At the 8:00 a.m. Mass next Sunday, March 3, the Catechumens and Candidates who are currently in the RCIA program will experience the next of the Rites in their journey to receiving the Sacraments of Initiation at the Easter Vigil (those who are unbaptized) or being fully initiated into the Catholic Church (for those who have already received Christian baptism). This Rite “sends” the Catechumens and Candidates to the diocesan bishop who will formally accept them as the Elect (those who are not baptized) or recognize them as they pursue the call to continual conversion (those who have already received Christian baptism) at the Rite of Election which will take place the following Sunday in St. Mary’s Church. At the Rite of Sending, those who are not baptized will sign the Book of the Elect.
At the Rite of Election, the Bishop will receive and sign the Book of the Elect indicating that those who are not baptized are now officially recognized as completing the period of the Catechumenate and now embarking on the final journey in the process - the period of Enlightenment and Mystagogia. At the Rite of Election, the Bishop will also officially recognize those who have already received Christian Baptism as entering into this final phase of preparation as well.
Please keep all those who are on this journey in your prayers.
