Chapter
12
Sacraments of Initiation
In This Chapter
The sacrament of baptism
How confirmation strengthens the faith
The Eucharist and its importance
How bread and wine become the body and blood of Jesus Christ
The three sacraments of Christian initiation are baptism, confirmation, and Eucharist. Together they provide the foundation for a life of Christian faith. Through baptism the faithful are reborn, through confirmation their Christianity is strengthened, and through the Eucharist they are nourished.
These three sacraments are mainstays of the faith. All Catholics, whether they start out Catholic as infants or enter the Catholic Church as adults, will receive these three sacraments as a matter of course over time. Baptism and confirmation are received only once, and Eucharist is received often and regularly throughout a Catholic’s life.
In this chapter, we will look at these three sacraments in detail, exploring not only their spiritual dimensions but the rituals and practices that bring the sacraments to life for Catholics receiving them.
I Baptize Thee …
For most Catholics, baptism is not a sacrament they remember receiving, as they were probably infants at the time. Yet baptism is a sacrament that is critical to a life of faith. It is the “basis” of Christian life and the door to all the other sacraments. Quoting the 1314 Council of Florence, the Catechism calls baptism the “gateway to life in the Spirit.” (1213)
Church Speak
To baptize, which comes from the Greek word baptizein, means to “plunge” into or “immerse” in water. Baptism is named for the main rite used in the celebration of the sacrament—the pouring of water over the head of the person being baptized or the immersion of that person into a pool of water. In the Catholic Church, the former is more common. (1214)
Through baptism, Catholics are freed from sin (original and actual sin), reborn in Christ, and welcomed into the Church. The Church teaches that by being immersed in the waters of new life, the faithful join in Christ’s death and rise up with him as new creations.
The Catechism explains that baptism brings about the birth of the Spirit, which is necessary for salvation. Through it, the faithful receive “enlightenment,” or the light of faith and, in turn, become a light of faith to others. (1215–1216)
Water, Water, Everywhere
Baptism is prefigured in the Old Covenant through the many references to water and its role in God’s plan of salvation. We have the water that covered the earth at the dawn of creation and again during the great flood, the parting of the Red Sea that allowed the Israelites to escape Egyptian slavery, and the crossing of the Jordan River that brought the Israelites to the Promised Land. (1219–1222)
Fast forward a bit and we have Jesus—the fulfillment of the Old Covenant—beginning his public ministry with baptism in the Jordan River and ending his earthly life with a pierced heart, out of which flowed water (a sign of baptism) and blood (a sign of Eucharist).
After his Resurrection, Jesus told his apostles to “make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” (Matthew 28:19)
From the first Pentecost on, the Church has baptized those who believe in Jesus as a way to forgive sins and impart the Holy Spirit. The Church teaches that through baptism Catholics “put on Christ.” (1227)
Teachable Moment
Over the course of history, the process of Christian initiation has varied, with the earliest Christians going through a period of catechumenate, or instruction, to prepare for baptism. Infant baptism obviously cannot include formal instruction before the sacrament, so it must include instruction after the fact. Baptized non-Catholic adults who wish to enter the Catholic Church are known as “candidates.” They do not need to be baptized again. Nonbaptized adults who wish to enter the Catholic Church through baptism are called “catechumens.” Both must spend a period of time in study to prepare to receive the sacraments, which typically occurs during the Easter Vigil Mass.
Rite of Baptism
So how is a baptism performed and what do the signs and symbols mean? Well, the rite begins with the Sign of the Cross. During infant baptism, typically it is the minister, parents, and godparents who make the sign of the cross on the forehead of the baby. For adults, the person being baptized does this himself or herself. The Sign of the Cross figuratively tattoos the person to be baptized, marking him or her with the imprint of Christ.
This is followed by the proclamation of the word of God, meaning Scripture passages are read aloud to “enlighten with revealed truth” the catechumen (the adult being baptized)or the infant through those standing for the infant as well as all others gathered for the baptism. (1235–1236)
This is followed by prayers of exorcism, which have nothing to do with Hollywood’s version and everything to do with prayers to protect the person being baptized from evil and keep him or her free from sin (there will be more on exorcism later.) The catechumen (or, in the case of an infant, those standing in for the infant) then explicitly renounces Satan, at which point he or she is ready to profess faith in the Church. (1237) Finally we come to the “essential rite” of baptism, which is the immersion of the catechumen or infant in water or the pouring of water over the head of the catechumen or infant while invoking the three persons of the Trinity. With each name—Father, Son, and Spirit—the catechumen or infant is immersed or water is poured over his or her head again. (1239) The latter method is most typical in any Catholic baptism but especially those involving infants.
