|
© Copyright - material in this site may not be reproduced in any media without the express permission of the Web Master. Care has been taken by this site to ensure that all necessary copyright permissions have been obtained. If this is not the case in any instance, this is an inadvertent error. Please contact the Web Master and this will be rectified. |
Ready to be received into the Orthodox Church? Join the Catechumenate!
An adult being chrismated into the Orthodox Church The Catechumenate is an ancient word for a proven way of being prepared to be received into the Orthodox Church ... either through baptism or chrismation. At St. Aidan's the catechumenate meets on a Tuesday evening weekly throughout the year from 7.15 pm to 8.00pm (before the "Zoe" Bible Study and Prayer Group at 8.00 pm). You will be expected to complete at least 12 different sessions in total. There are 4 cycles throughout the year (4x12 weeks) so that the same weekly theme is treated in 4 different ways. If, therefore, you join half way through a cycle that's no problem. You just complete your 12 weeks in the next cycle or at least within 12 months of first starting. If for unavoidable or agreed reasons you need to take time out (more than a year) you will be expected to start the 12 weeks again from the beginning. You may stay as long as you like in the catechumenate. It's a decision that you need to make before God with your catechist and your priest. (Your priest may be your principal catechist). At least you will know that you will have 48 quite different sessions over a full year should you wish to remain longer in this learning phase. The means of your reception will vary between baptism and chrismation depending on whether or not your original baptism if already performed in another church was (1) Trinitarian and (2) with running water - if not full immersion. If these two features were present you could be baptised should you so wish but chrismation would be sufficient from the Church's point of view, (practice does vary somewhat across the Orthodox Church but this is the rule in the Church of Antioch). (Although a web site is definitely not an alternative to being present physically at a session, there is an online version of the 48 weeks which may help you to consider the material prayerfully before the next meeting. DON'T rush ahead beyond the next meeting though! Some sessions have been uploaded already but this is a new initiative so please be patient. Click on the link ... Fr. Gregory's Orthodox Catechism Don't delay. Contact me today! Fr. Gregory |
