I was noticing up-and-coming blogger, atheist-converted-Catholic Leah Libresco posted on her baptism yesterday. I’m always curious about the choice of a day for adult baptism when it’s off the liturgical year. The Church strongly urges Easter Vigil, of course. It does so with such an insistence that it presumes that if an adult is baptized elsewhere in the liturgical year, that it be prepared by a Lent of sorts. Not only by the elect, but also by the community, or a portion of it.
The 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time is an unusual choice. If Easter Vigil is not possible, there are other baptismal feasts, even this time of year. All Saints Day and Christ the King seem more fitting for this particular month. And a seven-week wait for Epiphany or Baptism of the Lord, is a thought too. The Orthodox embrace the Epiphany/Theophany as an appropriate baptismal feast, along with Easter and Pentecost.
The picture posted is also intriguing, as it features two clerics (plus one in the background) but no sign of a godparent.
I am aware of a conservative or clerical pushback against “RCIA” as it surfaces in parishes. It’s important to keep in mind that RCIA is, by definition, rite. Not a catechetical/faith sharing offshoot on weeknights or during Sunday Mass. One priest I knew commented several years ago, “I don’t do RCIA if it’s not called for.” I could well have commented, “If you’re a Catholic priest you sure should be doing it. What other initiation rite is there?”
Whatever rite was used, congrats to Leah on her baptismal day.
20 November 2012 at 2:02 am
The deacon behind me is my godparent. He’s a Dominican friar.
Normally this parish does use Christ the King for the second RCIA cycle, but, because of where it fell this year (Thanksgiving weekend) they were worried the people in the class and their families wouldn’t be in town, so they moved it up a week. Our RCIA started in July, and we did all the scrutinies, never fear!