600 - Sacramental Preparation

The Value sought:  A joyous relationship between creator and creature.

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First Reconciliation

First Eucharist

Confirmation
Note: the Confirmation policy is in the process of being updated.  Please check back soon for the revised policy.

Here is a great video about Confirmation from Anscension Press Chosen program:  Chosen Confirmation video

Another great video from Busted Halo:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qt32SyDWuW8

Short video from Life Teen with Mark Hart:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdqi0zQJQv8

Bishop Barron on Confirmation names


Christian Initiation Guidelines

640.00:  Parishes will follow the Rite of Christian Initiation Guidelines
 
Additional information on RCIA

Interpreting this Section

The information contained here is taken from the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults which is mandatory for the initiation of adults, children of catechetical age (also referred to as the “age of discretion;” typically understood as age seven and beyond), and teenagers, according to the general law of the Church. This Rite became mandatory for the dioceses of the United States on September 1, 1988.

This section is to be implemented in all parishes of the diocese without exception.

With the promulgation of the Rite in 1988 and the new Code of Canon Law in 1983, the norm for the reception of unbaptized adults and children of catechetical age into the Church is through their enrollment into the CATECHUMENATE, in which they will be led through various stages of preparation to sacramental initiation and then mystagogy. This order of initiation is MANDATORY, and must replace any contrary custom or practice. The optimal time for the celebration of Initiation is the Vigil of Easter.

Confirmation Guidelines

Adults, children of catechetical age, and teenagers subject to the norms of the Rite of Christian Initiation do not follow the ordinary diocesan policies for Eucharist and Confirmation, but, as noted above, are prepared in the catechumenal process for the reception of the three Sacraments of Initiation, Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist simultaneously, according to the ancient tradition of the church.

Although the Diocesan Bishop is the ordinary minister of Confirmation, Canon Law provides priests with the faculty to confirm. This faculty must be exercised regarding candidates for Confirmation according to the Rite of Christian Initiation.

Priests may confirm in the following cases

1. Necessity involving the danger of death.
2. The priest who by virtue of his office or by a mandate from the diocesan bishop baptizes an adult or admits a baptized adult into full communion with the Catholic Church. (Canon 883:2) This also includes children of catechetical age.
3. Priests who do not exercise a pastoral office must obtain a mandate from the diocesan bishop to baptize and confirm. This is necessary for validity.

The table on the following page is provided to indicate what persons the priest is to confirm according to the Rite of Initiation, and what permissions may be necessary. Note that this also applies to children of catechetical age and older.

Christian Initiation Guidelines Summary of Confirmation Regulations (for adults, children & teenagers of catechetical age in RCIA)
Candidate	Minister	How permitted
Person baptized Catholic in infancy	Bishop/priest	from the law (candidate is subject to Diocesan Confirmation Policy)
Baptized Catholic but uncatechized	priest	with Bishop’s permission for validity
Baptized Catholic but apostate (totally repudiated the Catholic faith)	priest	from the law (RCIA: NS #28)
Baptized Catholic but formally joins another religion	priest	from the law (RCIA: NS #28)
Baptized Catholic but without fault adheres to a non-Catholic religion (as a child baptized Catholic but raised by grandparents in Methodist church)	priest	from the law (RCIA: NS #28)
Baptized Catholic but without fault never practices Catholic faith (e.g., a person prevented from practicing the faith by persons or circumstances: child of lax parents; mentally impaired; elderly in nursing home; or special military circumstances)	priest	with permission of the Bishop for validity
Validly baptized non-Catholic entering the full communion of the Catholic church	priest	from the law (Canon 883 #2)
Eastern Rite (Orthodox) seeking full communion in Latin Rite.		special circumstances; no formal reception; already validly confirmed

 

Christian Initiation Guidelines

The preparation of children and teenagers within the Rite of Christian Initiation will differ from the usual Diocesan policy and will follow the process indicated in the Rite of
Initiation itself.

The Church’s requirement for the usual sequence of first Penance then Eucharist is a way of celebrating Reconciliation as a reminder and renewal of the “one baptism for the forgiveness of sins” with which Christian initiation first began, so that the Eucharist may be received with “heart renewed.”

Adults and children entering full communion with the Catholic Church are to observe the above order in the Diocese of Erie. Adult and children catechumens will receive the sacrament after an appropriate interval following their Baptism, Confirmation, and First Eucharist.

Adults, teenagers and children entering full communion will usually experience the Sacrament of Reconciliation or Penance at the time of the celebration of the Rite of Continuing Conversion during the season of Lent prior to their reception. These directives are given in the Rite of Christian Initiation text.

In the case of children, it would be ideal if their peers in religious education could also be prepared to celebrate the sacrament during Lent, so that all the children could take part in the same ritual.

The Order of Christian Initiation is adapted for use with children (and younger teenagers) [decisions about the grouping of teens with children or other teens must be done with attention to their individual maturity] according to the norms given in the Rite itself (see RCIA: no. 255 ff.)

How and when should children be admitted to the catechumenate? The following guidelines will be helpful in making this determination:

1. Children under the age of discretion (usually considered to be about the age of seven) may be baptized according to the Church’s Rite for Infant Baptism, according to the wishes of their parents in this matter. The parents may also decide to have their children baptized at the time of their own baptism or entrance into full communion.
2. Unbaptized children who have reached the age of discretion are to be admitted to the children’s catechumenate and are to be initiated in the same manner as adults who are enrolled in the catechumenate: they are to receive Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist (in this sequence) within the same liturgical celebration.
3. Children baptized in infancy as non-Catholics who have reached the age of discretion are to be enrolled in the catechumenate for children. They will celebrate First Penance and later be received into full communion. They will be received into full commuion in the same manner as adults, i.e., reception, Confirmation, First Eucharist,in the same celebration and in this sequence.
4. Depending upon the degree of their maturity, older teenagers might be admitted to the adult catechumenate. If ages in a particular gathering range from seven to nearly eighteen, for example, obviously the participants will need to be grouped so as to meet their particular needs, even if several catechumenal groups must be formed to accomplish this.
5. Children generally require a longer period of formation than adults. For this reason, children being prepared for baptism or full communion should ordinarily not be admitted to the sacraments of initiation until they have completed a twoyear catechumenate.
6. Unless circumstances dictate otherwise, children in the catechumenate take part in the program of religious education along with their peer group. This peer group in turn becomes a support for the catechumens as they in turn become acquainted with the workings of the catechumenal process.
7. The peer companions referred to in number 5 (or any pre-teen Catholic children who accompany unbaptized children during their catechumenal formation period) are not to be confirmed at the same time as their companions in the catechumenate, but are to follow the norms of the Diocesan Confirmation Policy.
8. In the diocese of Erie, all who were baptized Catholics as infants (before reaching the age of discretion) are subject to the Diocesan Confirmation Policy.