Chapter i12 Introduction to the Online Initiation Course, Fall 2007

I have decided to begin this course on the Sacraments of Christian Initiation with an introductory module on "Liturgy in General." For some of the participants in 12:314 the course may be the only "liturgy/sacraments" course they will have as part of their MTS. For these students, this introduction can serve as a very brief survey of this important area of theological study. For those of you who have already studied liturgy and the sacraments, this first module can serve as a "refresher/review."

But more importantly – for all of us – module one can help us understand the Sacraments of Initiation in their larger context. While this is a course specifically on the sacraments of initiation, for many of us the definition of sacraments found in the Baltimore Catechism ("outward sign instituted by Christ to give grace") still remains operative under the iceberg. The Second Vatican Council has enlarged and broadened our understanding of sacrament: "The purpose of the sacraments is to sanctify men, to build up the body of Christ, and, finally, to give worship to God; because they are signs they also instruct. They not only presuppose faith, but by words and objects they also nourish, strengthen, and express it; that is why they are called ‘sacraments of faith.’ They do indeed impart grace, but, in addition, the very act of celebrating them most effectively disposes the faithful to receive this grace in a fruitful manner, to worship God duly, and to practice charity." (Constitution on the Liturgy, 59)

In addition to the readings from the text books listed in the syllabus for this module, I suggest that you read the following pages of www.tomrichstatter.org

1  Chapter d11 General Introduction to All of the Courses I Teach  This page lists the criteria for grading, etc.

2.  Chapter d12 General Introduction to All of the Online and Hybrid Courses I Teach  This page lists important information for those taking an online course for the first time.

3.  Chapter d18 Glossary of Liturgical Terms  This is a list of key terms which occur  in the study of liturgy and sacramental theology.  Be very familiar with all terms in red and blue type:  Words every master's level student should know  Words everyone studying Initiation should know

4. Unless you have been living in a cave or under a rock ☺, you are aware that there are areas of "unrest" and "conflict" in the Catholic Church at the present time.  This context makes the material in Chapter d41 Liturgy and Psychology especially important.  Be familiar with the iceberg metaphor as we will refer to this metaphor throughout the course. 

5.   As the course is about the Sacraments of Initiation, I suggest that you review the information given in Chapter d31 Sacrament   As the course progresses, look "under your iceberg" and see if the "seven shoe box metaphor" morphs into the "ripples in the pond" metaphor.

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Assignment A:  Autobiography

Post a short autobiography.  Tell us something about yourself, your ministry, your progress toward the MTS and your course objectives and hopes for this class.  Post by midnight on September 1

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Assignment B:  Initiation Survey

This survey will only take a few minutes to complete.  It will help us see the different ways in which we have celebrated the sacraments of Christian Initiation and should help us reflect on how this experience will influence our thinking about the sacrament.  Surveys on ANGEL are anonymous – although I do not think there is anything in this brief survey that would require anonymity. When all have taken the survey I will post the results with comments which I hope will help know one another better and aid in the formation of virtual community during the course.  Post by midnight on September 4

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Assignment C:  Introductory Essay

Rational and Context   I am proposing this assignment because it will help us explore the learning and experience and presuppositions that we bring to this course so that we can better understand the issues and points of view that motivate the opinions and attitudes expressed during the discussions and assignments.  The purpose of this introductory exercise is two fold.  First, it will help us to begin thinking about some of the major issues which we will study in this course.  Second, it will help us to get to know one another.

As you know, the Sacraments of Initiation [Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist] and the Sacrament of Reconciliation [which is not a sacrament of initiation] are celebrated in a variety of sequences.

1. Baptism - [Reconciliation]- Eucharist - Confirmation
2. Baptism - Eucharist - [Reconciliation] - Confirmation
3. Baptism - Confirmation - Eucharist - [Reconciliation]
4. Baptism - Eucharist - Confirmation - [Reconciliation]
5. Baptism - [Reconciliation] - Confirmation - Eucharist
6. and, indeed, other sequences....(?)

