ARCHDIOCESE OF MELBOURNE RELEASE
Words Laura McIntosh
Pictures John Casamento
ON Sunday, 17 February, about 900 people across the Archdiocese of Melbourne came together to celebrate the Rite of Election at St Patrick’s Cathedral. The Rite of Election, typically the first Sunday of Lent, is an important step in the RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults) process. Catechumens and candidates from around the Archdiocese declared their intent to join the Catholic Church through the sacraments of Initiation: Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist (or solely Confirmation and Eucharist for candidates who have already been baptised).
View gallery
During the Liturgy of the Word, Archbishop Denis Hart gave a moving homily about the journey of our life. While the 185 catechumens, 119 candidates, the sponsors, and those of us there in celebration had taken different paths that led us to that exact point in time, we were all called by God to begin our journey and strengthened by His presence along the way.
Following the Liturgy of the Word, Fr Tony Feeney, the consultant to the Archbishop’s Office for Evangelisation for RCIA and parish priest of Holy Saviour, Vermont South, invited the catechumens, along with their sponsors, to process to the front of the church. There, they were invited to affirm their desire to enter fully into the life of Church through the sacraments of initiation. This same procession was then repeated with the candidates and their sponsors.
As the catechumens and candidates approached the altar, Fr Feeney named all the parishes in the Archdiocese represented by a catechumen or a candidate—nearly 70 in all—and the names of the catechumens were brought forth to be inscribed into the Book of the Elect, recognising them as the ‘elect of God’, or those who have been chosen by him for baptism.
The sponsors and we, as the Christian community assembled at the Cathedral, declared our support for catechumens and candidates to be admitted to the Easter sacraments. Our enthusiastic applause rang out throughout the cathedral, providing energetic confirmation of Archbishop Hart’s earlier words that ‘as Catholics we are companions to all those who seek Jesus’.
It was an honour to be present for this service and to witness our faith exemplified by those who stood proudly declaring their wish to join the Catholic Church. As Archbishop Hart said, ‘Their presence reminds us that the Church is a pilgrim people, constantly trying to renew itself.’ In a time of transition and certain scrutiny on our faith, the new elect serve as a source of hope and a promise of the continued strength of our Catholic faith ‘that stretches far back into the past and far into the future.’
The Elect now begin their ‘period of purification and enlightenment’, which is the final preparation for reception of the sacraments of initiation and concludes with the celebration of the sacraments at the Easter Vigil. The newly baptised and confirmed then enter the ‘period of mystagogy’, where they will grow in their understanding of and commitment to the Catholic Church. As a faith community we continue to support them along the way in constant affirmation of the Archbishop’s closing message: ‘I will pray for you and I know you will pray for me and for each other because together we are on this faith journey.’
Pictures John Casamento
ON Sunday, 17 February, about 900 people across the Archdiocese of Melbourne came together to celebrate the Rite of Election at St Patrick’s Cathedral. The Rite of Election, typically the first Sunday of Lent, is an important step in the RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults) process. Catechumens and candidates from around the Archdiocese declared their intent to join the Catholic Church through the sacraments of Initiation: Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist (or solely Confirmation and Eucharist for candidates who have already been baptised).View gallery
During the Liturgy of the Word, Archbishop Denis Hart gave a moving homily about the journey of our life. While the 185 catechumens, 119 candidates, the sponsors, and those of us there in celebration had taken different paths that led us to that exact point in time, we were all called by God to begin our journey and strengthened by His presence along the way.
Following the Liturgy of the Word, Fr Tony Feeney, the consultant to the Archbishop’s Office for Evangelisation for RCIA and parish priest of Holy Saviour, Vermont South, invited the catechumens, along with their sponsors, to process to the front of the church. There, they were invited to affirm their desire to enter fully into the life of Church through the sacraments of initiation. This same procession was then repeated with the candidates and their sponsors.
As the catechumens and candidates approached the altar, Fr Feeney named all the parishes in the Archdiocese represented by a catechumen or a candidate—nearly 70 in all—and the names of the catechumens were brought forth to be inscribed into the Book of the Elect, recognising them as the ‘elect of God’, or those who have been chosen by him for baptism.
The sponsors and we, as the Christian community assembled at the Cathedral, declared our support for catechumens and candidates to be admitted to the Easter sacraments. Our enthusiastic applause rang out throughout the cathedral, providing energetic confirmation of Archbishop Hart’s earlier words that ‘as Catholics we are companions to all those who seek Jesus’.
It was an honour to be present for this service and to witness our faith exemplified by those who stood proudly declaring their wish to join the Catholic Church. As Archbishop Hart said, ‘Their presence reminds us that the Church is a pilgrim people, constantly trying to renew itself.’ In a time of transition and certain scrutiny on our faith, the new elect serve as a source of hope and a promise of the continued strength of our Catholic faith ‘that stretches far back into the past and far into the future.’
The Elect now begin their ‘period of purification and enlightenment’, which is the final preparation for reception of the sacraments of initiation and concludes with the celebration of the sacraments at the Easter Vigil. The newly baptised and confirmed then enter the ‘period of mystagogy’, where they will grow in their understanding of and commitment to the Catholic Church. As a faith community we continue to support them along the way in constant affirmation of the Archbishop’s closing message: ‘I will pray for you and I know you will pray for me and for each other because together we are on this faith journey.’
SHARED FROM ARCHDIOCESE OF MELBOURNE
Comments