mendoza.htm).

[8] Reichert 127.

[9]United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) The Rite of Baptism for One Child and for Several Children (Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 1970) 4.

[10]USCCB 4.

[11] See footnote number 4.

[12]Committee on Education and Committee on Catechesis, National Directory for Catechesis (Washington, DC: USCCB, 2005) no. 48 A.

[13] NDC.

[14] NDC.

[15] NDC no. 48 A 1.

[16]National Advisory Committee on Adult Religious Education, Leaders Guide to Our Hearts Were Burning Within Us (Washington, DC: USCC, 2000) Articles 39 and 44 in the Pastoral Plan.

[17] Pope Paul VI, Apostolicam Actuositatem, Chapter III, No. 10.

[18] Reichert 120.

[19] GDC = General Directory for Catechesis.

[20]Thomas Groome, The Purposes of Christian Catechesis, in Empowering Catechetical Leaders, Thomas Groome and Michael Corso, eds. (Washington, DC: National Catholic Education Association, 1999) 22.

[21] Florence Bourg, Where Two or Three Are Gathered: Christian Families As Domestic Churches (Notre Dame: Notre Dame Press, 2004) 1.

[22] Bourg 35.

[23] Bourg 79.

[24] Bourg 106.

[25] Bourg 106-07.

[26] Joye Gros, Connecting Faith and Life: Theological Reflection, National Conference for Catechetical Leadership. The Effective DRE: A Theology Series (Chicago: Loyola Press, 2001) x.

[27] Andragogy is a term originally used by Alexander Kapp (a German educator) and was developed into a theory of adult education by the American educator, Malcolm Knowles, who held that andragogy (from the Greek words meaning “adult-leading”) should be distinguished from the more commonly used pedagogy (Greek: “child-leading”). Basically, Knowles’ ideas represent “an educational philosophy which is the antithesis of pedagogy. Whereas pedagogy is the instruction of a dependent personality (the child), andragogy is the for the instruction of a non-dependent personality (the adult). Adult learners are considered to have more experience, a greater need to be self-directing, and a greater interest in life-centered topics. Whereas children are more commonly referred to as “students” who are “taught,” adults are more commonly referred to as “learners” who are ‘facilitated.’”

Source: (http://www.osaka-gu.ac.jp/php/kelly/papers/adult-ed.html).

[28]James D. and Evelyn Eaton Whitehead, Method in Ministry: Theological Reflection and Christian Ministry (Lanham: Sheed and Ward, 1995) 10.

[29] Whitehead 10.

[30] Whitehead 12.

[31] Whitehead 7.

[32] Whitehead 14.

[33] Whitehead 15.

[34] Whitehead 16.

[35] See Appendix A.

[36] The background information for the entire Christian Tradition section is taken either verbatim or is paraphrased from: Ad Hoc Committee to Oversee the Use of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, United States Catholic Catechism for Adults (Washington, DC: USCCB, 2006) 184-97.

[37] Committee on the Laity of the United Sates Conference of Catholic Bishops, Co-Workers In The Vineyard Of The Lord: A Resource For Guiding Lay Ecclesial Ministry (USCCB: Washington, DC, 2005) .

[38] For the source of this information see footnote 36.