Some preparation for Lorenzo and a refresher for some of us!

I'm getting almost as excited as Lorenzo about his upcoming "rebirth" into the Church that Jesus Christ founded! I thought that since it's less than a week away, I should cover some of the basics of what I think all of us should know about our faith and two of the "Sacraments of Initiation". As I was investigating this information this weekend, I was surprised at how much of this I have taken for granted, and even forgotten! I'm sure there's a lot of us in the same boat and refreshing our knowledge may lead us to a fuller understanding of our obligations as Catholics.

Baptism has six primary effects, which are all supernatural graces:

1. The removal of the guilt of both Original Sin (the sin imparted to all mankind by the Fall of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden) and personal sin (the sins that we have committed ourselves). If only we could remain this way! (sigh!)

2. The remission of all punishment that we owe because of sin, both temporal (in this world and in Purgatory) and eternal (the punishment that we would suffer in hell).

3. The infusion of grace in the form of sanctifying grace (the life of God within us); the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit (wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude (or courage), knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord) and the three theological virtues of faith, hope, and charity (or love).

4. Becoming a part of Christ.

5. Becoming a part of the Church, which is the Mystical Body of Christ on earth.

6. Enabling participation in the sacraments, the priesthood of all believers, and the growth in grace.

Confirmation is regarded as the perfection of Baptism, because, as the introduction to the Rite of Confirmation states:

By the sacrament of Confirmation, [the baptized] are more perfectly bound to the Church and are enriched with a special strength of the Holy Spirit. Hence they are, as true witnesses of Christ, more strictly obliged to spread and defend the faith by word and deed.

The Sacrament of Confirmation confers special graces of the Holy Spirit upon the person being confirmed, just as such graces were granted to the Apostles on Pentecost. Like Baptism, therefore, it can only be performed once, and Confirmation increases and deepens all of the graces granted at Baptism.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church lists five effects of Confirmation:

1. It roots us more deeply in the divine filiation [as sons of God], which makes us cry, "Abba! Father!"

2. It unites us more firmly to Christ.

3. It increases the gifts of the Holy Spirit in us; remember that the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit are wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude (or courage), knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord.

4. It renders our bond with the Church more perfect.

5. It gives us a special strength of the Holy Spirit to spread and defend the faith by word and action as true witnesses of Christ, to confess the name of Christ boldly, and never to be ashamed of the Cross.

As a side note, (and a personal note to Lorenzo)it is customary to take on as your own the name of a Saint that you can call on to help you remember the promises you will make upon your Baptism and Confirmation. So get to thinking.....!