Please note: The reflections and opinions expressed in this piece are those of the author and are shared in the spirit of personal faith and contemplation. They do not necessarily reflect the official views of the Diocese of Palmerston North.
Often within the tragedies and messes of life’s circumstances, there simultaneously exists a drawing towards God in the fullness of the Catholic faith.
A man sought Baptism after first responders said he should be dead, given the physical injuries sustained from a car accident. Or the man who became Catholic when he realised that the Church stores remaining Hosts in the Tabernacle and doesn’t throw them out to the birds. Or the parent who came to Eucharist one random day for the first time, inspired by her unbaptised child at a Catholic school speaking about the faith.
These ‘moments’ provide a foundational pathway to grow in Jesus and become one’s truest, joy-filled self. For the missionary disciple, dialogue and accompaniment become the framework that, hopefully one day, leads to being initiated into the Catholic faith community.
St Paul puts this in a nutshell when he writes, “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me” (Galatians 2:20).
The oft-quoted Scripture in Matthew 28:19 asking us to venture out to every nation and baptise, means to go forth. To go forth in secular New Zealand, 2025, means we take on the ‘smell of the sheep’ (Evangelii Gaudium, article 24). In other words, to be alert to those we meet during our ordinary daily routines – who so often are longing for something deeper in their lives.
For the majority who gather around the Altar to celebrate Sunday Eucharist, Baptism would have been an ‘inherited’ Sacrament received just after birth. For me – 10 days old!
But what of those who weren’t born into a Catholic family? If you weren’t raised a Catholic, how would you have heard about the Catholic faith?
Those who gather for Eucharist are enlisted to pay it forward – because Baptism isn’t ours to keep.
For any parish pining for fresh energy, the way forward is right under their noses – yes, Baptism.
Baptism mustn’t remain an event. It’s about life. All of it. Whether we were baptised five minutes ago or as a baby, we are constantly in the process of becoming more fully ourselves, built in and around the Mystery of God’s presence in the Sacraments.
Celebrating with the initiated, we ourselves re-enter into Jesus’ life, dying and rising to take Jesus’ self-donating joy out to those we meet. God’s hidden plan (Ephesians 1:9) comes out into the light of day in our lives.
This year, on the 8th of June, the Church celebrated Pentecost Sunday, which wraps up the fourth stage of the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, called Mystagogia.
We don’t need to be rocket scientists to understand Mystagogia. The word comes from the Greek verb mueo, which means to be initiated, to learn the secret.
Pope Francis referred to the need to develop our understanding of Mystagogia by putting it this way:
“This basically has to do with two things: a progressive experience of formation involving the entire community and a renewed appreciation of the liturgical signs of Christian initiation.” (Evangelii Gaudium, article 166)
And more recently, speaking to the Eastern Church, Pope Leo emphasised the importance of the Christian West rediscovering a sense of mystery – particularly through Mystagogia.
Back to Baptism and paying it forward. This point of entry holds the potential to be both the ‘tool’ for evangelisation and the spark for renewal.
Baptism commissions us into the life and mission of the Church: a mission that continues to unfold in each generation. As missionary disciples, we are called to be attentive to the Spirit’s movement in our time and to respond with courage and generosity.
The upcoming Hope and Renewal Summit is a timely opportunity to reflect more deeply on what the Holy Spirit may be inviting us into – personally and communally – in our own parishes and communities. It offers space for listening, conversation, and discerning how we can grow as a missionary people, alive in faith and responsive to God’s call.
Because Baptism is not simply a past event. It is a living reality – one that continues to shape who we are, how we live, and how we share the joy of the Gospel with others.
Sign up for the Hope and Renewal Summit at hoperenewalsummit.com.
