“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy we have been born anew to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and to an inheritance which is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time” (1 Pet 1:3-5).
Now that you have received the sacraments of initiation and entered full communion with the Church, all of us at Catholic Online School extend to you our congratulations and warmest welcome. Praise be to the Father for calling you, and Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit for guiding you home into the womb of the Church!
You are also to be commended for your persistence in learning the divine faith of the Church. However, your journey is not over by any means—it has only just begun. The Christian life, with all the depths and riches of God, is set before you, stretching on into the future.
An integral part of living the Christian life is ongoing catechesis. In other words, building and maintaining knowledge of the belief and teaching of Christ and his Church is a lifelong enterprise. We should always desire to better know Jesus, the one we love.
In this series of lessons titled “Post-Baptismal Catechesis or Mystagogy,” you’ll reflect back on the mysteries received at the Easter Vigil and learn more about what it means to live as a disciple of Jesus Christ. Here are some of the topics we’ll explore:
- The regenerative and re-creative power of the sacrament of Baptism
- The sacrament of Confirmation with its increase in the gift of the Holy Spirit
- The Eucharist as our most intimate encounter with Christ
- Evangelization as bearing witness to Christ and his Church
- Loving and defending the Church
- Life as a disciple of Christ
- The Virgin Mary as our role model
From all of us at Catholic Online School: May Christ bless you on your journey of faith.
Earning a certificate of completion in this online course is not a substitute for completing a parish-based RCIA program. The Sacraments of Initiation can only be conferred by a bishop or priest. This certificate means you have successfully completed a course of study that is intended to supplement your parish RCIA program.