One of the greatest challenges about transitioning from our old paradigms of religious education to a true Discipleship Formation Process is getting the regular parishioner to accept the change. People simply don’t like to change and find it difficult to understand why their experience is no longer acceptable.

If I were a plumber and randomly showed up at your front door, stating that I was here to rip out your existing plumbing and replace it with brand new copper pipes, you would send me packing. However, if you came home from work and found your house flooded with 6 inches of water, you would call me back to do that very job if that was the need.

Most cradle Catholics would make the the transition if they had a clear understanding of what is actually trying to be accomplished. Our problem is that we are still using antiquated programs and conversations that don’t provide parishioners with a reason to change. We need to transform our initial conversations with those who are seeking to attain the sacraments.

“I want my child Baptized”

Imagine a young parent coming to your parish, seeking to get their baby baptized. Typically this conversation proceeds with giving them the rules, requirements and expectations. After the baptism is accomplished, we may or may not see the parents in Mass again.

Or, hopefully, they will resurface around first grade in preparation for their child receiving First Communion. With the writing clearly on the wall, we are seeing yet another generation of “Catholics” on their way into “Cultural Catholicism”. We may have completed our task, but we did not complete our mission. We need to change, but how?  

I believe that every time a parent or individual is seeking to receive a sacrament from the Church, it is an opportunity to change the focus or purpose for getting it. Most people want sacraments because they either believe it is the right thing to do or are seeking something or someone else rather than God (ie., getting married).

While we can’t deny the sacraments to people who request them of us, we can help them understand what is really going on. Regarding the parents that want their child baptized, I would not go to the “rules and regs” first. I would question what they hope to achieve by helping their child receive baptism. What does baptism accomplish?

In doing this first, we can clearly define why baptism is so critical to their child’s life and worthy of every effort by the parents to protect what they are about to achieve with it. Up to this point, we have simply taken this attitude for granted and have assumed the parents know. Frankly, my experience is that a vast majority of current young Catholic parents have no real clue. But this can change. This MUST change!   

Entrance sacraments are still areas where people are still looking for the Church’s help. We need to step up our efforts and clearly articulate the “why”, so that people can make intelligent decisions. This will require us to bone up on the saving plan of God and show how sacraments play a vital role.