In a paragraph describe the way in which you were sacramentally initiated into the Catholic Church.  At what age did you receive these sacraments.  (For example:  I was baptized a few days after birth.  I made my First Holy Communion about the age of 6 -- I was in the first grade-- and made my first confession the day before First Communion.  This was in 1945.  I was Confirmed in the fourth grade.)  In a second paragraph describe how this sacramental experience might influence your current "under the iceberg" attitudes towards the Sacraments of Initiation.  Post by midnight on September 4

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Assignment D:  Response to C

Read the introductory essays.  Select one student whose posting is very similar to your own experience and one that is very different from your own experience of initiation and list three positive things (three advantages) about each of these two methods of Christian Initiation.  Post by midnight on September 11

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Orientation to Module 2
Yesterday (History of Christian Initiation)

Weeks 4 to 8 -- September 16 to October 20

The study of history will not solve all contemporary problems, but it sure is a help!  It was the interest in the history of the liturgy -- which we now call "The Liturgical Movement" -- beginning in Europe at the turn of the century that prepared the way for the liturgical reforms of the Second Vatican Council. 

It is important for you to realize that this information (e.g. the information you are reading in the three text books) was not available to us until recently.   I completed my seminary studies and was ordained presbyter in 1966 and I never heard of any of this information during my seminary days.  (This was the case for most priests and bishops my age.)  Even today, many Catholics are unaware of our history.  I have frequently encountered Catholics who want to claim the name "Traditional" who only want to preserve or reclaim the Catholic practices of the 1940's and 1950's.  I would hope that we, the participants in this course, are the true traditionalists:  those who wish to preserve all that is good and holy in the entire tradition.  To do that, we must first know our tradition. 

To this end, read Maxwell Johnson's book and put that history into the context provided by Keith Pecklers' book.   In addition to the readings from the text books listed in the syllabus for this module, I suggest that you read the following pages of www.tomrichstatter.org

1.  Read the history section of the "Documents and Introductory Materials" of my website.  Read especially Chapter d21  Overview of the History of Liturgy  and look under the iceberg to see the relative size of the "immutable elements" of Christian initiation and "those elements subject to change."  Hopefully, during the course the former will get smaller and the latter will get larger.  Be familiar with the "ten finger history grid" for we will refer to these categories throughout the course. 

2.  Chapter d26  The Early Twentieth Century gives some important background for the Second Vatican Council.  Read especially The Liturgical Movement and Fears in 1942

3.  Chapter d27 The Second Vatican Council gives some background information to the Council and the context in which the Sacraments of Initiation were revised.

4.  Chapter d28  Four Treasures in the Attic are a few random notes that accompany a PowerPoint presentation that I give during the first period of each of my face-to-face courses.   The key thing here is "getting Baptism out of the attic."   I want to put the text with the slides and post it for you but I have not found time to do that yet.

5.  The nine pages listed in Part 2 History of Initiation on my Initiation Index page contain the information I would be giving in class were this a face-to-face format.  In general they follow the ten periods of the ten finger history grid.   They also follow, more or less, the chapter divisions of Johnson's book.   i21  Origins of Christian Initiation   i22  Early Church   i23 400-1200 East   i24  400-1200 West   i25  Scholastics to the Reformation   i26  Reformation and Trent   i27  Trent and Beyond  i28  Vatican II 1960-1975  i29 Initiation Today

As I said above:  The study of history will not solve all contemporary problems, but it sure is a help.  As you study this history, become aware of the fundamental nature of Christian Initiation to the Christian life.  --  When I was a child, Baptism took away Original Sin, but if you wanted to be an active participant in the Body of Christ, Holy Orders was the sacrament that really made one a Christian.  What kind of a "priest crisis" was there in the centuries before there was ordained ministry?  If Baptism makes one "Another Christ" is there a priest crisis today?  How does the study of the history in initiation affect your understanding of Holy Orders?   --  If the ministry shortage (not enough bishops) in the fourth century had not brought about the delay of Confirmation in the Roman Rite, would we today think of Confirmation as a separate sacrament?  How does the study of the history of initiation affect your understanding of Confirmation?  --  If Baptism makes Church, how do we reconcile our "high" understanding of baptism with our "low" understanding of non-Roman churches?   How does the history of initiation affect your understanding of ecumenism?  If there is "one Baptism"  why isn't there "one Eucharist"?

