Father Augustine was sluggish getting ready for Mass. The strain of last night’s Easter Vigil—his 34th or 35th; he couldn’t remember—had significantly weakened him. But he had to celebrate Easter morning with the neophytes. After his brief homily, the catechumens … Read More
Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time In these summer months, your parish might be preparing to celebrate the Rite of Acceptance into the Order of Catechumens. This rite ritualizes an unbaptized seeker’s intention to follow Christ and the church’s acceptance of … Read More
Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time In communities where there are adults and children of catechetical age preparing for baptism, the church dismisses them before the Creed when they are present at Mass. This dismissal of catechumens is part of their … Read More
The Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time Next Sunday, catechumens around the world who have been deemed ready for initiation will be sent to their local cathedral to give their names to their bishop and thus be chosen for baptism this … Read More
The Second Sunday in Ordinary Time Members of the church are incorporated into an order, giving them particular rights and responsibilities. The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) describes this incorporation as an ordinatio. We’re familiar with the English use … Read More
I don’t think we can understand liturgy until we understand that it is a storytelling process. And then we have to understand the story liturgy tells and what the story does. Why understanding liturgy as “story” is so important It … Read More
Readings for the Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time Rules can be hard to follow. On the other hand, they sometimes are too easy to break. We’ve all encountered a coordinator who goes absolutely “by the book” with no leeway for … Read More
Readings for the Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time Before they are baptized, an adult celebrates the ephphatha rite. In it, the presider touches the person’s ears and lips and says, “Be opened that you may profess the faith you hear, … Read More
Readings for the Fourth Sunday of Easter, Year B One unfortunate outcome of connecting the image of the Good Shepherd from today’s Gospel so heavily to priesthood is that the Fourth Sunday of Easter has at times been overshadowed by … Read More