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Baptism and Christian Initiation |
Updated: 1 April 2001
Present Interests
For some years I felt a vague dissatisfaction with the Roman Catholic rite of baptism for children as it was celebrated in my own community. During 1997-98 I studied and thought about this liturgy more deeply, and prepared a thorough critique of it. This is posted as indicated above. To accompany this critique, I also prepared two model liturgies that would, I hoped, respond to the criticisms I made. These are posted under Liturgies for the Future. I offer these for study and discussion and in the hope that they and the published critique may help improve the official rites of the church.
Previous Publications
- BEM on Baptism
National Bulletin on Liturgy, vol. 19, no. 104 (May-June 1986) 136-139 - Celebrating Initiation [theme of issue]
National Bulletin on Liturgy, vol. 21, no. 112 (March 1988) - Baptism for Children [theme of issue]
National Bulletin on Liturgy, vol. 23, no. 120 (March 1990) - A Celebration of Baptism: An Ecumenical Liturgy
Prepared by the Consultation on Common Texts
Nashville: Abingdon Press and Canterbury: Canterbury Press 1990, 32 pp
(I was a member of the subcommittee that drafted this liturgical book.) - Rites at the Door of the Church
National Bulletin on Liturgy, vol. 23, no. 126 (September 1991) 183-190 - Godparenting: a Life-long Ministry
National Bulletin on Liturgy, vol. 24, no. 127 (December 1991) 248 - Sacramental Preparation [theme of issue]
National Bulletin on Liturgy, vol. 25, no. 129 (Summer 1992) - First Communion and Sunday Celebration in the Absence of a Priest
National Bulletin on Liturgy, vol. 25, no. 129 (Summer 1992) 92-94 - Questions about First Communion
National Bulletin on Liturgy, vol. 25, no. 131 (Winter 1992) 245-249 - Questions about Confirmation
National Bulletin on Liturgy, vol. 26, no. 132 (Spring 1993) 42-47 - The Apostles' Creed in the Liturgy
National Bulletin on Liturgy, vol. 26, no. 133 (Summer 1993) 111-115