There is a premise in sacrament formation that says that individuals have to be prepared to receive them, but there shouldn’t be any undo obstacles placed in their way. Given that understanding, those tasked with creating sacrament preparation programs have to juggle how much preparation is needed, and when enough is enough. They also have to decide if the process is going to contain only bookwork, or if hands on activities, and/or other components should be incorporated. Furthermore, an additional ripple is added in the works when a person is seeking a sacrament outside of the norm that is “traditional” in their particular diocese. For example, when a school-aged child is seeking Baptism, or an adult is seeking First Eucharist, it can become a bit complicated. If you add the factor of an entire family coming forward with several children and adults seeking sacraments all at the same time, it can create quite the array of confusion. That reality is behind the idea of children participating in the process called The Order of Christian Initiation for Adults (OCIA, formerly called the RCIA). Within that process, individuals prepare for all of the Sacraments of Initiation (Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist), or at least those that they haven’t already received. What? Does that mean that children sometimes participate in a process that is labeled “adult?” The answer to that question is, “Yes!” They can be as young as eight years old when they celebrate Confirmation! But why?
First of all, it must be said that most of our families baptize their babies, then enroll them in formation at some point around first grade, and continue their formation until around eighth grade. When following that norm, students usually celebrate First Eucharist toward the end of second grade, with Confirmation following at the end of eighth grade (in this diocese). As I said above, these special circumstances arise when these norms haven’t been followed. In that case, we are presented with a child, or children, that wouldn’t be preparing with children of their same age, were they to have been placed in the “first communion” class with the younger students. Just think of that seventh grader who is forced to sit in a class for second graders! I’ve known of places where that has happened! Just think of the embarrassment, and upset. That, in itself, is an obstacle.
Next, think of the logistical nightmare that separate classes in separate places, times or days might create if you have four separate members of a family seeking sacraments. Most parishes provide adult formation at one day and time, while children’s formation is at another. If space is an issue, or there is another factor, some parishes even divide the grades into separate days, further complicating the matter. Here we go! Another obstacle!
Further, if various members of a family are prepared in separate programs, it is likely that they’d be expected to celebrate their sacraments on separate days and times. The children would be prepared to celebrate at a “children’s” celebration of First Eucharist, and their parents at another. What do out of town family do? Do they choose one celebration over another, or do they all have to wait for a celebration? What happens with any older kids, especially an eighth grader, or older? Would they have to process in with the second-grade students? Would they then have to wait another year, or more, to be Confirmed? Now they’d stand out in that later process and celebration as well. If this type of disjointed preparation is “required,” the logistics of celebration even become an obstacle.
Now, I ask you, if you are up for the task… Think about this. What if there was a more organic way of preparing an entire family? What if age didn’t matter? What if they all prepared for one, big celebration, where they’d all be participating? That is what OCIA is all about! Check out this same spot, next week, to discover more of the beauty of the OCIA process.