How do you make sacramental prep effective both in preparing individuals for the sacraments and in forming them into disciples? Mike and Dave respond to a listener’s question regarding Baptism prep and discuss sacramental prep as a whole. They share common challenges and primary goals for sacramental prep.
Snippet from the Show
In order to make disciples, you must catechize and evangelize.
Shownotes
Listener Question
Good morning!
I seem to recall Michael mentioning some time back that he was revamping his parish’s preparation for infant baptism. I am interested in doing the same, but I don’t really have time to build something from scratch. While there are several programs out there with good information, everything seems to be video/information driven. I am curious what his revised process looks like.
Our parish recently began using Witness to Love for our marriage preparation. It is a virtue-based, catechumenal model for marriage prep, and has already borne great fruit for both the engaged/newlywed couples and the mentors who accompanied them throughout the process. I have been looking everywhere for something similar for baptism preparation, but haven’t been able to find anything. I asked the people at Witness to Love if they have any plans to develop something similar for baptism prep, and they say “No.”
I really don’t think our current preparation – a 60-minute class about the baptism rite and the biblical basis for infant baptism – is really sufficient.
If you have any pointers on how to accompany parents in preparation for baptism and beyond, I would be very interested.
Thank you!
Blessings,
EKSB Listener
Resources
- Email us at eksb@ascensionpress.com
- Text “EKSB” to 33-777 to subscribe and be added to the Every Knee Shall Bow email list.
- Visit Dave’s website www.thecatholictruthaboutangelsanddemons.com and www.artofevangelization.com
- Visit Mike’s website at www.layevangelist.com
Meet Your Hosts
Michael “Gomer” Gormley
Michael has been leading evangelization and ministry efforts for the past ten years, both as a full-time parish staff member and as a speaker and consultant for parishes, dioceses, and Catholic campus ministries.
Mike is also the founder and creative director of LayEvangelist.com, and the producer and cohost of a Catholic young adult podcast Catching Foxes, which discusses the collision of Faith and Culture.
He is married to his college sweetheart, Shannon, and they have about 1,000 children and get about 3 hours of sleep a night, which is alright by him.
Dave VanVickle
Dave VanVickle fell in love with the Lord at the age of fourteen and has since dedicated his life to bringing others into a radical relationship with Christ.
He is a speaker and retreat leader who focuses on proclaiming the universal call to holiness, authentic Catholic spirituality, spiritual warfare and deliverance. Additionally, Dave has over ten years of experience assisting Priests with their ministries of exorcism and deliverance.
Dave resides in Pittsburgh with his wife Amber and their five children: Sam, Max, Judah, Josie and Louisa.