The history of initiation explains the origin of many "dogmatic" issues, e.g. original sin, limbo, salvation outside the church, how the non-baptized get to heaven, etc. 

Contemporary issues:  Should Confirmation be delayed until adolescence?  Should infants be denied Holy Communion?  Should the pastor of the parish be the common minister of Confirmation?  Does limbo exist?  Does Baptism take away Original Sin?  Should Eucharist ever be received before Baptism? Should Protestants participate in the RCIA to come into full communion with the Catholic Church?  Should Protestants who wish to come into full communion with the Catholic Church celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation before First (Roman) Eucharist?  If there is one Baptism, one Lord, and one Spirit,  can baptized non-Catholics receive the Catholic Eucharist?  Does the important statement of the World Council of Churches Baptism, Eucharist and Ministry (World Council of Churches, Geneva, 1982) express the Roman Catholic understanding of Initiation? Should Catholics receive Holy Communion at non-Catholic Eucharist?  Should Catholics invite protestants and Orthodox to receive Holy Communion at Roman Catholic Eucharist?  Is there salvation outside the Church?  Can Jews and Muslims enter heaven without baptism?  Should baptized children who are in danger of death receive both Confirmation and the Anointing of the Sick?

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Assignment 1& 3:  History Essay

Rational and Context   I am proposing this assignment to help you apply the "theory" and "theology" of Christian initiation to contemporary pastoral situations, especially those in which there is currently no uniform opinion in the Church.  I hope that the results of this exercise will be useful for your present and future ministry; but even more important than the conclusions, the process you use to arrive at the conclusions will be helpful for you to address the many other issues that you will no doubt face during your ministry.  Select a topic that is 1) of interest to you, 2) important for the Church, and 3) interesting for your classmates so that you will get some good feedback and discussion.  For an explanation of how this essay is to be formatted and how it will be graded, see Chapter d11 General Introduction to All of the Courses, Notes on the Writing Assignments  Post Assignment #1 by midnight on September 25    Post Assignment #3 by midnight on October 9 

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Assignment 2, 4, 6, 8:  Critical Response

Read several (or all, if possible of your classmates postings and engage in dialogue with the author of at least two of them.  Post your comments in the “Reply” section at the end of the principal author’s posting.  This will facilitate the discussion.  If you are the principal author of the topic use “New Post”; and if you are commenting on another’s work, use “Reply” – this will produce a threaded discussion that should be easy for all to follow. For an explanation of how this essay is to be formatted and how it will be graded, see Chapter d11 General Introduction to All of the Courses, Notes on the Discussion Postings   Post Assignment #2 by midnight on October 2, Post Assignment #4 by midnight on October 16, Post Assignment #6 by midnight November 6, Post Assignment #8 by midnight November 20.    Note:  the November 20 date for Assignment #8 has been extended until midnight November 30.

Orientation to Module 3
Today (Current rituals for the celebration of the sacraments)

Weeks 9 to 13   October 21 to November 24

In this third module of the course we want to examine critically the current rituals for the celebration of the sacraments of initiation.  Think about the difference between the Rites for Christian Initiation before and after the Second Vatican Council.  Think about the elements of the history which we studied in the last section which shaped and are incorporated into the current rituals.  Are there two Sacraments of Confirmation, one for adults (a rite for initiation) and a second, adolescents  rite of passage (a rite of passage)?

