Welcoming Catechumens
Right Rev. Dr John (Abdalah) & Rev. Dn Dr Gregory Abdalah
An unprecedented number of inquirers and catechumens are coming through the doors of our parishes these days, many of them, in fact, young men. How can we as Orthodox faithful welcome and encourage them and what are some of the opportunities and challenges presented to the Church by this new wave of spiritual seekers?
Faith, Culture, and Language
Translation in our modern world
General language of today is pychology. How do we translate our faith to people in our postmodern culture
We need to enculturate ourselves.
We need to leave some of this behind Let us lay aside all earthly cares that we may receive the King of All No one who is bound by the desires of the flesh is worthy to approach and see God Rom 12.2 Be not conformed to the world, but transformed by the renewal of the mind
Are we going to be an ethnic church or the Church.
Some ethnic aspects are acts passed down generations e.g., making sign of cross on bread, because Christ is bread of life.
What is a catechumen?
Our society is transactional but the Church calls us to transformation
TS Eliot ‘In my beginning is my end’ Four Quartets: East Coker
The entrance in the liturgy is an entrance into a 4th dimension which allows us to see the world as it really is Fr Schemmeman
‘The end is my beginning’ TS Eliot
God’s way is expressed thru the parables of the kingdom A father who doesn’t act as a Jewish father (runs toward prodigal son)
Sacrifice is center of church, Cross on top of holy doors. But countercultural.
Welcome catechumens into a reality that is different from everything we see. Church not about politics, Christ did not die for an overarching political system.
Q & A
Incorp cat into local church praying for growth of church and praying for catechumens When we pray God changes our hearts
Rather than sharing first polemical lit what to share don’t assume knowledge and give lit that is of the church any thing that is not respective to the person standing in front of you is pointless it requires listening and hearing The person is not a thing, not a checkmark in list of catechumens. The call of the church is a call to unity.
Invite people in the communities to be lay catecists and friends catechism liasons
Husbands coming without families Have be willing to let Holy Spirit do what he does Changes hearts not using rhetoric
Recommendations Fr Thomas Hopko 4-vol series Met Hilarion on catechism Kalisto Ware on the Orthodox Church Faith tree minstries: welcome home
It is not the job of the Orthodox Church to get pat answers to difficult questions. It is the job of the church to invite into community. Kallistos Ware
References
Dates
2025-10-11
(2025-W41-6)
2025-W41
2025-10