BRISBANE’S Catholic community will welcome more than 100 men and women into the Church at Easter this year.
On Sunday February 21, 117 Catechumens – young, mature and from diverse backgrounds – celebrated the annual Rite of Election liturgy at Brisbane’s St Stephen’s Cathedral.
Those invited to take part in the rite will go on to receive the three sacraments of initiation at Easter.
The Rite of Election, celebrated on the first Sunday of Lent, is the penultimate stage of the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA), the official process for people who have decided to become Catholic.
The rite allows each of the Catechumens, as well as non-Catholic Christians wanting to be received fully into the Church, to make the final stage of their initiation into at Easter.
“It’s good to see such new life into the Church,” Evangelisation Brisbane’s Adult Formation project officer, Lisa McKerr, said.
“There were a lot of people wanting to celebrate this journey of their faith.
“They now move into the stage of purification and enlightenment to deepen the stage of preparation for receiving the sacraments at the Easter Vigil (Mass).
“They will be baptised, confirmed and receive communion at Easter.”
Amongst the ranks of the Catechumens and supporters attending the Rite of Election liturgy on February 21 were about 40 members from Brisbane’s Chinese Catholic Community, a group of teenagers from Maroochydore, and a large contingent from the Gold Coast’s Burleigh Heads parish.
“It was wonderful to see so many Godparents and sponsors and people supporting those who want to be part of our Church,” Mrs McKerr, said.
“We also had a number of candidates attend – those who are already baptised in a Christian faith and will be received into the Church for confirmation and Holy Communion.”
Participation in RCIA has been described as a journey of faith that passes through a number of different phases and focuses on conversion of heart and mind to Christ.
It is a gradual journey tailored to the needs of the individual – for adults, young people (aged 9 to 16), and for primary schoolers usually accompanied by parents.
