Bishop Wack Releases Second Pastoral Letter

Pensacola, FL — Bishop William A. Wack, CSC is pleased to share with the faithful his second pastoral letter, Reborn, Anointed, Nourished: Faith and Formation for Life, as the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee prepares to restore the proper order of the sacraments of initiation for Catholics baptized before the age of discretion. Reborn, Anointed, Nourished provides the theological, historical and pastoral rationale for this transition in sacramental practice that will take shape in the coming years.

He offered the following comments upon the letter’s release: “It is my joy to share with you my vision for a renewal of sacramental life in the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee, and a renewal of faith in Jesus Christ in our families. In this Pastoral Letter, I wish to explain my decision to move the age of Confirmation for Catholic children from the ninth or tenth grade to what is called in church law 'the age of discretion,' around seven years of age.

This endeavor, rooted deeply in the Church's ancient tradition and the profound wisdom of her liturgical practice, seeks to administer the three sacraments of initiation in their proper sequence: Baptism, followed by Confirmation, and then First Eucharist. This letter, born of much prayer and discernment, articulates our diocesan vision for family catechesis and the Sacraments of Initiation. 

It is a truly pivotal moment for our local Church.  It is, without a doubt, a vibrant testament to the ceaseless activity of the Holy Spirit in our midst—the same Spirit who continually calls us to deeper holiness and impels us toward greater evangelization.”

A digital version of the letter is available in both English and Spanish at ptdiocese.org/restoredorderpastoralletter. The accompanying canonical decree and further resources can be found at ptdiocese.org/restoredorder.

This is Bishop Wack’s second pastoral letter following Sharing the Gift which was released in November 2021 covering the work of evangelization in the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee.

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