3 minute read
An Inside Look At Our “Becoming Catholic” Program
Guiding Souls Home To The Church
Much has changed in the world in recent months, and for many people, the crises of 2020 have provided an opportunity for self-reflection and a search for meaning. For some, it has led them to seek something more — something they have found in faith and the Catholic Church.
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Through our parish program, Becoming Catholic — Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults, people can learn more about the teachings of the Catholic faith and prepare to receive the Sacraments of Initiation — Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist. In some cases, individuals who have been baptized but have yet to be fully initiated in the Church can participate in the Becoming Catholic process to complete their faith formation and ultimately come into full communion with the Church by receiving the Sacraments of Confirmation and/or Eucharist. For most, the process lasts a school year, leading up to the reception of the Sacraments of Initiation at the Easter Vigil. This year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 24 people preparing to receive sacraments were welcomed into the Church on June 21.
“I love people seeing Jesus for Who He really is,” says Jeri Potter, who coordinates Becoming Catholic at the Cathedral. “I love seeing them explore their prayer life. I love seeing them maturing and starting to read the Bible on their own and bring questions to class, and how they can express that growth. It’s a journey, and it’s a lifetime journey.”
Typically, the formation process includes weekly Sunday catechesis sessions. However, since the start of the pandemic, the Becoming Catholic classes have met via video conference, and will continue to do so as they begin again this fall. A variety of speakers, including our priests and deacons, share on a variety of topics, from the sacraments to morality, prayer and grace. The presentations last about 30 minutes and are followed by a time of discussion and Q&A.
“I hope that they can gain a deeper prayer life,” Jeri says. “If nothing else, I hope they take away from this something that helps them pray. I hope God will open that door and spark that fire, and that fire will be burning in their hearts and as it burns, they’ll come back with more questions and we’ll help them through.”
The Becoming Catholic sessions can also be an opportunity for fully-initiated Catholics to grow in their understanding of the Church’s beliefs and teachings, while supporting those preparing to enter the Church.
“We had some people this past year who came for enrichment,” Jeri says. “I saw light bulbs go off in understanding why we did some things. People said, ‘I never even thought about that’ or ‘I really feel like I’m getting to know Christ better in my heart.’
“This is a lifetime journey,” she adds. “Every time we go through an Becoming Catholic session, there’s something I hear myself in a different way or something I’ve forgotten.
Jeri invites active parishioners who are looking for a way to become involved in service to consider being a sponsor to walk with someone preparing to become Catholic or part of the Becoming Catholic team. Sponsors are encouraged to attend the weekly sessions as often as possible to support those going through the process.
“Some people have said that what brought them to Becoming Catholic in the first place was the example of other Catholics they were around,” Jeri says. “A good sponsor is a person who has a deep faith life and can talk about their faith and support these people after they come into the Church.”
Jeri encourages those who would like to go deeper in their Catholic faith or prepare to receive Sacraments of Initiation to consider joining Becoming Catholic. There is no commitment and people are able to grow and learn at their own pace.
“Come and see and learn,” Jeri says. “Come, see about the faith, see what we do, see why we do what we do.
“Come and be a part of this,” she adds. “It’s an exciting time to delve into your relationship with Christ, to see how you can open your heart to receive Him fully.”
