About 1,100 people – including more than 160 catechumens and their godparents and nearly 200 candidates for full communion in the Catholic Church and their sponsors – attended the annual Rite of Election of Catechumens and Call to Continuing Conversion of Candidates on March 1 at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in downtown Cleveland. They are participating in RCIA at their parishes and came from across the eight-county Catholic Diocese of Cleveland.
There were two liturgies – at 2:30 and 5:30 p.m. -- in order to accommodate the large number of people. Parish pastors and catechists who work with the catechumens and candidates also attended.
Father Don Oleksiak, diocesan administrator, led the liturgies. He told the group, “We are praying for you and each other that we may be able to continue to build the kingdom of God on earth.”
In his homily, Father Oleksiak shared that he is from a large family and he enjoys family gatherings because he can see his relatives and enjoy a meal with them. He recalled a recent incident with his 3-year-old great-nephew who had been instructed by his father not to remove his shoes. Father said the boy apparently was feeling defiant and after looking around and not seeing his father, he took off one shoe. His father, who was watching from a distance, scolded him and said not to take off the other one.
His nephew ignored his father, taking off not only the second shoe, but his socks, as well. His punishment – much to his chagrin – was a time out on the steps. He begrudgingly accepted the punishment and managed to behave the rest of the time, Father Oleksiak said.
“I was grateful for three things that day: the gift of family, the silence of my car and that day for the gift of celibacy,” he quipped.
Father Oleksiak connected the story to the Rite of Election and Call to Continuing Conversion, noting that God is calling us all to eternal life. “It brings to mind the people of the Old Testament who were rebellious and ornery. Time and time again they missed the mark, but God never gave up on them,” he said.
“We are people seeking to deepen our relationship with the Lord. We’re human, we’re frail and we need the Lord’s mercy. He sustains us and helps us overcome sin,” Father said, adding that the theme of the liturgy was the divine election.
After the homily, Jeanne Marie Miles, director of the diocesan Office for Worship, announced the names of parishes as the catechumens and their godparents processed up the main aisle of the cathedral where they were greeted by Father Oleksiak. A representative of each parish presented the book with their names to him. Each parish group was accompanied by two acolytes.
The catechumens will be baptized, receive their first Holy Communion and be confirmed at the Easter Vigil Mass on April 11 in their parishes.
“I now declare you to be members of the elect to be initiated at the next Easter Vigil,” Father Oleksiak said. “I welcome you to have a place at Christ’s Eucharistic table.”
After formally accepting the catechumens, the same procedure was repeated for the candidates who are answering the call to continuing conversion. The candidates, who already were baptized and may have received their first Holy Communion, will receive the sacrament of confirmation – and first Communion, if applicable -- at the Easter Vigil Mass in their parishes.
“Remember that God chose you,” Father Oleksiak told the candidates. He said they will be joining others who think they don’t need God. “But we need one another; we need community. We are not alone. We need each other and their help to resolve to follow God for his gift of life everlasting in the kingdom of God.”