Q: In the baptism of an infant, at the time of doing the sign of the Cross on the baby’s forehead and inviting the parents and godparents to do the same, what happen if one of the infant’s parents is not Catholic? Should we invite them to do it anyway? A: Invite the non-Catholic parent to make the sign of the cross on the child. If a parent is non-Christian, he or she does not have to do it. The Rite of Baptism for Children does not consider this circumstance, but the revised Order of Celebrating Matrimony makes several …

Q:  In our baptismal record, a number of entries mention baptism of children above the age of reason with a notation of ‘neo-conversus, baptism absolute’. A Google search reveals that this is old terminology for those who were received into the Church. What is not clear is if these people were baptized, or baptized & confirmed, or simply made a profession of faith (having perhaps been baptized in a Christian community). Can you shed any light on this practice and how I should interpret this notation? It has become relevant because I don’t know how to fill out a requested …

  Q:  Should altar candles be lighted for other liturgical services besides mass? A:  Probably. GIRM 307 says: “The candlesticks required for the different liturgical services for reasons of reverence or the festive character of the celebration (cf. no. 117), should be appropriately placed either on the altar or around it.” I think that includes other services.

Q:  Our diocese will be moving toward Restored Order within the next three years. That means that our children will celebrate confirmation before they receive first communion. Have you ever documented a brief history of this practice in any of your writings? Do you have a document that you might easily direct me toward? I am very grateful for this help! I hope you are well and gratefully receive your blog entries now. A:  Be assured of my prayers as your diocese moves to a new order of Christian initiation. This book should be helpful: Ages of Initiation. The book …

Q. Is it obligatory to light six candles for a Sunday mass? A. No, but the sense of the law is that an increased number of candles shows a celebration of greater importance. Here’s GIRM 117: “The altar is to be covered with at least one white cloth. In addition, on or next to the altar are to be placed candlesticks with lighted candles: at least two in any celebration, or even four or six, especially for a Sunday Mass or a Holyday of Obligation, or if the Diocesan Bishop celebrates, then seven candlesticks with lighted candles.”  

Q: I see several references to the 2014 CARA study regarding RCIA. I however cannot find a copy of it on the CARA nor USCCB website.  Do you know where a copy can be acquired? Thank you for your time A: Thanks for your question about the CARA report. I’ve asked Rita Thiron of the Federation of Diocesan Liturgical Commissions. The FDLC, the USCCB Secretariat for Divine Worship, and the USCCB Secretariat for Evangelization and Catechesis all co-sponsored the study.  The date for the release of the full report is still unknown.  However, three commentaries are available to the public on …

Q:  I’ve been reading your excellent book, One Love, on the Order of Celebrating Matrimony. As always balanced, nuanced and helpful.    Although I’m disappointed that the Holy See seems to have downplayed the entrance of bride and groom together as the preferred entrance rite; I get it. The part that gets me though is your suggestion that other “customs” for the celebration such as the Unity Candle should not be dismissed. This goes against all of my liturgical formation. We were taught that a custom is not something that appeared in last year’s Bride magazine but should have been …

  Q:  I have a query regarding the Rite of Acceptance. Could you give a reason for why a parish would avoid doing the Rite of Acceptance during Advent and Lent. If it is done during these times, doesn’t that present a problem with the Introductory Rites? A:  In theory, the Rite of Acceptance can be done at any time, but RCIA 18 suggests two or even three times a year, so it would be logical to avoid seasons like Advent and Lent, which have much focus already. The RCIA designed the Rite of Acceptance first as a word service, …

Q:  What wording could be used for a “Profession of Faith” Certificate for children under the age of reason whose parents either become Catholic or are returning to the Catholic Church.   A:  The question concerns a child validly baptized as an infant in another Christian congregation, and whose parents (one or both of whom are Catholic) now wish him/her to be known as a Catholic. As I understand it, the child is not making a profession of faith, but the parents are declaring that they want their child to be received into the full communion of the Catholic Church. …

Q:  I understand that the permission to use a reading from the marriage lectionary applies not only to weddings celebrated at parish Sunday Masses in Ordinary Time and Christmastime but to the other days listed in 1-4 of the Table of Liturgical Days… yes? A:  No. Compare The Order of Celebrating Matrimony (OCM) paragraph 34 and OCM 56. The permission to substitute a reading from the marriage lectionary in OCM 34 applies only to the previous sentence, the one about celebrating a wedding during a parish Ordinary Time Sunday mass. OCM 34 was written in 1991, and it was carried …