Franciscan at Home

The awe and wonder of Emmanuel, God with us, with which we identify so well at Christmas time in Primary schools with Nativity plays, carols and lumpy throats at the sight of Reception class transformed into angels, is at times quite lost when we are in the presence of Emmanuel today. Our Lord told us ‚‘I am with you always’, and the way which he chose to be present among us is in the Eucharist, the Blessed Sacrament of the altar which is reserved even when the Mass is over so that he can be with us still.

The Sacrifice of the Mass and the Real Presence in the Eucharist are an extension of the Incarnation, so how is it that our receptivity for the sacred which leads us to kneel at the Christmas crib can so easily evaporate once that feast is over, hindering our passing on to our children the sense of adoration and wonder in the presence of Christ in our Churches?

How do we convey to children a sense of the Real Presence?

This liturgical meditation is taken from Romano Guardini's book, Sacred Signs.

‘And I saw …… and an angel came, and stood before the altar, having a golden censer, and there was given him much incense……. And the smoke of the incense of the prayers of the saints ascended up before God, from the hand of the angel.’ So says St John in the Apocalypse.

There is a grand beauty in this laying of the bright grains on the glowing coal and then the scented smoke rising from the swinging censer. It is like a melody with rhythmic movement and sweet odour. Without any purpose, as clear as a song. Beautiful squandering of costliness. A gift of un-reserving love.

So once, when the Lord sat at table in Bethany, and Mary brought the costly spikenard and poured it over His feet, and dried them with her hair, and the house was filled with odour, narrow minds murmured: ‘To what purpose is this waste?’ The Son of God replied: ‘Let her alone, she hath done it for my burial.’ A mystery of death was here, of love, of odour, of sacrifice.

This liturgical meditation is taken from Romano Guardini's book, Sacred Signs.

It is spread out on the altar; it lies, in the corporal, as a winding cloth, under chalice and Host; the priest, when he performs the sacred service, is vested in the alb, the white linen garment; linen covers the table of the Lord at which the divine bread is distributed…

True linen is a costly thing, clean and fine and strong. When it lies there so white and fresh I can only think of a forest walk in winter, when I came suddenly to an open slope which lay covered with freshly fallen snow spread out spotless between the dark pines. I did not dare to walk over it with my coarse boots – I walked round it most reverently. So lies the linen spread out for the Holy Things.

What does the Code of Canon Law teach on formation for baptism?

The celebration of the sacraments in the Catholic Church demand formation in the faith of the sacrament, and baptism as the foundation of all the sacraments is no different. The first words of canon 851 clearly state ‘…the celebration of baptism must be prepared properly.’ It adds that an adult who intends to be baptised must be admitted to the catechumenate and be led to the various stages of sacramental initiation according to the norms laid down by the conference of bishops. In addition, canon 851 exhorts parents and sponsor of an infant to be baptized to be properly instructed on the meaning of the sacrament, primarily by the pastor or through others, for example, catechists.

Continuing our series on the Code of Canon Law, in this issue Fr Rosney explains the rites used for the baptism of infants and of adults, helping catechists to be able to appreciate in a straightforward way the various points in the Code.

The celebration of baptism in the Code of Canon Law highlights particular and diverse aspects of their celebration, and in accordance with Canon 2, leaves a much fuller presentation governing the celebration to the various ritual books.

In treating baptism before all the other seven sacraments in Book IV of the Code of Canon Law (1983), the code affirms the sacrament of baptism as the precondition for a valid reception of all the others, and as the first of the three sacraments necessary for full Christian initiation. Here Fr Rosney explains the key canonical elements of which catechists need to be aware.

The canons on the sacrament of baptism outline the distinction between adult and infant baptism. Canon 849 summarizes the Church’s faith in the sacrament and the fundamental canonical requirements for its validity. The remaining canons fall under the following headings:

* celebration of the sacrament of baptism (cc. 850-860)
* minister of baptism (cc. 861-863)
* those to be baptised (cc. 864-871)
* sponsors of those to be baptised (cc. 872-874)
* registration and proof of baptism (cc. 875-878)

A Theological Case for Restored Order Confirmation

How important is the order of the Sacraments of Initiation? What are the implications for catechesis in restoring the traditional order, placing Confirmation before the Eucharist? Jared Staudt explores the key issues.

