The Baptismal Way
The Baptism Way I read where in the early Christian church, people who wanted to be baptized had to go through this long process of initiation. That was the basis for the long process we have today. Then I read where this fellow Ambrose, in the 4th century, a declared saint, mind you, was not even baptized but the town wanted him to be their bishop. So in a week's time, they baptized him, confirmed him, ordained him a priest, and then ordained him a bishop. After that, he read a lot a scripture, and did good for the poor. He became a saint, while many a people who go through this long process today, stay a few years, if that, and then drift off to something else. I am for a quicker process. There is no guarantee. Besides, the Holy Spirit is supposed to do the heavy lifting. Then we could shorten the Easter Vigil!