Bishop welcomes close to 90 for annual Rite of Election

On February 18, families, friends and sponsors of the 89 catechumens and candidates gathered at St. Augustine Cathedral for the annual Rite of Election with Bishop Bradley. This year 35 catechumens (those who will receive the sacraments of baptism, confirmation, and the Eucharist during the Easter Vigil ) and 54 candidates (baptized members who will be confirmed during Easter Vigil) represented 29 parishes from across the Diocese. Members of the elect ranged in age from young children to grandparents and all ages in-between.

Bishop Bradley commended the “Class of 2018” for answering their “call to conversion” and during his homily offered the following advice: “As in any friendship, we have to always work at it,” he explained. “We have to make sure that we spend time with our friend, Jesus, through regular prayer; we have to make sure that we remain on good terms with Jesus, and if, we do something that betrays our friendship through sins that we commit, we have to make sure that we restore that friendship through the Sacrament of Penance. And we have to make sure that we keep our friendship nourished and vibrant through regularly participating in the Holy Eucharist, the Source and Summit of our faith. That’s when we will rejoice with you 89 Catechumens and Candidates when you are one with us in celebrating the Sacraments, most especially joining us around the Table of the Lord at Mass, sharing in our common identity as Jesus’ friends.”

The Rite of Election includes the enrollment of names of all the Catechumens seeking baptism at the coming Easter Vigil. Typically held on the first Sunday of Lent, the Catechumens, their sponsors and families gather at the cathedral church. The Catechumens publicly express their desire for baptism to the diocesan bishop. Their names are recorded in a book and they are called the Elect.

The liturgy is also referred to for the candidates as the “Continuing Call to Conversion.” Coming into full communion with the Catholic Church describes the process for entrance into the Catholic Church for already baptized Christians. In most cases, these individuals make a profession of faith but are not baptized again.

*photo by John Grap