Journeys of Discovery: Transitions, Rites of Passage, and the Sacramental Life of Faith

All Christians celebrate joyous times like baptism, First Eucharist, and confirmation. We celebrate marriage and we support one another in death through wakes and funerals and grieving with those who mourn. In our daily lives, we mark such transition times with rituals: parties, food, and joyous sharing. We celebrate the transition times associated with our faith in the same way. We ritualize the birth of Christ with crèches, carols, and liturgical celebrations. We remember Jesus saving actions during Lent, Holy Week, and Easter through symbols like the crucifix, baptismal water, fire, and light. Such celebrations with their accompanying symbols mark the deep significance of communal rites of passage.

The goal of this book therefore is to help pastoral leaders, ministers, and teams become more sensitive to the sacredness and importance of transition times and the need of the community to respond through prayer and ritual. Through stories, examples, and personal witness, Father Hater offers an invitation to acknowledge and celebrate transitions and rites of passage in peoples lives. He encourages pastoral leaders to open for them a deeper experience of the sacramental life of faith through their ordinary, daily journeys of discovery.Robert J. Hater, PhD