Posted on 04/05/2007 10:33:39 AM PDT by NYer
WASHINGTON (April 3, 2007)—Tens of thousands of people will join the Catholic Church on Holy Saturday, April 7, through the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA).
Many of them, known as catechumens, participated in the Rite of Election with their bishops at the beginning of Lent and will be baptized, confirmed and receive Holy Eucharist for the first time on Holy Saturday. Those known as candidates, who were already baptized but did not receive further catechetical formation, have been pursuing an adapted version of formation and will complete their initiation. Other candidates, who were baptized as members of another Christian community, will be received into full communion with the Catholic Church.
The Archdiocese of Los Angeles, the nation’s largest archdiocese, with over 4.4 million Catholics, celebrated two Rites of Election in order to accommodate all 1,294 catechumens and their sponsors. In addition to the catechumens, nearly 1,500 candidates in Los Angeles will be formally welcomed into the church Holy Saturday.
Numbers vary across dioceses. Some of the largest groups coming into the church are in the Archdiocese of Detroit, which is welcoming 612 catechumens and 913 candidates and the Diocese of San Diego, with 851 catechumens and 1,036 candidates. The Archdiocese of Atlanta reports 457 will be baptized and 631 received into full communion. In the Archdiocese of Seattle there will be 636 catechumens baptized and 520 candidates welcomed.
The Diocese of Bismarck, North Dakota, has 11 catechumens and 42 candidates; the Diocese of Juneau, Alaska, has 15 catechumens and 11 candidates. In the Diocese of Gaylord, Michigan, 27 catechumens will be baptized and 31 candidates will be welcomed into full communion.
In the Diocese of Honolulu, 33 catechumens are part of the RCIA at the Korean Catholic Community at St. Pius X Church. This group consistently has the highest number of the state’s converts.
In the Diocese of Salina, Kansas, as in past years, the largest RCIA group is from the student center at Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas. This year the college community has 18 catechumens and 46 candidates.
The 2006 Official Catholic Directory reported 80,817 adults baptized in the Catholic Church and 73,684 coming into full communion the previous year. In addition, there were 943,264 infant baptisms.
A breadth of diversity shows among those joining the Church in the Archdiocese of Washington’s Mother Seton Parish in Germantown, Maryland. Among the 10 catechumens are one Hindu and two Buddhists. The youngest is 16; the oldest over 40. Their countries of origin include Sri Lanka, Laos, Japan, and Jamaica. The 14 candidates include a 23-year-old newlywed and a 62.year.old Baptist who has been married to a Catholic for 37 years. Others come from Christian backgrounds, including the Episcopal, Baptist and Christian Reformed churches.
One priest in the Archdiocese of Washington is preparing his father to join the church on Holy Saturday. Father Scott Woods, parochial vicar at Mt. Calvary Church, Forestville, Maryland, joined the Catholic Church in the ninth grade while a student at Archbishop Carroll High School. His father, James Woods, a former Baptist, began learning about the Catholic faith around the time of his son’s conversion and recently formalized his faith formation. Father Woods was ordained a priest in the Archdiocese of Washington five years ago and will preside over his first Easter Vigil service Saturday evening when his father is welcomed into full communion with the church.
Adults will enter the church in every one of the country’s 195 dioceses and in virtually every one of the nation’s nearly 19,000 parishes.
In the Diocese of Austin, Texas, high school junior Meghan Avery is joining the Catholic Church after enrolling at a Catholic high school. She was baptized in the Presbyterian Church as a young child, later attended services of various denominations, and started to know Catholicism when she helped one of her mother’s Catholic friends with a vacation bible school at St. Luke Parish. There Meghan befriended another Catholic teen who encouraged her to enroll in Holy Trinity Catholic High School last fall. Prior to changing schools she read up on Catholicism, then grew even closer to the faith while attending Mass at her new school.
An entire family of 10 is eagerly anticipating reception into the church together at St. Anne Catholic Church in the Diocese of Wichita, Kansas. They grew interested in the church when Jennifer Eastman, 29 weeks pregnant with her youngest daughter, Victoria, was admitted to Via Christi-St. Joseph Hospital, where she prayed the rosary for the first time while watching the EWTN Global Catholic Network. Less than a week after delivering Victoria, the entire family attended its first Mass together. Jennifer and her husband say they had considered becoming Catholic for some time and wanted to help their children grow spiritually. They found added appeal in the church’s universality.
