?We?ve been praying for you and will be walking with you,? Bishop Nelson Perez told the catechumens and candidates who gathered with their sponsors on Feb. 18 at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist for the annual Rite of Election of Catechumens and Call to Continuing Conversion of Candidates.
More than 1,200 people from parishes throughout the eight-county Diocese of Cleveland attended the services. Because of the large number of catechumens and candidates, two identical services took place: one at 2:30 p.m. and one at 5:30 p.m.
The bishop asked how many people were visiting the cathedral for the first time. Many hands popped up, prompting him to recall his first visit to the cathedral last July, the evening before he was introduced as the new bishop of Cleveland. He was accompanied by Father Don Oleksiak, vicar general, and Father Sean Ralph, cathedral rector.
?Father Sean turned on the lights and I looked up. It was amazing. What a beautiful place. You should look up,? he said.
The bishop told the catechumens and candidates that they are on a journey. ?You took different paths to get here