The Second Vatican Council called for a “ressourcement” (a return to the sources) for the sacraments of initiation, particularly in its call for the restoration of the baptismal catechumenate, carried out in the RCIA process.[i] Part of this renewal includes the return to the traditional order for the conferring of the sacraments of initiation: Baptism, Confirmation, and then the Eucharist. Though this original order of conferring was restored within RCIA, the order that arose later on of Baptism, Eucharist, and then Confirmation continued to be practiced within the regular process for the initiation of children.[ii] Attention has recently and very prominently been placed on the movement to restore the ancient order for the reception of the sacraments of initiation during an ad limina visit of US Bishops with the Holy Father. After meeting with Pope Benedict XVI, Archbishop Samuel Aquila expressed the Holy Father’s personal approval of Aquila’s restoration of the order of the sacraments of initiation: “I was very surprised in what the Pope said to me, in terms of how happy he was that the sacraments of initiation have been restored to their proper order of baptism, confirmation then first Eucharist.” The Holy Father also asked if he had “begun to speak to other bishops about this.”[iii] These comments by the Holy Father indicate that the time may be ripe for a ressourcement for Confirmation, specifically in the reordering of the sacraments on initiation, and the way in which Confirmation preparation is practiced. I will offer some theological reflections on reasons why this change is important for the Church.

And Preparing for the Baptism of the Child

Archbishop Kurtz explains how "The Blessing of the Child in the Womb,” approved on 8 December 2011 by the Congregation for Divine Worship for use in the United States of America, can be a pastoral moment of first evangelization of the child and of new evangelization of the family.

"The Blessing of the Child in the Womb” was approved on 8 December 2011 by the Congregation for Divine Worship for use in the United States of America. This blessing is a pastoral moment of first evangelization of the child and new evangelization of the family. Warmly extending the love of Christ to families as they prepare for the birth of their child, this sacred gesture is both a positive and hope-filled way to announce to society the great gift of human life as well as a gracious invitation for the parents to begin steps for the baptism of their child, once born.

‘Adult’ and ‘Infant’ and the Sacrament of Baptism

In the previous article Fr Rosney briefly explored the issue of formation for baptism, and in particular for adult and infant baptism. In this article he clarifies the terms ‘adult’ and ‘infant’ for the purposes of determining those subject to the prescriptions of the canons on adult baptism.

Fundamentally the intention of the law is clear: that there be a structure in place for catechetical formation for children.

La oración de intercesión es importante en la catequesis porque es una oración de caridad en comunión con Cristo. Los israelitas hacían oración de petición para experimentar la presencia de Dios. “Mi alma tiene sed de Dios, del Dios viviente: ¿Cuándo iré a contemplar el rostro de Dios?” i Esta oración de los israelitas se cumple en Jesucristo, “único intercesor ante el Padre en favor de todos los hombres” ii. La comunidad cristiana primitiva vivía esta unión en la caridad “al participar en la vida común, en la fracción del pan y en las oraciones” iii. Los santos, en comunión con Cristo, también oran e interceden por nosotros ya que este amor y preocupación por todos en el cuerpo de Cristo no cesa después de la muerte. Los santos y las santas son “una verdadera nube de testigos” iv quienes “están más íntimamente unidos con Cristo… y [n]o dejan de interceder por nosotros ante el Padre” v.

Esta oración de petición nos lleva a orar como lo hacía Jesús.vi Jesucristo es nuestro mediador; por lo tanto, podemos interceder a favor de los demás y pedirles a los demás que oren e intercedan por nosotros. Es por esto que es tan importante incluir la oración de intercesión cuando catequizamos. La oración de intercesión señala a nuestra celebración eucarística en la Oración de los Fieles y en la Plegaría Eucarística, “Reunidos en comunión con toda la Iglesia, veneramos la memoria ante todo, de la gloriosa siempre Virgen María, Madre de Jesucristo, Nuestro Dios y Señor; la de su esposo, San José; la de los santos apóstoles y mártires… y todos los santos; por sus méritos y oraciones, concédenos en todo tu protección” vii.

En nuestras sesiones de catequesis presentamos la intercesión al animar a los niños a que hagan oración vocal. Los niños expresan de buena gana sus oraciones a Dios. Podemos enseñarles a los niños que cuando oran por los demás, esto es un acto de la caridad.

Hay muchas maneras por las cuales podemos cultivar la oración de intercesión en el salón de clases.