Joe, a long-time member of the choir in our parish, stood in his pew at the cathedral, facing the bishop along with all the other catechumens of the diocese. His godfather, not sure which of them was more nervous, stood next to Joe with his hand on Joe’s shoulder. The bishop then asked all the …
Will the Rite of Election be celebrated in your parish worship space this year? Many dioceses are shifting the rite out of the cathedral and into the parish because of the COVID-19 pandemic. And in dioceses where the celebration will still be held at the cathedral, the number of people present will be dramatically smaller …
Will your Rite of Election be a true decision point this year?
Are you having trouble getting your parish involved in your RCIA process? Do you sometimes feel like you and your team are working off in a corner somewhere, unnoticed by the larger community? When you celebrate RCIA rites at Sunday Mass, do you sense the assembly is disgruntled because the liturgy might go longer than …
A small dark-skinned boy, about nine years old, stood in front of the bishop along with his godmother and a dozen or so other catechumens from his parish. He wore a black suit and a blue shirt with a black necktie. He had an American flag pinned to his lapel. His smile lit up the …
Many RCIA teams and many more catechumens seem to not quite clearly grasp the reason that a Rite of Election is included in the initiation process. Many believe the purpose of the rite is to introduce the catechumens to the bishop. Or, as an extension of that, to show the catechumens that they are joining …
As we approach the Rite of Election, let’s explore more deeply the biblical notion of choice. Those of us from first-world countries are fanatical about choice. We believe choice is a birthright. We choose our forms of government, our careers, our friends, and our breakfast cereals. The ability to have so much choice is both …
A Catechumen’s Prayer Before the Rite of Election Creator God, even before I was born, you called me and named me. Even before I understood, you sought and summoned me. All this time, you have been choosing me, Lord, in secret and intimate ways. Now, you call me to stand before you, before your people, …
Prayers for Catechumens around the time of the Rite of Election
In our Diocese of San Jose, we have dancing books for the Rite of Election. Now hold on before you start groaning as you imagine young waifs in tights and leotards flitting about the altar. Our Scriptural tradition has many stories of dancing—but the kind of dancing that comes out of ordinary, everyday people. David …
Keep your eyes open when you attend the Rite of Election. Notice what happens. Here are ten questions (in no particular order) to help you sharpen your observations. 1. Did each catechumen have a godparent? They should. The godparents have an important role in this rite. No group godparents, please. Each catchumen should have somebody …
How do you know if the catechumens are ready for the rite of election? Who decides? What is the process for discerning their readiness? Take a look at Sr. Miriam Malone’s invitation to a one-hour, live training workshop to answer these questions and more. Click here here for more information and to register for the …
