Lent is a time for prayer, penance and almsgiving, but it’s also when the Catholic Church rejoices and welcomes those who will be received into the Church at the Easter Vigil.
In the Diocese of Cleveland, more than 1,000 people who are participating in the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults will either be baptized or come into full communion with the Church during the Easter Vigil on April 4. They were welcomed during the annual Rite of Election liturgy on Feb. 22 at Cleveland Public Auditorium.
Bishop Edward Malesic presided at the liturgy and Auxiliary Bishop Michael Woost assisted.
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The 491 catechumens (those who are not yet baptized) and 538 candidates (those already baptized) attended the liturgy with their godparents or sponsors. Many family members and friends also were there to offer prayerful support.
“You’re here today because someone walked with you and loved you into the Church,” Bishop Malesic told the approximately 4,000 people in attendance.
“This has become our sacred space,” the bishop said, noting the number of candidates and catechumens was so large once again that it exceeded the capacity of the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist. The number of people being received into the Church in the Cleveland Diocese this year is about 200 more than last year.
“This is a day of joy for all of us, a day of grace and a blessing for me,” Bishop Malesic said.
He shared his faith story with the congregation, explaining how he had doubts about the Church at one time, but he said he never stopped believing in Jesus.
“I knew about Jesus, but I didn’t know him,” he said. “God never gave up on me and he won’t give up on you … I opened my heart to Jesus and when I did, he came rushing in … He awakened a faith within me that I didn’t know I had.”
The bishop described the Church as like a mother to us and said that faith a great gift from God.
“Faith leads us to heaven, where our destiny is to be made into saints,” he said.
But he acknowledged that faith isn’t easy. “It’s demanding and fragile and it can be lost … It has to be shown in our lives. Sometimes lifelong Catholics forget about faith, which is why you candidates and catechumens are such a gift to us. You help to wake us up and remind us that we have such a treasure in our faith … We can’t wait to share the table of the Lord with you … Put your faith in Jesus and he won’t disappoint.”