In addition to the readings from the text books listed in the syllabus for this module, I suggest that you read the following pages of www.tomrichstatter.org

1.  Chapter i31 Introduction gives a general overview of the RCIA

2.  Chapter i32 The Period of Evangelization  Chapter i33 The Period of The Catechumenate  Chapter i34 Period of the Enlightenment   Chapter i35 The Easter Vigil  Chapter i36 Baptism   Chapter i37 Confirmation   Chapter i38 Eucharist:  Completion of Initiation   Chapter i39 The Period of Mystagogia

Chapter i41 Baptism of Infants  treats various issues relating to infant baptism:   Should we baptize infants?  Original sin.  Limbo.  Delaying baptism.  Refusing baptism.  Etc. 

Chapter i43 First Reconciliation for those Baptized as Infants

Chapter i44 Confirmation of Catholics Baptized in Infancy

Chapter i47 First Eucharist for Catholics Baptized in Infancy

Chapter i51 Initiation in Particular Circumstances  Study especially Chapter i51  1. Initiation of Children  and Chapter i51  4. Uncatechized (Baptized) Adults and ask if these rites have been followed in your parish experience. 

Chapter i52 The Place for Initiation  The shape of the baptismal pool / font influences the way in which baptism is celebrated.  Lex Orandi is an important principle here.  How much water is present?  Is it a pool?  Can some one enter the pool completely?  Note how the shape of the pool influences the theology of the sacrament.  What has been your experience?  How does the Baptismal pool in your parish church function in this theology?

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Assignment 5:  RCIA Critique

Select a Roman Catholic Parish of your choice and examine how the parish initiates adults into the community.  From your own experience or from conversations with the director of the RCIA, summarize the program this parish uses to initiate new members into the community.  Then, in the light of what you have studied and learned about the Rites of Christian Initiation for Adults and the history of these rituals, describe the strengths and weaknesses of this parish's program:  e.g.  How many times do they meet?  What happens during the dismissal on Sundays?  What doctrine is presented?  Do you think these are the key issues?  Are their omissions; secondary elements that are not necessary?  What is the difference between they way that the baptized and unbaptized are catechized?  What liturgical rites are employed?  All the Scrutinies?  Who makes the presentations during the meetings?  What is the involvement of the pastor? the Community?   Is there "follow up"?  Mystagogia?   How are the neophytes integrated into the ministries of the parish?  What percentage of the neophytes continue practicing after baptism?   (You do not need to answer all of these questions or only these questions -- I give them simply to help you get some ideas to think about as you examine the parish program.)  Post by midnight on October 30

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Assignment 7:  Eucharist

That “Eucharist is the culmination of the initiation process” has been the consistent teaching of all Church writers until the dissolution of the rite in the West. 

“Fresh from the waters and resplendent in these garments, God’s holy people hasten to the altar of Christ, saying: I will go in to the altar of God, to God who gives joy to my youth. They have sloughed off the old skin of error, their youth renewed like an eagle’s, and they make haste to approach that heavenly banquet.” (Saint Ambrose, from the treatise “On the Mysteries,” Liturgy of the Hours, Reading for the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time, Friday.)

Any celebration (adults / children / infants) of the rites of initiation must make it clear that Eucharist is the culmination and completion of the initiation process.

Assignment 7:  Post an essay on "Eucharist is the Culmination of Christian Initiation."  Post by midnight on November 13  Note:  the November 13 date for Assignment #7 has been extended until midnight November 27.

Assignment 7 is to be accomplished "by teams."  You can pick your teammate and inform me by email that the other person has agreed; otherwise I will assign teams.  What I have in mind is this:  the team members 1) have some preliminary discussion of the project with each other; 2) each write some notes or a draft or a part of a draft; 3) they read and critique the other team member's work and discuss the topic; 4) they put together one final draft of the paper and together post one paper from the two people;  5) I will give one grade to the one paper; each of the two team members will both receive the same grade.  This process should ensure that the resulting paper will be a much better paper than  one turned by one person alone.  At least one other person will have critiqued it before it is submitted and and this discussion should help it to be a better paper.  In past courses students have found this a helpful, learning process.  It models what we usually do in parish life; most of our decisions and policies are a collaborative effort.  Another feature of the process is that it helps each of us see that what we understand to be "Church teaching" is not always what other ministers believe to be "Church teaching."  At the end of the course we will evaluate the process to make sure it was helpful.

