A group has been journeying in faith, prayer, and discussion since early September. These “inquirers” are taking the next step called the Rite of Acceptance into the Order of Catechumens and the Rite of Welcome as Baptized Candidates seeking full communion in the Catholic Church. These Rites are celebrated at 11 AM Mass at St. Patrick on the First Sunday of Advent. Jeff Rotheram, Ryan Mann, and Joanne Butera will enter the Order of Catechumens. Wyatt Bensken will publicly become a Candidate for Full Communion. As they declare their intention, the Church accepts their commitment and pledges its support. The symbols of the Rite express its meaning. Catechumens and Candidates are greeted at the church door by the baptized community, where they are welcomed to enter. The threshold, or door, symbolizes transition into a new way of life in the Church. To enter the Church is to enter into Christ’s dying and rising. The signing with the cross of the bodies of the catechumens symbolizes their readiness to bear witness to Christ and walk in his ways. The Word of God and the Assembly reveal God’s presence in the good and the bad, as well as the need to be always nourished by His Word. The Catechumen is an official title in the Church, which means “one in whom the Word of God echoes.” Let us pray, celebrate, and give thanks for the work that God is doing!
