We had our Rite of Welcome last Sunday morning – in our village church, 2 adults and one teenager – again, all of whom had thought carefully about how they wanted to respond to the question ‘ What do you ask’ or ‘Why have you come’. Jo, the teenager said ‘eternal life’ (and then he said, he thought that sounded really cool), John said ‘I want to really belong after 10 years of coming to Mass with my wife’, and Clare said ‘ I want to get to know God better and his family’. And similarly, very moving. And spontaneous gathering afterwards, encouraging the candidates, but also saying how much they had made others in the community think – about their role in initiation, and the quality of their own following of Christ. Wouldnt miss this Rite out for the world.
And then in a huge Middlesbrough town centre parish yesterday, with a parish welcoming children preparing for 1st Holy Communion, with their parents – a similar ritual process, affirming the children’s baptisms, signing with the cross, opening to the Word – and the parents response to the question – what were their hopes for their children? Most said they wanted their children to belong, and one bravely said ‘I want my child to understand what’s going on here more than I do’ – many of these families are non-practicing, and come through the Catholic School. The parish are really taking on this challenge – their responsibility to welcome and support them.
Thanks Joanna!