Church Speak
Chrism is a blend of oil and balsam that is blessed by a bishop and used during sacramental rites such as baptism, confirmation, and holy orders.
The newly baptized next receives three gifts:
1. Anointing with sacred chrism, which is a perfumed oil symbolizing the gift of the Holy Spirit. Through this anointing the baptized becomes one who is anointed by the Spirit into Christ.
2. A white garment, which symbolizes that the newly baptized person has “put on Christ.”
3. A candle lit from the Easter candle, which symbolizes Christ as the light of the world and the light of the baptized person’s faith. (1241–1243)
The rite of baptism concludes with a solemn blessing, and for the baptism of an infant, a special blessing for the parents of the baby. (1245)
Teachable Moment
If you’ve been to an infant baptism, then you’ve probably noticed the white dresses or outfits that are worn. The white garment is an important part of the baptismal rite and signifies that the person has “put on Christ” and has risen with him. Another important symbol is the lighting of a smaller candle from the larger “Easter candle,” usually done by a godparent. This light signifies that Jesus Christ has enlightened the newly baptized person, who is now “the light of the world” to others. (1243)
Anyone, Any Time
Most people associate baptism in the Catholic Church with babies, but the truth is that anyone, at any age, can be baptized. Adult baptism was the norm in the early Church when the apostles baptized Jews and non-Jews who believed in Jesus Christ and wanted to be part of his growing Church.
Today, as in the earliest days of Christianity, adults seeking baptism are known as catechumens. In order to be initiated into the Catholic faith, they must prepare through formal instruction known as RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults).
So why does the Catholic Church baptize babies if they cannot be formally instructed in the faith? Well, because the Church teaches we all enter this world with original sin, it offers baptism as a way to free children from the power of darkness and give them new life in Christ. (1250)
Teachable Moment
Calling infant baptism an “immemorial tradition of the Church,” the Catechism cites Scripture references showing that young children in the early Church would have been baptized alongside their parents. “He took them in at that hour of the night and bathed their wounds; then he and all his family were baptized at once.” (Acts 16:33) According to the Holy See’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, infant baptism was common at least as far back as the second century, but may have been common from the beginning of the Church when entire households were baptized in one fell swoop. (1252)
When Catholics are baptized, they are asked what they seek of the Church, and they, or the baby’s godparents and parents, answer, “faith.” Baptism does not perfect faith but offers the newly baptized a starting point. The Catechism explains that baptism leads the baptized to the “threshold of new life.” There is much more to be done after baptism, especially for infants who must rely on their parents and godparents to be examples of faith and to encourage them on their faith journey as they grow. (1235)
Baptism is ordinarily performed by the clergy: bishops, priests, and deacons. (We will discuss deacons in detail in Chapter 14). However, when a member of the clergy is absent, a person who has been legitimately designated can perform baptisms. In fact, any person—even a non-Christian—can baptize someone “in case of necessity,” such as if death is imminent. This is possible as long as the person intends to do in the ritual what the Church wants done and as long as he or she uses the same formula as the Church—either immersing the person to be baptized or pouring water on the person’s head and baptizing him or her in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. (1256)
True Confessions
There once was a theory popular in Church circles that babies who died without the benefit of baptism went to a place called limbo, where they would never be united with God, as the people in heaven are united with him, but would also never suffer. In 2007, however, members of the papally-appointed International Theological Commission took limbo off the theological map. Reflecting a 1980 Instruction on Infant Baptism from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the Catechism specifically says that the Church entrusts unbaptized babies who have died “to the mercy of God as she does in her funeral rites for them.” (1261)
Baptismal Benefits
The Church teaches that Jesus made it clear that baptism is the necessary way to salvation for those who believe, saying that you cannot enter the kingdom of God without being born of “water and Spirit.” (1257)
Through baptism, Catholics receive forgiveness not only for original sin but also for all of their personal sins and the punishments that might come with them. They become adopted children of God and get to share in his “divine nature” through the graces they receive from the Holy Spirit. Baptism “incorporates Catholics into the Church” and gives them a role in Christ’s mission.
