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General Info for Parish Leaders
RCIA Infant Baptism
Confirmation/1st Communion Adult Confirmation
Marriage Ordination
Record Retention Best Practices
Determining Appropriate Path for Sacramental Preparation
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General Information
Guidelines for Celebrating Sacraments with Persons with Disabilities from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishop (USCCB, 2017)
Online Resources on the Seven Sacraments from the USCCB
Liturgy is essential
Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) - includes children 7 or older
What is RCIA? (USCCB)
Diocesan Forms/Guides
- RCIA Intake Questionnaire/Inquirer Information Sheet-Adults(rev Dec 2021)
- Adult's Sacrament Formation Paths by Baptismal Status (December 2021)
- RCIA Intake Questionnaire/Inquirer Information Sheet-Child/Teen (rev Dec 2021)
- Child's Sacrament Formation Paths by Baptismal Status (December 2021)
- Godparent/Sponsor Verification Form PDF (June 2022) Customizable Word Doc
Resources for Use in the RCIA process:
- Sponsors and Godparents in initiation process (TeamRCIA)
- Five inquiry discernment questions (TeamRCIA)
- How to discern if children/youth are ready for catechumenate (Sept 2020)
- How to form seekers when you have no resources (TeamRCIA)
- The Process of Discernment (Archdiocese of Atlanta)
- Discerning readiness for Rite of Acceptance or Rite of Election (TeamRCIA)
- Discernment Interview Prior to Rite of Election or Call to Continuing Conversion (Diocese of Lacrosse)
- Doing discernments in the RCIA (Assoc of Catechumenal Ministry)
- What are we doing at the Rite of Election? (TeamRCIA)
Infant Baptism
Diocesan Guidelines Infant Baptism (1995, 2022 amended version online soon) - also addresses child younger than age of reason
Click to view recording of Msgr Marc Caron and Shannon Fosset addressing Infant Baptism at Nov 12, 2020 LFFA meeting
Initial Parent Interview for Infant Baptism in Spanish (May 2022) in English (June 2022)
Examples of Resouces for Use in Sacrament Formation for Infant Baptism: Simple List with Links (May 18, 2022)
Godparent/Sponsor Verification Form PDF (June 2022) Customizable Word Doc
Marriage Preparation
Marriage Preparation Guidelines "Telling Anew the Story of Marriage" (2009)
Info on diocesan policy, permissions, dispensations, etc.
Preparing Children for Confirmation & First Communion
2022 Schedule of Parish celebrations of Confirmation and first holy Communion (updated March 7, 2022)
2022 Memo to PCLs about Spring Celebrations (updated April 14, 2022)
The Diocese of Portland Guidelines to Prepare Children for the Sacraments of Confirmation and First Eucharist was approved and published in June 2015. The guidelines establish a two year preparation process for all children preparing to receive Penance, Confirmation and First Eucharist which includes the involvement of their parents/guardians. Below you will find a link to these guidelines. A variety of resources to support parish leaders in the implementation of this policy have been prepared by the Office of Lifelong Faith Formation and the Sacrament Guideline Committee. Follow the links below.
Bishop's Letter
Guidelines
• Sacraments of Christian Initiation of Children (Chart)
• Guidelines for Low-Gluten Hosts
• Godparent/Sponsor Verification Form PDF (June 2022) Customizable Word Doc
Communicating with parents / guardians
• Sample Bulletin Announcement
• Sample Letter to Parents & Guardians
• Family Consultation with Parish Leaders
Sacrament Preparation - Year 1
• Printable Mass Book for Children
Handout for Who do you say that I am?
• Bible in a Nutshell: Scripture
• Do this in Memory of Me: Encounter Jesus in the Eucharist
• Hello! Can you Hear Me Now? Prayer
• I am The Way, Come Follow Me: Following Jesus as a Family
Sacrament Preparation - Year 2
• Sacrament of Penance/Reconciliation
Resources and Articles
Resources for Sacrament Preparation, including: Sacrament Preparation Program for Parishes • Confirmation Preparation for Teens • Resources for Parent Formation • Resources for Children with Disabilities • Video Resources for Children • Supplemental Resources for Families • Suggested Books
Videos
- Sacraments of Initiation in their Original Order (from Diocese of Honolulu)
• Coaching Parents to Form Their Own Children by Bill Huebsch
• Catechizing Parents through their Children’s Sacraments by Janet Schaeffler, OP
• Confirmation at the Time of First Communion
• What do parents want to hear from the Church?
• How to think about Confirmation in the initation of children (Team RCIA)
Confirmation of Catholic Adults and Teens
Godparent/Sponsor Verification Form PDF (June 2022) Customizable Word Doc
Record Retention Best Practices
Intake and registration forms are designed to gather data to get things started or to track progress through different phases of immediate formation for a sacramane. Best practice would to shred anything with personally identifiable information once the appropriate people in the parish have the information needed to discern next steps and contact information is entered into the parish records. At the latest, notes from intake interviews or registration forms should be disposed of shortly after the intended sacrament is celebrated and entered into parish sacramental records.
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