Roman Catholic Parish 
Restoring of the Order of the Sacraments of Initiation
At the behest of and with strong encouragement from the late Pope John Paul II as well as current Pope Benedict XVI
, Bishops from all over the world have been discussing the processes by which the Roman Catholic Church might heed
the call of the Second Vatican Council to return the Sacraments of Initiation to their originally intended order of Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist (as
opposed to the current practice of baptised children receiving Eucharist prior to the completion of their initiation at Confirmation),
with Confirmation and Eucharist to be conferred in a single celebration.
Since 1990, the Archdiocese of Regina, along with dioceses across North America and around the world, have been
discussing the means by which these sacraments might be restored to their rightful
order of celebration. In the fall of 2008, Archbishop Daniel Bohan let it be known, that he would like to see the
process of restoration begin.
In the Spring of 2009 it
was announced that, through voluntary election, 11 parishes throughout the Archdiocese of Regina would pilot this
restoration of the initiation process for children and teens who have not yet completed their initiation into the
Catholic Church. Since the fall of 2010 the whole of the diocese of Regina has begun using this restored process of Christian Initiation for Children.
From our own experiences as a pilot parish, the transition has been a time of learning and growth in understanding
and faith. The overwhelmingly possitive feedback we have received in the offfice from those families who particpated in this Restored Order process
has been extremely encouraging.
Certainly there will be challenges. We must help all of our faithful to understand
why the Church has seen the need for this kind of change. At the same time, this is an exciting opportunity to
engage the entire community in the process of welcoming our children into the faith, creating new traditions, and bringing
new life to our parish celebrations.
Your Child's Initiation - It's All About Family
Initiation into the Body of Christ has always been about being a part of a bigger family. This is our great gift
to our children. Over time, this family focus has been lost. More often than not, parents expect that
their children's faith education and formation will be done by someone else, either at their Catholic School or in the parish.
This neglects the fundamental Truth about our vocational calling as parents and the promises we made at our child's baptism to "bring them up in the practice of the faith."
As Parents, we are the primary teachers of the faith to our children and it will always be within the context of our families that our
children learn the most about what it means to be a Christian and live this Christian life.
Learn more about our vital and irreplaceable role
as Christian parents; Educating Children in the Faith,
Generation to Generation: Nuturing the Faith in Our Homes,
Children Thrive When Parents Follow Religious Beliefs,
Parenting Tips From The 10 Commandments
Sacraments of Initiation FAQ
Who Can Take Part? At any point after your child/children reach the age of 7, they can complete the process of initiation. Have multiple kids? You can wait
until all are 7 or older and complete their initiations together. Talk together about what works best for your family.
When do the classes begin? Family classes
begin in January of next year. All gatherings, for parents and children are essential in completing your chid's/children's initiation.
How do I register? We will offer two information meetings this fall; Wednesday October 12th at 6:30pm and
Saturday October 15th at 10:00am. The considerable commiment to participate in this process
on the part of the entire family requires that we accept no regsitrations until all parents have attended one of these initial
information meetings.
More Questions? Call Eric at 586-9020 at your convenience or email him right now.
Why Such a Big Change?
Change can be hard, especially when we don't really 'get' why. While we discuss much of this at our information meetings, you may find the following helpful;
The Restored Order of the Sacraments of Initiation
Is This Something New in the Church?
What Is Christian Initiation?
The Sacraments of Initiation; Getting it Right
Faith Formation and the Restored Order
