Exploring Contemporary and Alternative Worship

Christian Initiation

Convener: Garrick Comeau (garrickcomeau@msn.com). In his absence, members guided the agenda by consensus. Tim Fitzgerald prepared the report for Proceedings.

Members in Attendance: Christina Condyles, Timothy Fitzgerald, Victoria Tufano, Paul Turner, Stephen Wilbricht.

Description of Work: The Christian Initiation Seminar addresses questions that stand at the intersection of sacraments of initiation, the classic Ordo for Christian initiation, and ongoing discipleship in the church.

Papers and Presentations:

Due to COVID concerns, the number participating in the seminar was small. Some papers and presentations were postponed, replaced by other events and lively discussions.

Paul Turner presented an excerpt from his book Sacred Oils (Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 2021), focusing on the Oil of Catechumens. Reflecting on the historical record and current Roman Catholic rites of initiation, he examines how this oil is used as a sign of strengthening: those to be baptized were anointed with this “oil of strengthening” as support for their turn from evil. This anointing occurred in conjunction with the Lenten scrutiny rites. From its original baptismal context, later this oil was also used at ordination to anoint the hands of the priest and to anoint a newly dedicated altar.

In the revision of the Roman Catholic rites of adult initiation, anointing with the Oil of Catechumens was extended for use throughout the period of the Catechumenate, a new development in its history. Presently, the Roman Missal also calls for this prebaptismal anointing in the Easter Vigil liturgy; but the current U.S. edition of the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (see “National Statutes,” #16) directs that the anointing be omitted.

This anointing for strengthening continued in the history of baptism of infants, an echo of the initiation of adults, after its disappearance. The child was anointed on the chest, prior to the baptism itself. In the current Roman Catholic rite for infant baptism, anointing with the Oil of Catechumens occurs prior to the profession of faith and the blessing over the water. In the U.S., this anointing may be replaced

(at the discretion of the minister of baptism) by an imposition of hands to accompany a prayer for strengthening.

In the second day, the seminar explored two pastoral issues pertinent to initiation—considerations on the death and funeral of a Catechumen or a baptized Candidate before the person’s baptism or reception; and how Eucharistic practice both expresses and shapes our understanding of church, the relation of Word and sacrament, the roles of the assembly and of the presider, the presence of the Lord in our midst.

In addition, seminar members participated in trips to two local sites. Members visited the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art and its collection of medieval texts, pages and manuscripts from Christian sources. Members also toured the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception and its font suitable for baptism by immersion.

Other Work and Plans for the Future: The members also discussed at length the Academy’s call to examine equality, diversity, and inclusion issues in the life of the church and the life of the Academy itself. This will influence the seminar’s focus for next year—baptismal identity and ecumenical inclusion and equality, inclusion, and exclusion within the eucharistic community. How do we live out the radical equality that Christian baptism expresses? How do we fail to do so?