The Catechumen Journey Begins

Well, we did it. We told Fr. Greg we are ready to become catechumens....big sigh.... I think I almost saw him do a jig step on his way out our front door. I suppose this will now involve various catechism sessions for us and for JT and Ben as well. This preparation will lead up to our chrismation as a family.

We're ok with the first part of the liturgy having to do with the catechumens. Each Sunday we will now be asked to step forward after the readings and the homily and the prayers for the deceased. I'm excited to have the prayers of the people as we go through this process and I like the idea of bowing our heads and praying... It's the next part that gets a bit iffy. When the priest begins to chant

Priest:

All ye catechumens, depart! Depart, ye catechumens! All ye that are catechumens, depart! Let no catechumens remain! But let us who are of the faithful, again and again, in peace pray to the Lord.

Fr. Greg assured us we won't have to make a hasty exit into the parking lot not to return again until the following Sunday whence we can once again stay in the worship until we bow our heads and submit to the prayers of the congregation. This part of the liturgy was intended for the completely uninitiated, unbaptized folk but it has been the butt of many a private joke between Tad and me and probably the one thing that has kept us the most humble as we contemplate taking this step. I'll admit anytime the subject has come up one of us will erupt into a loud chanting of our own rendition ,"Catechumens must leave now! All catechumens will leave and not stay for another minute! There will be no catechumens remaining and we will chant this until all catechumens have left the room! Let there be not one catechumen remaining hiding under chairs or kissing the icons! There goes one now! Pursue the catechumen into the parking lot! In peace pray to the Lord!"