The Catechism explains that through baptism, a person no longer belongs to himself but to Christ. (1265–1269) The sacrament also unites all Christians, even those who are not yet “in full communion” with the Catholic Church are united through their baptism into Christianity. (1271)
Finally, baptism is a sacrament received only one time. The Church teaches that baptism leaves an “indelible spiritual mark” or “seal” on the baptized person that lasts forever. No sin, no later choice of the baptized person can ever erase this seal. No matter what happens afterward, the effect of baptism is everlasting. (1272)
Teachable Moment
When you are baptized, you typically receive a baptismal name, which is the name of a Christian virtue, such Faith or Hope, or the name of a saint who will serve as a model of faith and patron, such as Anne or Joseph. Many parents today, however, don’t give their children such baptismal names, and the Church is okay with that. However, the Catechism, quoting the Code of Canon Law, says that parents cannot give their children names that would be “foreign to Christian sentiment,” say, something like Lucifer or Voldemort. (2156)
Sacrament of Confirmation
Confirmation is not an afterthought in the Catholic Church, even though in the Latin rite it typically comes many years after infant baptism. The Church teaches that confirmation is necessary to complete the grace received in baptism. It is through confirmation that Catholics are more perfectly bound to the Church and receive the strength of the Holy Spirit to aid them in their spiritual journey. (1285)
Sealed with the Spirit
Through confirmation, a Catholic becomes fully engaged in the life of the faith and the Church. The Catechism explains that the anointing of confirmation is a “sign of consecration” that allows the anointed person to “share more completely in the mission of Jesus Christ and the fullness of the Holy Spirit.” (1294)
The person being confirmed receives the mark or “seal” of the Spirit, just as Jesus was marked with the seal of his Father. The seal of the Spirit in confirmation signifies a “total belonging” to Christ. (1295–1296)
As with baptism, confirmation leaves an indelible mark on a Catholic, and so this sacrament is received only once.
The essential rite of confirmation occurs when the person being confirmed, or “confirmand,” is anointed on the forehead with sacred chrism while the following words are spoken: “Be sealed with the Gift of the Holy Spirit.” (1300)
From Pentecost On
Confirmation is the modern-day equivalent of what the apostles experienced on the first Pentecost, a pouring out of the Holy Spirit.
The Catechism explains that through confirmation, Catholics receive an increase of baptismal grace, become more deeply rooted as children of God, are more firmly united to Jesus Christ, receive an increase of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, make their bond with the Church more perfect, and receive special strength to defend and spread the faith. (1303)
Every baptized Catholic who is not confirmed should be confirmed at the “appropriate time.” In the U.S. Church, in the Latin rite, the appropriate time falls somewhere between the “age of discretion,” which is around 7 years of age, and the age of 16. (1307)
The Catechism explains that in order to be confirmed, Catholics must prepare through instruction designed to “awaken a sense of belonging to the Church of Jesus Christ, the universal Church as well as the parish community.” Confirmands typically receive their instruction within their parish communities, either through lessons provided as part of their Catholic school curriculum or, if they attend public school, through classes provided after school or in the evenings (typically on a weekly basis.) Most children attend regular religious education classes throughout their school years, culminating in confirmation some time in high school.
The person going through confirmation chooses a sponsor, who is often a godparent or a family member or friend who will provide spiritual help and serve as a role model. The confirmand also chooses a saint’s name, as in baptism, as a patron and model of faith. There seems to be an almost unlimited supply of saints’ names, but some of the more common examples include Joseph, Anne, John, Teresa, Catherine and Francis. It can be the name of a well-known saint or someone obscure, as long as the Church recognizes the person as a saint.
Confirmation is typically administered by a bishop, although a bishop may give priests the faculty to do so if necessary. The Catechism explains the reason for the bishop as first choice has to do with his role as successor of the apostles. As minister of this sacrament, the bishop unites those being confirmed more closely to the Church and its “apostolic origins.” (1313)
Like the sacrament of first Eucharist or Communion (which we will discuss further in a few minutes), confirmation is a very special day in the life of a Catholic. Typically all the children to be confirmed from a parish will gather in the parish church with their family and friends for a ceremony in which each child (often dressed in red or white robes) goes before the bishop with his or her sponsor and is anointed with chrism.
Eucharist: The Greatest Mystery
The third sacrament in this series is the central sacrament of the entire Catholic faith, the Eucharist. Everything in the life of the Church flows from the Eucharist and is directed toward it: “The Eucharist is the source and summit of the Christian life.” (1324)
To some people, the Eucharist, which Catholics receive during Mass may appear to be simple bread and wine, but it is so much more than that. In fact, Catholics believe that during Mass the bread and wine become Jesus’ body and blood, which is known as the “real presence,” even though they retain the appearance of bread and wine.
