Adult Religious Education at Cristo Rey

Fr. Michael Stechmann greets the candidates for sacramental initiation.

 

Fr. Michael engages the participants in question and answer discussion.

Shortly after arriving at Cristo Rey Church in Los Angeles, Fr. Michael Stechmann was meeting with parents wishing to have their children baptized and they spoke with honesty about having “fallen through the cracks” through the years regarding reception of the Sacraments. Some of the parishioners who attend daily Mass were concerned about their adult children who were negligent in receiving the Sacraments. Fr. Michael noticed those who were attending Mass and not receiving the Eucharist and began to speak privately to individuals and they were quite eager to tell their stories and even more excited about the possibility of receiving the Sacraments of Initiation. They were ready and willing for the invitation to advance in their faith.

On one Sunday in September Fr. Stechmann announced at the English Mass that there would be a meeting for those interested in receiving the Sacraments of Initiation and/or the Sacrament of Matrimony. Within the first week, there were 15 English-speaking adults signed up and each of them at varying levels of sacramental preparation. Fr. Michael spoke with the regional bishop who expressed his delight that these individuals were being invited to receive the sacramental preparation they had missed out on and offered his blessing on the venture.

Eager men and women listen to Fr. Michael's instruction.

The group began to meet weekly in October and four members received the Sacrament of Baptism while preparing for marriage in the church. Another eight received the Eucharist for the first time on May 17 and the whole group of 15 will bring the Sacraments of Initiation to a completion when Bishop Gerald Wilkerson administers the Sacrament of Confirmation on May 26 at Cristo Rey. The 15 adults will be joining the 36 young adults who are completing the two-year program of instruction.

It has been a boost to the Cristo Rey community to see the number of candidates for Confirmation increasing so that the sacrament can be celebrated at the parish and not joined with another parish as had been the practice. There is a also a group of 38 young adults who are in the first-year of Confirmation preparation. Fr. Michael had accompanied this group to a day of recollection earlier in the year at St. Augustine Priory and the second-year students recently participated in a weekend retreat experience.

Fr. Michael Stechmann, OAR