The theology of Eucharist as the culminating sacrament is contained in the Rite itself (Lex Orandi) and becomes most evident when one examines carefully the structure of the Eucharistic Prayer and its berakah shape which shifts emphasis of the prayer from the institution narrative (consecration) to the epiclesis.  It is difficult to see Eucharist as the culmination of initiation in those situations where the apparent "culminating" sacrament is Confirmation when Confirmation is celebrated years after "First Communion" with all the pomp and circumstance that accompany an Episcopal liturgy.  

During the 2007 summer course "Introduction to the Sacraments" I asked the participants to write an essay in which they would explain the proper order for the reception of the sacraments of initiation including the history of this complex issue and explain how Eucharist is the culmination of Initiation. My thoughts after reading these essays can be found here.

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Orientation to Module 4
Tomorrow (The Rites of Christian Initiation
in their cultural setting.  The future of these rites.) 

Weeks 14 to 16   November 25 to December 11

In this module we want to look briefly at our American culture and culture in general, to see the context into which the Rites for Christian Initiation are interpreted. We will read the final chapters of Keith Pecklers' book Worship to determine those elements of Liturgy and Inculturation that have application to Christian initiation.

In addition to the readings from the text books listed in the syllabus for this module, I suggest that you read the following pages of www.tomrichstatter.org

1.  Chapter d29 The Twenty-First Century gives some information about liturgy and our contemporary culture. 

2.  Chapter d36 Liturgy and Culture  will be a context for the final chapters of Keith Pecklers' book

3.  Chapter i98 Conclusions gives some "conclusions" of the students from former incarnations of this course.

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Assignment 9:  Hispanic Baptism

Post a critique of the contemporary rituals for Hispanic baptism in the light of Pecklers.   Post by midnight on December 4 

In a few years half of all the baptisms celebrated in the United States will be Hispanic.  In the light of what you have read and studied in Pecklers' book regarding culture, popular piety, and popular religion, critique the current state of initiation in the Hispanic / American / Catholic community.  To accomplish this exercise you may need to interview friends or parishioners or research the issue on the web.  (I googled "Hispanic baptism" and got 200 hits.  Do the pictures and descriptions on the web represent an "Anglo version" of Hispanic Baptism?)   --- If your particular background or pastoral context suggests a different cultural comparison other than Hispanic, you are certainly free to select those rituals (e.g. African adaptations, Asian baptism, etc.)

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Assignment 10:  Concluding Project

This project can take the form of an essay, a narrated PowerPoint presentation, etc. and can treat a topic of your choice that relates to the concluding section of the course.  Your essay or presentation may treat the relation between Christian Initiation and contemporary society, the future of the Rites of Initiation, or some similar topic.  Post by midnight on December 11 Note:  the December 11date for Assignment #10 has been extended until midnight December 18. 

Assignment 10 is to be accomplished "by teams."   Pick your teammate (or teammates) and inform me before midnight December 1st, of the mutually agreed upon teams and the topic and format of your project. 

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© Copyright: Tom Richstatter, Franciscan Province of St. John the Baptist, Cincinnati Ohio, Order of Friars Minor. All Rights Reserved.  This page was created by Fr. Thomas Richstatter, O.F.M.  Every effort has been, and is being made, to acknowledge sources when the ideas are not my own.  Any failure to comply with the United States Copyright Act (Title 17, United States Code) will be corrected immediately should I become aware of it.  This site was updated on 12/16/07 .  Your comments on this site are welcome at webmaster2@tomrichstatter.org.