The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults is an ancient rite that was reinstituted in the Church following the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965). It is the usual means for adults to come into the Church.
Infant baptisms take place in parishes throughout the year. It is estimated there will be about one million infant baptisms in 2007.
Thanks, I look forward to these articles. In fact, was thinking about it this morning — the stories should start popping out all over the place!
Bump!
**One priest in the Archdiocese of Washington is preparing his father to join the church on Holy Saturday. Father Scott Woods, parochial vicar at Mt. Calvary Church, Forestville, Maryland, joined the Catholic Church in the ninth grade while a student at Archbishop Carroll High School. His father, James Woods, a former Baptist, began learning about the Catholic faith around the time of his son’s conversion and recently formalized his faith formation. Father Woods was ordained a priest in the Archdiocese of Washington five years ago and will preside over his first Easter Vigil service Saturday evening when his father is welcomed into full communion with the church.**
This little story brought tears to my eyes! He will baptize his father!
As you know, I was reveived at the Easter Vigil last spring. Saturday night my husband will be received into full communion with the Catholic Church.
A blessed and joyous Easter to all!
**Saturday night my husband will be received into full communion with the Catholic Church.**
What wonderful news! Congratulations to your husband and to you too!
Wow! The Lord is Good and greatly to be praised!
How wonderful! A blessed and joyous Easter to you as well!
Welcome home!
Looks like no Eucharist for me again this Easter.
Can’t run one of these Boise priests to ground to hear my confession.
Confession is valid even if the priest is a heretic, isn’t it?
Like tulips, hyacinth and crocus ;-)
The Council of Chalcedon firmly established that the Character of the man does not impact the validity of the Sacrament.
Yes. Recall the words of our Lord to St. Faustina ..
"Daughter, when you go to confession, to this fountain of My mercy, the Blood and Water which came forth from My Heart always flows down upon your soul and ennobles it. Every time you go to confession, immerse yourself in My mercy, with great trust, so that I may pour the bounty of My grace upon your soul. When you approach the confessional, know this, that I Myself am waiting there for you. I am only hidden by the priest, but I myself act in your soul. Here the misery of the soul meets the God of mercy. Tell souls that from this fount of mercy souls draw graces solely with the vessel of trust. If their trust is great, there is no limit to My generosity. The torrents of grace inundate humble souls. The proud remain always in poverty and misery, because My grace turns away from them to humble souls." (1602)My daughter, just as you prepare in My presence, so also you make your confession before Me. The person of the priest is, for Me, only a screen. Never analyse what sort of a priest it is that I am making use of; open your soul in confession as you would to Me, and I will fill it with My light. (1725)
Wishing you a Blessed Easter!
I LOVE my Catholic Church.....glad to know how many people are joining.
If you mean that the priest is an SSPXer, for example, then yes, your Confession is valid if it’s your only option. There has been wiggle room left so that the SSPXers can come back for full communion in the Church. Good luck...
From the Austin, Texas Archdiocese “We are honored to have nearly 1,000 who are joining the Catholic Church this Easter in our diocese.”
Is there some sort of companion article that gives adult receptions per Catholic.
For instance I read that Boston (my Diocese) had a big number last year but was 153 out of 176 surveyed Diocese in Adult receptions per Catholic.
Always curious about that because I think Adult receptions say so much about a particular Diocese (I suppose in some case a State as well).
Oh, wow.
My wife (we’ve been married 29 years) was initiated last Easter Vigil, I was her sponsor and our four kids witnessed it. Words cannot describe how I continue to feel about her and that day.
This Holy Saturday I’ll be sponsoring another catechumen, a fine young man who, out of the blue, asked me to sponsor him. I jumped at the opportunity (he thinks it’s about him, but it’s really for the entire congregation.....well, ok, it uplifts me too)
God bless you and your family.
Happy Easter.
RD
I found that story very moving too and for good reason. My father (76 years old) and my mother (60 years old) will both join the Church on Saturday night. I am my father’s sponsor. Of course, I am looking forward to this moment with great anticipation!
Incidentally, my wife and I botch converted to Catholicism three years ago.
botch=both
(I guess you could say I really botched the spelling of that word?)
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