Seminar Report 2023

Convener

Christina Ronzio (pro tem) is the Director of the National Liturgy Office of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Members in Attendance

Dennis Chriszt, Christina Condyles, John Hill, Jay Koyle, Paul Turner, Stephen Wilbricht

Visitors in Attendance

Chris O’Brien

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

• John Hill, “Becoming the Story We Tell: Renewing Our Engagement with Christ Crucified and Risen” (Primate’s Task Force, Anglican Church of Can- ada, 2023).
• Jay Koyle, draft text Preparation of Candidates (Catechumens) and Com- munity for the Celebration of Holy Baptism: Texts for Trial Use and Evalua- tion—Rites and Prayers Supplemental to The Book of Alternative Services Of The Anglican Church of Canada (2021).
• Christina Ronzio, “Draft Guidelines for Instituted Lector, Acolyte and Catechist”
• Paul Turner, “The Rites of Handing On and of Immediate Preparation: A Preview of a January 2023 FDLC Workshop.”
• Stephen Wilbricht, csc, Anointed for Mission: Exercising Your Baptismal Call (LTP, 2022).

Other Work and Plans for the Future

• OCIA—in anticipation of the release of Order of Christian Initiation of Adults in 2024, the following seminar topics were identified for possible con- sideration:
  • Helpful research topics for resource development by members of the seminar
  • Exploration of changes in terminology
  • The ecclesiology of the new ritual text
  • What’s new in the new national statutes?
  • Initiation of children of catechetical age, not just “catching them up with their classmates”
• Denis Chriszt, cpps, Creating an Effective Mystagogy: A Handbook for Cat- echumenate Leaders Second Edition (LTP, 2021).
• Consideration of the Order of Penance—what’s different, how will we im- plement it differently, what are the challenges it presents us at this time in history? The seminar members explored the possibility of considering one of two forthcoming books by Paul Turner on this topic.
• The members of the seminar requested an update on Preparation of Candi- dates (Catechumens) and Community for the Celebration of Holy Baptism and Becoming the Story We Tell.

Seminar Report 2022

Convener

Garrick Comeaux (not present)

Members in Attendance

Christina Condyles, Timothy Fitzgerald, Victoria Tufano, Paul Turner, Stephen Wilbricht

Visitors in Attendance

N/A

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

• Paul Turner, “The Oil of Catechumens”

Other Work and Plans for the Future: 

The members 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 with the eucharistic community. How do we live out the radical equality that Christian baptism expresses? How do we fail to do so?

Seminar Report 2020

Convener

Diana Dudoit Raiche, PhD, Associate Professor and Director of Grad- uate Programs, Ann & Joe O. Neuhoff School of Ministry, University of Dallas

Members in Attendance

Garrick Comeau, Christina (Christy) Condyles, Den- nis Chriszt, Nicholas Denysenko, Tim Fitzgerald, Jason Haddocks, Larry Mick, Mark Stamm, Vicki Tufano, Paul Turner, Stephen Wilbricht

Visitors in Attendance

Ching-yu Huang, Pekka Rehumaki, Christina Ronzio, Kyle Turner, David Wood

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 formation for discipleship in the church. The Seminar held a joint session with the Formation for Liturgical Prayer Seminar for an update on the Order of Baptism of Children with guest presenter Marit Rong.

Papers and Presentations

• Paul Turner gave an update on the new Order of Baptism of Children. New translation rules and new editions in Latin necessitate the Order of Baptism of Children, available January 6, 2020. It may be used as of February 2, 2020; it must be used by April 12, Establishing the biblical evidence that infants were baptized as part of whole households by 3rd century, this new ritual book is for those who are younger than the age of reason (7 years, or catechetical age). Infants should be baptized “within the first few weeks after birth” (Canon 867.1) and disability is no reason for deferring baptism (USCCB Guidelines on Persons with Disability). The presentation focused on what is different in the new ritual text compared to what remains the same.

• Marit Rong gave a presentation on “Confirmation—and/or Christian Faith?” from the perspective of three contexts: 1)Roman Catholics are the fastest growing group in Norway, 2) as a folk church, the Church of Norway connects Confirmation to pietism from Copenhagen, and 3) a third, new ritual for confirmation, which is not a sacrament, is emerging. Confirmation has been necessary to be considered an adult, go to dances, or get It has been influenced by Luther’s catechism because one had to have enough knowledge to be confirmed. From the perspective of a Lutheran pastor and professor, the paper responds to the ritual decisions in the third confirmation ritual that raise theological questions. Is the new ritual looking backwards or looking forward to communion? How do we initiate people into the body of Christ? Should confirmation be a rite of passage, or is it a rite of intercession in the Church of Norway?

• Christina Condyles presented a chapter from her dissertation, “Sacramental Relationships: God, the World, and the Christian”. Following a summary of the dissertation, which is to advance a theological understanding of sacramental personhood and better live out Christian identity in the world, and providing an outline of the first chapter, Condyles focused on sacramental theology of the sacraments of initiation. Three topics were offered for discus- sion by the seminar members: 1) Relationships made through the sacraments God, Creation, and the Church: What are the primary obstacles to living out these relationships more fully: Shallow spirituality and failure to reflect sufficiently on what we pray? How much do we think about what we are saying? 2) Regarding terminology—what needs to be made clearer—sacramental economy and sacramental personhood? 3) What is the relationship between sacramental identity and ecclesial identity?

• Diana Dudoit Raiche presented a paper on “Liturgical Catechesis: A Method with Constitutive Elements”. The thesis of the paper advances that there are three movements to liturgical catechesis and such catechesis, using the constitutive elements found in Sacrosanctum Concilium, need to be presented in relation to reflection on how they are experienced in the liturgy rather than merely as a disconnected educational exercise in preparation for liturgy. Conversation focused on a request for suggestions for adapting the more academic paper for a pastoral audience.

• Nicholas Denysenko, writing on reconciliation in the Orthodox tradition from the perspective of a liturgical scholar, presented a paper on “Rethinking the Mystery of Reconciliation in the Liturgical Context”. The paper raises ques- tions regarding what the Church may be missing vis-à-vis the mercy of God in the context of communal and individual concerns. The Russian Orthodox broke communion, prompting a need for reconciliation between bishops. Due to the lack of a confessor, some Orthodox Christians may never experi- ence confession. How do they participate in reconciliation? Is reconciliation merely focused on spiritual direction, only one part of reconciliation with the rite, which is often not used? How do renunciation and confession of faith occur in more than one mystery of the church? There is great diversity in the Orthodox tradition, as there is no editio typica for liturgical rites. However, the Orthodox Church is averse to change. Without resolving all the questions, the paper explores avenues naming the sins of our time, prayer of confession, lament, and abuse of power as connected to the need for reconciliation.

Other Work and Plans for the Future: Garrick Comeau was selected as convener for the next three years. A future topic was brought forward: What are the gaps between what we celebrate liturgically and what the people of God believe and live? Possible books to guide discussion on the theme in 2021:

• Thomas O’Loughlin, Eating Together Becoming One: Taking up Pope Francis’s Call to, Liturgical Press, 2019.
• Mary McGann, The Meal that Reconnects: Eucharistic Eating and the Global Food Crisis. Liturgical Press, 2020.
• Michael Gallagher, Clashing Symbols: An Introduction to Faith and Paulist Press, 1998, 2005.

• Dennis Chriszt’s revised book on Mystagogy
• Update on the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults