“The world needs saints. Even as our society becomes more distant from faith and more forgetful of God, it still hungers for joyful witnesses who have been transformed by Christ. At the same time, new generations of Catholics need grace to sustain them in a non-Christian environment.To answer these needs, I have decided to restore the Sacraments of Initiation to their original order, that is, Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist. This will make available every sacramental grace the Church has to offer to children who have reached the age of reason.”
Sacramental Preparation
The Restored Order
In the Archdiocese of Denver, Archbishop Samuel Aquila has “restored the order” of the Sacraments of Initiation. This means they are received in their original order: Baptism, Confirmation and First Communion. Children’s preparation is normally two years: In 2nd grade, they learn about Reconciliation first semester, receive it in January, and then learn about Holy Communion second semester. In 3rd grade, they learn about Confirmation, review Communion, and receive both at the same mass in the second semester of 3rd grade.
To watch a video about the Restored Order and to read the Pastoral Letter “Saints Among Us” from Archbishop Aquila below.