The Eucharist or Communion, as it is commonly known, is the sacrifice of the body and blood of Jesus Christ, made available to humankind as a way to “perpetuate the sacrifice of the cross throughout the ages until he should come again,” the Catechism explains. At the Last Supper, when Jesus celebrated Passover with his apostles, he gave them the Eucharist (bread and wine transformed into his body and blood) as a memorial of his death and resurrection. The Catechism calls the Eucharist a sacrament of love, a sign of unity, a bond of charity, and a paschal banquet, at which believers who consume Christ are filled with grace and receive a pledge of future glory. (1323)
So to be sure you are clear on the depth of the Eucharist, Catholics believe the bread and wine offered at Mass truly become the body and blood of Jesus Christ through transubstantiation. They do not believe it is a symbol of the body and blood but that through the prayer of consecration prayed by the priest-celebrant, the bread and wine become Jesus.
Church Speak
Transubstantiation is a term used to describe the change of bread and wine into the body and blood of Jesus during the eucharistic celebration. It means an entire change of substance occurs during the consecration even though it maintains the appearance of bread and wine.
The Eucharist, the Catechism explains, is the “culmination” both of God’s sanctification of the world through his Son and of humanity’s worship offered back to Jesus Christ and, through him, to the Father in the Holy Spirit. (1325)
The sacrament of Eucharist is known by many different names in the Church. The word “Eucharist” refers to an act of thanksgiving to God. Other names for the Eucharist include Lord’s Supper, Breaking of Bread, Memorial of the Lord’s Passion and Resurrection, Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, Most Blessed Sacrament, and Holy Communion, among others. (1328–1330)
In the Old Covenant, gifts of bread and wine were offered as a sign of thanksgiving to the creator. The unleavened bread of Passover, the bread that commemorates the Israelites’ exodus from Egypt, is made new by Jesus, who takes the unleavened bread of Passover and transforms it into his body. The wine, offered as a “cup of blessing” at the end of the Jewish Passover, is given new meaning when Jesus transforms it into his blood, leaving a never-ending memorial of his suffering for his Church. (1334–1335)
Teachable Moment
When Jesus multiplied five loaves of bread to feed the crowd of 5,000 (John 6:1–15), it prefigured the “superabundance” of the eucharistic bread. Similarly, when he turned water into wine at the wedding feast at Cana (John 2:1–11), it prefigured the wedding feast in heaven where the faithful will “drink the new wine that has become the blood of Christ.” (1335)
Last Supper, First Communion
Jesus wanted to leave his followers with something that would forever connect him to them. He did this through the Eucharist.
At the Last Supper, Jesus gathered his apostles around him, knowing the hour of his death was fast approaching. When they were seated at the Passover table, he broke the bread, gave it to the apostles, and said, “Take and eat; this is my body.” Then he took the cup of wine and said, “Drink from it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed on behalf of many for the forgiveness of sins.” (Matthew 26:26–28)
With that, Jesus “gave the Jewish Passover its definitive meaning,” the Catechism explains. Jesus’ “passing over” to his Father through his death and resurrection becomes the “new Passover” and anticipates the final Passover that will come at the end of time. (1340)
So Jesus gave his body and blood, but he did something more: He asked his disciples to “Do this in remembrance of me” (1 Cor 11:24). During Mass, at the prayer of consecration, the events of the Last Supper are remembered, and through Christ’s words and the power of the Holy Spirit, the bread and wine become Jesus’ body and blood.
At every Catholic Mass, the Liturgy of the Eucharist “unfolds according to a fundamental structure that has been preserved throughout the centuries,” the Catechism says. The liturgy, as we discussed in the previous chapter, breaks down into two parts: the Liturgy of the Word, which includes Scripture readings; intercessory prayer and a homily; and the Liturgy of the Eucharist, which includes the presentation of bread and wine, the prayer of consecration, and Communion. This two-fold celebration mirrors Jesus’ Passover meal, where he talked first to his disciples about Scripture and then gave them his body and blood under the “species” of bread and wine. (1347)
Teachable Moment
At the Mass, Christ is considered the “high priest” with an ordained Catholic priest or bishop representing him and “acting in the person of Christ.” (1348) You cannot have a Catholic Mass without an ordained priest or bishop, although it is possible to have Communion services or other liturgical celebrations that do not include the prayer of consecration of the Eucharist but instead use Communion hosts consecrated at a previous Mass. In those cases, a deacon, religious sister or brother, or lay man or woman may officiate. Extraordinary ministers of the Eucharist are lay men and women who have been trained to distribute Communion at Mass or bring it to the homebound.
