When our first son was to be baptized, I went to the Baptism preparation program for parents and godparents at our parish. Ours was a thriving parish in a big city. We were a large group in the church basement, ready to tune to the mystery of the Sacrament.
Then, the catechist began the session with the following: “We are going to get you out of here early.”
What?
We were told from the very beginning that the session, an already scandalously limited time for our formation, was going to cut corners, be a box to check.
So, what is the opposite approach? In the limited time available, the catechist might give us such a glimpse of the mystery of Baptism and the religious potential of the child that we might be drawn closer to the mystery ourselves and acknowledge the privilege of being a parent or a godparent.
For our children to have a vibrant church, we need the latter approach.
Paul's Blog 