Catechumens enter Book of Elect By Fabvienen Taylor
JACKSON — A friend introduced Charles Russell Williamson to the Catholic Church when he was about 13.
“I was not brought up in any religlion,” said Williamson, now 16.
“But I went to Mass with my friend for a couple of months. Then I got into the youth program for a couple of years. You don’t have to be Catholic to be in the youth group. There are Methodists and Baptists and others.”
“I have definitely learned a lot. I didn’t know there were so many traditions like not eating meat on Fridays, or the meaning of the Tabernacle. I like that,” he said.
Ackerman St. Mark catechumen Liza Weaver desired to be closer to God.
“Most of my family on my mother’s side were Catholic,” said Weaver, 43.
“As I got older I started going to church and then wanted to become Catholic.
“Sister Alies Therese (lay ecclesial minister) makes everything fun. I learned that the book of Genesis was not the first book written in the Old Testament. That was interesting to me. I didn’t know that,” she said.
Weaver wants to become more involved at her church. “We do a lot of charity work. I want to become more involved in that,” she said.
Weaver and Williamson were among the 56 catechumens attending the Rite of Election on Sunday, March 1, at the Cathedral of St. Peter the Apostle.
The Rite of Election takes place on the first Sunday of Lent before the third stage, purification and enlightenment, of the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA).
The RCIA is the process by which adults are prepared to be received into full communion with the Catholic Church.
It is preceded by the pre-catechumenate (inquiry) and catechumenate (spiritual instruction and formation) phases. During the Rite of Election, the catechumen are presented to the bishop by their godparents who testify to their fitness to receive the the sacraments of initiation at Easter.
Those already baptized seeking to be fully received into the church — candidates — participate in the Rite of Calling to Continuing Conversion in their parishes. There are 144 candidates.
In his homily, Bishop Latino welcomed the catechumens, telling them it was a time to catch their breath on their journey to becoming Catholics.
“I know you are eager and some of you are anxious for the Easter Vigil but I ask you to rest at this moment in your journey of faith,” he said.
Later, after the Easter Vigil, Bishop Latino told them, “you will practice your faith by the way you live, the way you speak, the way you worship.”
A reception followed in the Cathedral Center.
