Reception of Baptized Christians: Pastoral and Practical Approaches

Receiving baptized Christians into the full communion of the Catholic Church is not initiation. As validly baptized Christians, they have already been initiated into Jesus Christ. When we welcome them, we are welcoming brothers and sisters in Christ, whether they are fully catechized practicing members of their faith communities or have received little or no Christian formation. It is a situation that calls for ecumenical sensitivity and pastoral wisdom on the part of those who will accompany these candidates as they prepare for reception. In this book, Ron Oakham grounds his proposal for the reception of baptized Christians in the Church’s Decree on Ecumenism and the text of the Rite of Reception into the Full Communion of Catholic Church. Using the practices of experienced parish ministers around the country, he describes a path for the preparation of both catechized and uncatechized candidates grounded in their Baptism. Finally, he discusses the celebration of the Rite of Reception and mystagogical reflection.