Two liturgies for the Rite of Election of Catechumens and Call to Continuing Conversion of Candidates were celebrated on the First Sunday of Lent, Feb. 26, in the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist. About 1,700 people participated, including the catechumens, candidates, godparents, pastors, religious education formators, family members and friends.
Bishop Edward Malesic presided at the first liturgy and Auxiliary Bishop Michael Woost celebrated the second.
(See photos galleries above with images from each liturgy.)
As he welcomed the faithful, Bishop Malesic noted it was the first time since the coronavirus pandemic took hold in 2020 that the liturgies were celebrated in the cathedral. The past two years they were smaller celebrations in parishes.
Catechumens are those who are participating in religious education programs – the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults – in order to become members of the Catholic Church. They will be baptized, receive their first Communion and be confirmed during the Easter Vigil.
Candidates are those who are baptized but have not received the other sacraments of Eucharist and confirmation. They will come into full communion with the Catholic Church at the Easter Vigil.
Bishop Malesic told those at the first liturgy that he knew he was a Catholic from an early age. “I was a cultural Catholic,” he said, explaining that he “was simply born into it.” However, he admitted there were times – especially in high school – when he didn’t want to share the faith of his parents.’
“I always knew that Jesus was important in my life. I was blessed that way. Still, it took me a while to have a real and personal relationship with Jesus. It took me some time to become an active disciple of Jesus, not just in name, but in fact; not out of habit, but by intention. It took me some time to say, ‘Here I am, Lord,’ when he asked, ‘Come follow me.’ He never gave up on me. Jesus will never give up on you, either,” the bishop told the congregation.
He shared with them what he called his conversion story, when he said he really began to listen to his heart. “I finally got it. I was a disciple of Jesus. Jesus was my Lord. And I also learned why I was Catholic. This was a revelation to me,” he said.
The bishop said he truly believes that the Catholic Church has the fullness of what Jesus intended for his Church to be, even though it’s not perfect. “We ask God’s forgiveness and mercy on all of us when we fail him,” he said.
The Rite of Election and Call to Continuing Conversion take place during Lent, a season of repentance, he explained. “We are reminded to ask for help from the one who didn’t fall into temptation – his name is Jesus. Let’s cling to Jesus always.”
The bishop said we believe that “Jesus Christ is with us today – alive in this cathedral. In the word, in the sacrament of the Eucharist and in the joy that is filling this cathedral.”
In the second liturgy, Bishop Woost looked around the cathedral and said it was good to see the Church gathered there. “This gathering shows that the Church is alive,” he said.
In the Gospel, the bishop said Satan assaulted Jesus and his identity as the Son of God. At his baptism in the Jordan River, Bishop Woost said God affirmed the identity of Jesus as his beloved Son.
“In that identity, Jesus went to the cross for our salvation, rose from the dead and was glorified. That’s the identity the Evil One assaulted,” he said, noting that Satan continues to assault our identity as the beloved sons and daughters of God.
The Catechumens take on a new identity at the liturgy: the Elect. “There may not be a dove or a voice from heaven, but God will be saying that ‘This is my beloved son or daughter.’ We get a new identity at baptism,” the bishop said, when God claims us as his beloved sons and daughters.
“We gather tonight to show that we journey together in faith. We do this together as the Body of Christ, willing to support one another in prayer,” Bishop Woost said, adding, “We have much to be thankful for.”
The Catechumens and Candidates may not realize the contribution they are making to the church, the bishops noted.
“All of you who are coming into the Catholic Church have the distinct ability to remind us cradle Catholics of the greatness of our faith. You are God’s gift to us,” Bishop Malesic said.
But their joy should not end on Easter. The bishop reminded them they must use the new graces they received from God to empower them and they must share those gifts. “Your faith journey must continue long after Easter,” he said, urging them to stay close to Mary, Jesus’ mother, and to ask God for help to show them the way to salvation.
“Welcome to this final period of preparation for the Easter sacraments, Welcome to this wonderful community of faith, our Catholic Church – a family that is both diverse and united, which is ever ancient, but always young, always alive and continually moving forward to the kingdom of God,” Bishop Malesic said.