I’m supposed to go down on Sunday, with the rest of my RCIA class, to the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, where all the incoming new Catholics from the Washington DC area will take part in a rite that is part of our admission to the Roman Catholic Church. I’m amazed to realize that most of the nave of that huge building will be filled with candidates and catechumens, nearly two thousand of them, just from the local area. Another such ceremony will take place the following weekend because we can’t all fit in a building with a capacity of 2200. And the same thing is taking place at the same time, all over the world. Amazing how many people are joining the Church. Something’s going on.
We welcome you home with open arms and many blessings!
Wow! Very heartwarming post. Thank you for sharing it!
What a splendid way to be welcomed into the Church!
(We came in sort of sideways, as it were, so we were received and confirmed in the little St. Mary's Chapel, just us, the kids (to be confirmed later), Monsignor, and the Sunday School supervisor who acted as our sponsor. No less meaningful or effective -- but a bit less spectacular.)
On an absolutely unrelated subject, my poor T'bred mare turned up incurably unsound - at age 27. After living for about a year in a friend's pasture (where she was not particularly happy in cold weather after her life of luxury in a box stall) we found her a berth with the Special Olympics, where she is once again ensconced in indoor comfort with blankets, a fan, and a horde of little adoring children.
Thank you for the post and ping! Those are truly remarkable numbers .. and all from just the DC area. Indeed, something beautiful is going on. As freeper "stars & stripes forever" commented, the Catholics Come Home commercials, have been very effective. No doubt another contributing factor, is the confusion among the various protestant denominations, which continue to split and divide.
Please post a follow up to this Sunday's event. My prayers continue for you and your family.
Praise God, it could be because God is bringing about the starts of full Christian unity.
I think people can feel something is coming on the way.
Welcome home BTW! I did that myself back in 2005 before Pope John Paul passed away.
Welcome To The Church!