The Archdiocese of Valencia (Spain) has presented the Directory to unify the procedure to be followed in the parishes “in the face of the increase in adults who want to begin the Christian life”, a phenomenon “increasingly frequent”, as detailed by the Archbishop of Valencia, Mons. Enrique Benavent.
The director of the Secretariat for the Catechumenate of the archdiocese, Francisco Furió, explained that since the Covid 19 pandemic, “the increase in requests is a fact” that already reaches one hundred, in an unusual progression in recent years.
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“Although in recent years we have experienced greater secularization and a rupture in the process of transmission of faith in the family environment, a new phenomenon has nevertheless appeared of adults who show a desire to enter Christian initiation,” stated Furió, as the archdiocese has released in a statement.
Some of them received some of the sacraments of Christian initiation, for which “proposals for adult formation and catechesis” are offered. Others “have not known the faith” and now seek it “consciously and freely.” For all of them, the priority is “to welcome them, accompany them and train them, to provide them with the pastoral and spiritual help they need in their essential personal process to achieve Christian life,” explained Furió.
All the material prepared for this purpose can be identified under the title I want to be a Christian, what should I do? and will be available in the parishes and, in a subsidiary manner, in the catechumenal centers that will be established in the vicariates. Bishop Benavent has highlighted that these places will be “important for the catechumen to meet other people who are living the same process and that can stimulate him, and even help him in his growth in the Christian life.”
The new manual aims to be “the pastoral and canonical instrument that facilitates, simplifies and guarantees the procedure for all the parishes of the Diocese, in the task of welcoming, accompanying and training the parish priests and catechists who will constitute a team in each parish. ”, explains the Archdiocese.
It is about, beyond administering the sacraments, helping these adults “on their journey of faith in their belonging to the Church,” detailed Furió, who emphasizes that it is a “multidisciplinary project that combines pastoral work and law.” canonical, since it includes guaranteeing the catechumen the formalization in a File that will be managed by this Secretariat and the Liturgy Delegation, and will finally remain in the archive of the General Secretariat of the Archbishopric.”
In the coming months, the directory for young people and children will be prepared, as announced by the archdiocese.
Nicholas de Cardenas
Born in 1980, I am a Spanish husband and father and journalist with more than 20 years of experience in print and digital media, specializing in sociopolitical and religious information. I have worked for more than 10 years in defense of human rights and have accreditations in Journalism and Comprehensive Communication. Since July 2022, I have been a correspondent for ACI Prensa and EWTN Noticias in Spain, covering international events of the Catholic Church.