Rite of Election

BEACON PHOTO | JOE GIGLI

BOOK OF THE ELECT  Father Derek Anderson, pastor of St. Mary Parish in Dover, presents Bishop Serratelli with the Book of the Elect from his parish. Bishop Serratelli signed the Book of the Elect from parishes around the diocese at the annual Rite of Election held on the First Sunday of Lent, Feb. 22 in St. Philip the Apostle Church, Clifton.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE PHOTOS

By CECILE SAN AGUSTIN, Reporter

CLIFTON   On the First Sunday of Lent in dioceses around the world, the Rite of Election was held as catechumens took a step closer to receiving the Sacraments of Initiation — Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist — at the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday, April 4. The Rite of Election was celebrated by bishops worldwide who, in the presence of the community, declared the Church’s approval of the catechumens for the celebration of the three Sacraments of Initiation.

In the Paterson Diocese on Feb. 22, in St. Philip the Apostle Church here, Bishop Serratelli formally selected — or elected — 129 individuals from across Passaic, Morris and Sussex counties, who publicly made the choice to become fully initiated members of the Roman Catholic Church.

Inscribed forever in the Book of the Elect at parishes around the diocese, priests and religious education directors presented the bishop with the names that have been enrolled at their parish. Receiving the three Sacraments of Initiation will be 66 adults in parishes around the diocese. Also present were 63 children, who will be baptized and some who will also receive First Communion.

To begin the Rite of Election, Bishop Serratelli said, “Welcome to everyone who comes to this Rite of Election, gratefufor the gift of those who are entering the Church filled with the Holy Spirit. As we enter this Rite of Election, we pray for those who not only accepted the call but also we pray for whoever is here asking for God’s call to salvation through Christ Jesus.”

The catechumens have been learning about the faith through their parish’s Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA), the Church’s official process by which new members are prepared for the Sacraments of Initiation.

Father Leonardo Lopez, parochial vicar at St. Michael Parish in Netcong, gave the homily in Spanish and Father Przemyslaw Nowak, parochial vicar at Assumption Parish in Morristown, gave the homily in English.

Following the homilies, the catechumens were presented to the bishop and both their sponsors and the assembly made an official affirmation. Then recognition of the enrolled names was presented to the bishop in the Book of the Elect. The catechumens were then asked to stand as an act of admission or election.

To end the Rite of Election, Bishop Serratelli congratulated the catechumens and addressed them: “The Church of Paterson and everyone here rejoices with you. The fact that you have accepted the call to be a Christian and to be a part of the Church that Jesus Christ himself has founded is a sign of the Holy Spirit working in you. I ask you, not only as you prepare for Baptism, First Eucharist and Confirmation but also in the days ahead before you are fully initiated, that you have that fire in your heart that you will know Christ and share him with others. We live in a time when to be a Christian calls for great heroism. In the Middle East, we hear every day the horror and the barbaric brutality that is being inflicted on fellow Christians who are being tortured and beheaded for believing in Jesus Christ. Today is a time for martyrs. We may not be called to give our blood as those heroes or those saints in the Church were, but we are called to do the same, to be martyrs in our own lives. A martyr is someone who gives constant witness to Jesus and by the joy of our lives invites others to know Christ Jesus, the Savior.”

After the ceremony, a light reception was held in the school gym at St. Philip’s that brought together the catechumens, their sponsors, priests from their parish and the bishop.

Receiving sacraments at the Easter Vigil will be Mary McDonald of Our Lady of Consolation Parish in Wayne. She shared her excitement at becoming fully initiated in the Church, saying: “I can’t wait. When I first walked into Our Lady of Consolation I felt so much love in the room.” A newlywed, McDonald felt called to become full initiated in the Church from her husband, Gary, whom she married last March. “I’m looking forward to sharing one faith together as husband and wife,” she said.

Also receiving the Sacraments of Initiation will be Maurice Nicholson of St. Mary Parish in Dover, who admits feeling nervous but at the same time excited. “The whole process has given me a good feeling,” he said.

The 21-year old, who came to the Rite of Election with his family and his pastor, Father Derek Anderson, said, “One day, I woke up and realized becoming Catholic is the path I should take. All the people have been so accepting and welcoming.”