Eleven students journeying through the Order of Christian Initiation of Teens (OCIT) at Catholic Central participated in the scrutinies with the support of their classmates during grade-level prayer services held March 30 in the chapel. The scrutinies, rites with roots dating back to the early Church, mark a final step in the students' preparation to be received into the Catholic Church on April 26 at an all school Mass celebrated by Bishop Hanchon of the Archdiocese of Detroit. 

During the prayer service, the elect stood before their classmates and received intercessory prayer while Principal Fr. Patrick Fulton prayed a prayer of protection over each student. The scrutinies call both the elect and the faithful into the living waters of baptism to a new life in Christ.

"It's an opportunity for them to feel the prayer of the Body of Christ surrounding them and for them to know they have our support as they prepare to be received officially into the Church," said Fr. Fulton. 

Fr. Fulton explained the scrutinies to students as a sign-post that the elect are following the Way, pursuing relationship with Jesus.

"They've been given the seed of faith, the gift of faith, planted in their very heart at the moment of their conception, and all the circumstances of their life, and now what we have here at CC has prompted their hearts to say 'I want to be part of something more. I want to be part of something bigger,' said Fr. Fulton, "and we all owe our elect a great debt of thanks because they remind us of something that most of us take for granted. They make us stop as a Church and remember that this is something so important, something for eternal life, to have that relationship with our Lord," he said. 

Catholic Central's OCIT program was founded by Fr. Bill Riegal, CSB, Fr. Dennis Noelke, CSB, and Director of Campus Ministry Mr. Kevin Walters with special permission from Archbishop Vigneron to begin the faith formation program aimed at teens. Participants meet once every two weeks in the fall and once a week in the spring as preparations for the Mass of Initiation intensifies. Students receive the Sacraments of Initiation and are welcomed into the Church, surrounded by the support of their teachers and peers during an all-school Mass. 

Learn more about faith at Catholic Central: https://www.catholiccentral.net/faith