Restored Order at St. Joe's
As you know, all parishes within the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois are restoring the Original Order of the Sacraments of Initiation between 2019-2025. In the early Church, the person was immersed into the waters of Baptism, anointed with chrism, and shared in the Eucharistic meal as part of a single event. Over time, and for many reasons, the celebration of these three sacraments became separated from one another. In the renewal stemming from the Second Vatican Council, the Church was asked to set forth more clearly the intimate connection of Confirmation with the whole of Christian initiation. This original order also helps us recognize that sharing in the Eucharist completes our initiation into the Church and that it is the Eucharist which is the “source and summit of our faith.”
Therefore, we are in the process of working to meet the requirements set forth by the Bishop in restoring order here at St. Joe’s and by next year, we will be fully restored. Following is the outline of our three-year plan, which began last year. The bolded portion is our current year and will be fully completed in 2021:
2018-2019
- Level 5& 6 (Confirmation (both grade levels confirmed together)
- Level 2 First Communion
- Level 4 Solemn Reconciliation
2019-2020
- Level 3, 4 & 5 Confirmation (all three grade levels confirmed together)
- Level 2 will begin preparation for both Confirmation & First Communion and loop that prep to their 3rd grade year (No First Communion Mass this year)
2020-2021
- Sacraments of Initiation will be restored to their original order, which means that Level 3 students will receive both Confirmation and First Communion at the same Mass.
- Level 2 students will begin preparation for both Confirmation & First Communion and loop that prep to their 3rd grade year.
For more information from our Diocese on this important change you can check out their website HERE.
For additional reference, please take a look at this document HERE. It gives a brief intro to what restored order is and a little historical background about it.
ALL FORMS FOR CONFIRMATION CAN BE FOUND HERE
Practice videos for the Restored Order Mass can be found HERE