The largest group of women and men who will join the Catholic Church within the Diocese of Venice at the Easter Vigil were recognized during the annual Rite of Election at Epiphany Cathedral on the first Sunday of Lent on March 9. This annual tradition is a formal Rite in which catechumens are presented and their names are entered into the Book of Elect.
The largest group of women and men who will join the Catholic Church within the Diocese of Venice at the Easter Vigil were recognized during the annual Rite of Election at Epiphany Cathedral on the first Sunday of Lent on March 9. This annual tradition is a formal Rite in which catechumens are presented and their names are entered into the Book of Elect.
The 177 catechumens were joined by an additional 160 Candidates who also participated in the formal ceremony and are welcomed during the celebration for answering the call to their continuing conversion.
The Rite of Election was presided over by Bishop Frank J. Dewane who complimented each for making the commitment to answering the call of Jesus Christ in a particular way by becoming members of the Church in the Diocese of Venice. “You are working to become part of the Universal Church and that is something that must be lived out each day as you move forward.”
The catechumens and candidates who were recognized by Bishop Dewane will be welcomed as part of the Easter Vigil celebration on April 19 at their respective parishes. They represent 37 Parishes in the Diocese of Venice and are accompanied by more than 150,000 people across the country that will also join the Catholic Church this year. St. Peter the Apostles Parish in Naples and Jesus the Worker Mission in Fort Myers had the largest groups of catechumens and candidates.
Bishop Dewane noted that all of the catechumens and candidates are part of a Church that dates back more than 2,000 years, founded by Jesus Christ. “This is something you will carry with you for the rest of your lives. Just as the Apostles said ‘Yes’ to Christ and followed Him, so have you said ‘Yes’ for all of the world to see and hear.”
The catechumens are part of the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA). RCIA is for those who are unbaptized and unchurched, who come to inquire about becoming part of the Roman Catholic Faith. Many times catechumens are those who have begun to seek and understand God in their lives, and have been led by the Holy Spirit to become Catholic.
RCIA is not simply a course on Catholicism; it is a journey of discovery and faith. This is most commonly done is three distinct phases.
The first phase focuses on discernment, where people inquire about the Faith and begin to learn the basics about Jesus and how He is leading them on their journey of discovery. The second phase begins when the person is accepted into the catechumenate which subsequently involves getting into the deeper meanings of Church teaching as they learn about the traditions of the Catholic Church by attending formal classes. The final phase takes place during the closing weeks of Lent in a process referred to as a period of purification and enlightenment. Each catechumen will go through a series of scrutinies during which they examine their readiness to accept Christ and the Catholic Faith in the form of the Sacraments of Initiation.
This time of purification and enlightenment culminates at the Easter Vigil when the catechumens are received through Baptism into the Catholic Church. The final period of the RCIA is the time of “Mystagogy” (post-baptismal catechesis). During the weeks following the Easter Vigil, the newly initiated live more profoundly their experience of Baptism and the Eucharist as they begin the journey of discipleship and their growing union with Christ.
For candidates, those who have been baptized in the name of the Trinity, the Catholic Church does not require re-Baptism. Candidates have already experienced a journey of faith and have an understanding of how Jesus leads us to the Father through the work of the Holy Spirit. In fact, many have been attending Mass with their families for years but may have never received the Sacrament of Holy Communion or the Sacrament of Confirmation.
Candidates, therefore, are in a separate group and are not necessarily required to wait an entire year before being welcomed into the Church. However, the Easter Vigil is still an appropriate and most beautiful time for this to occur.
The candidates are invited to the Cathedral for the Rite of Election as a form of welcome, but because they are already in the Book of the Elect as baptized Christians, they do not bring their names forward; rather they come forward and make the sign of the cross with holy water as a reminder of their Baptism and sign of their continuing conversion.
Everyone is encouraged to pray for and welcome the catechumens and candidates at their own parish as they continue their journey of discovery in their Faith. As Bishop Dewane explained during the Rite of Election, “we are all called to a continuing journey of discovery in our Faith, and these catechumens and candidates do it in an outward manner and should be commended for it. They serve as examples to us all.”
By Bob Reddy (Florida Catholic)
March 20th, 2014