A Never-Ending Sacrifice
The Eucharist is not just a recollection of Jesus’ last Passover meal, but is a memorial that makes Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross “ever present” to believers. (1364) In other words, the sacrifice of Jesus’ death on the cross and the sacrifice of the Eucharist at Mass are “one single sacrifice.” (1367)
To help in this understanding, think of it as every time a Catholic Mass is celebrated, we remember that Jesus offered up his body and blood in order to redeem humankind. In the Eucharist, the whole Church is united with the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, from the pope and diocesan bishops to members of individual parishes to the communion of saints in heaven. (1371)
It is impossible to explain fully in logical, human terms what happens during the consecration of the Eucharist. Like the Trinity, the Eucharist is a matter of faith that is in many ways beyond our comprehension, but I’ll give it a shot because it is so critical to understanding the Catholic faith.
True Confessions
The Church teaches that through the consecration of the Eucharist, the bread and wine become Jesus’ real Body and Blood but the appearance of bread and wine remains. Will the consecrated bread and wine look any different? No. Will it taste any different? No. It is wholly changed in substance but not in appearance.
The “real, true, and substantial” presence of Christ in the Eucharist makes this sacrament more significant than any other and accounts for some of the other aspects of Catholic life that many people are familiar with. For example, when Catholics enter a Church they genuflect, or bend one knee, in reverence to the presence of the Eucharist. When the Eucharist is present in the tabernacle on or near the altar, a candle burns at all times. During the consecration at Mass, most Catholics will kneel.
The Church teaches that from the moment of consecration and for as long as the eucharistic “species” remain, Christ is present in them, and cannot be divided. In other words, when the priest breaks the Communion bread and distributes it, he does not divide Jesus, who is wholly present in any morsel of consecrated bread or sip of consecrated wine. (1378)
You’re Absolved If …
Although most Catholics in the Latin rite now receive Communion in the hand, you may still receive Communion directly on the tongue. For those who choose to receive in the hand, it is not simply a grab-and-go method. There is a particular way to receive: You cup your dominant hand under the opposite hand—for example, right cupped under left—and you let the priest, deacon, or extraordinary minister place the Communion host in the palm of your hand. Then, before leaving the presence of the eucharistic minister, you use your dominant hand to reverently place the host on your tongue.
Really, This Is My Body
When exploring the significance of the Eucharist and what is known as “the real presence,” the Church refers back to the words Jesus spoke not only at the Last Supper but also during his preaching.
“Amen, Amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you.” (John 6:53) In response to this stark and direct mandate, the Church invites believers to receive Communion on Sundays and holy days, or, if possible, daily, as long as they have made a preparatory examination of conscience or, when necessary due to grave sin, have gone to the sacrament of reconciliation, which we will discuss at length in the next chapter.
Although it is recommended that Catholics receive Communion whenever they are at Mass, they are obliged to receive Communion at least once a year, during the Easter season. (1389) In the U.S. Church, the time for fulfilling that obligation runs from the first Sunday of Lent until Trinity Sunday, which is the first Sunday after Pentecost, or about eight weeks after Easter.
Teachable Moment
The Catholic Church allows children to receive the sacrament of first Communion when they reach the “use of reason,” typically around age 7, or second grade.
The Church teaches just as Jesus cannot be divided when the Eucharist is broken or distributed at Mass, he is also fully present in both species of bread and wine, meaning that if you receive under only one “form,” you receive the real, true, and substantial Christ, whole and entire. The Catechism explains, however, that by receiving under both species the sign of Communion is “more complete.” (1390)
By receiving the Eucharist, or Holy Communion, Catholics are intimately united with Jesus. The Eucharist serves as a foundation for a life in Christ, with the spiritual nourishment of Communion doing for the spiritual life of the believer what material food does for human life. (1391–1392)
The Least You Need to Know
There are three sacraments of initiation into the Catholic faith: baptism, confirmation, and Eucharist.
Baptism washes away original sin, actual sins, and their punishments, and lays the foundation for a life in Christ.
Confirmation completes the initiation started at baptism, binding the recipient more perfectly to the Church as a true witness of Christ.
Eucharist, which is a memorial of Christ’s death on the cross, is the central sacrament of the Catholic faith.
Bread and wine are transformed into the body and blood of Jesus Christ during the eucharistic prayer at Mass.
The Church recommends that Catholics receive Communion at Mass on Sundays and holy days but obliges them to receive Communion at least once during the Easter season.