Earlier this week, my spiritual daughter texted to tell me that the course she and her husband took in preparation for their baby girl’s Baptism was a 20-minute YouTube video. The entire preparation was a 20-minute YouTube video. Not surprised, I was disappointed. It is common practice in the post COVID era. Sincerity dictates that it was common practice before COVID. We were given a badly written book to read. It was 13 years ago that we attended a Baptism course.
We fail in our mission to minister and evangelize the people who come for sacraments. A video that does little is not what people need. They need our attention and our witness. We will continue conferring sacraments until we overhaul the way we prepare for sacraments. This includes those who are not ready, are perjuring themselves, are committing sacrilege, are unaware, are checking off a list, or have no idea of what they’re doing.
It is possible that the majority of Catholics who visit the Church to receive the Sacraments of Initiation on behalf of their children no longer actively practice the faith. They may send their children to classes for religious education, but rarely or never attend Mass. They do not pray…
