Easter Conversion ‘Boom’?

Some U.S. dioceses are reporting that 2014 will be an unusually fruitful year, in terms of the number of people welcomed into the Church.

by CHARLOTTE HAYS 03/31/2014

---The Archdiocese of Washington, where Bidzinski’s parish is located, will welcome the largest number of candidates and catechumens ever recorded for the archdiocese this Easter. The archdiocese will baptize or confirm 1,311 adults, children and teenagers this Easter

---Bishop Robert Lynch of the Diocese of St. Petersburg, Fla. — where around 1,100 new Catholics will be welcomed at the Easter vigil — blogged on the diocesan website that this is the largest number in his 18 years as bishop there.

--- Cardinal Sean O’Malley of the Boston Archdiocese welcomed a larger-than-usual crowd to the Rite of Election at his Cathedral of the Holy Cross. The number of catechumens and candidates — about 650 — necessitated two separate ceremonies.

--- As might be expected for a diocese in the South, the Archdiocese of Louisville, Ky. — which is welcoming 448 new Catholics at Easter, a number consistent with other years — often has candidates who grew up Southern Baptist. Brian Phillips, 39, who lives in Louisville, is one of these. Phillips married a Catholic and was attracted to the Church, but “had some hurdles to overcome,” he said. He added, “They were mostly because of misunderstandings.”

I’m an RCIA team member for the second year and we have twice as many including I am proud to say. my granddaughter. And now they are not catechumens but the elect. She’ll be Baptized, confirmed and receive her first communion tonight. I get chills just thinking of it.

“She’ll be Baptized, confirmed and receive her first communion tonight. I get chills just thinking of it”

I was baptised, confirmed and received my first communion Easter Saturday 2008. Best decision I have ever made in my life.

To all the new Catholics that will enter the Church today, WELCOME HOME!

We hope these new Catholics don't end up being "C and E" Catholics, that is, those who end up going to Mass only on Christmas and Easter.

That's an old term and I always wonder about those Catholics. WHY bother to go at all if they only go twice a year? Doesn't the 3rd commandment say "Keep holy the Lord's Day"?
They DO know all about sins and confession. It seems pathetic to me.

I GUESS that people decide that keeping the Sabbath holy can mean ANYTHING they want. Sigh. So sad for them.

They usually regret it. Also, towards the end of their lives they start THINKING about eternity. We all hope that it's not "too little too late."

Congratulations to your entire family. You brought a child into the faith of our fathers. What a blessing for you.

Almost everyone of the catechumens that I know of are outstanding Catholics no C&Es that I know of.

Let's hope they stay that way. I'm sure they will.

They DID choose the "difficult" faith to follow--so many things we have to do!! :o)

From personal experience, I think the key to not becoming a fallen away or lapsed Catholic is frequent confession. I went to confession for the first time in over 20 years yesterday. I did not want to let another Easter pass by without receiving.

To anyone reading this who hasn't gone to confession in years--Go! Begin with the most serious sin on your conscience. The rest are easy.

1,053 in the San Bernardino diocese. I assume that’s combined. I think 15 combined at my parish, 13 of those are elect (ten kids and three adults), and one of the adults is yours truly.

I was at Good Friday service and when they did the solemn intercessions, they got “amen!”s for both parts of the prayer for catechumens and candidates. I liked that.

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