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Rite of Election set Feb. 9-10 at three sites

Bishop Francis X. DiLorenzo will officiate at the Rite of Election with catechumens of the diocese in Williamsburg, Richmond and Roanoke Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 9–10.

Catechumens are those people in parish or campus ministry programs for the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults who have not been previously baptized and seek to enter the full sacramental life of the Catholic Church at Easter.

During the two previous Rites of Election during Lent of 2006 and 2007 the Rite of Election also included candidates who are seeking to enter the Church at Easter. Candidates are those who have already been baptized in another Christian faith tradition.

Parishes may celebrate the optional Calling of Candidates to Continuing Conversion where by virtue of their baptism, they have already been in partial communion with the Catholic Church.

“Separating these two liturgical celebrations will assist in the ongoing effort to help our faith communities understand the initiation process,” said Catherine Combier-Donovan, director of the diocese’s Office of Worship.

“Everyone is not the same,” she continued. “Baptism does matter in terms of how formation and progress toward joining us at the Eucharistic table takes place.”

The two Rites have been separated, Ms. Combier-Donovan explained, to emphasize the need to work differently with catechumens and candidates.

In some cases, she said, candidates might remain in the initiation process a year or more.

“One of the gifts of the extended journey is that Lent can be experienced first as one who is learning about it, and then as one who is its focus,” Ms. Combier-Donovan explained.

She pointed out that several parishes have no catechumens prepared to celebrate the Rite of Election this year.

The Rite of Election will be celebrated on Saturday, Feb. 9, at 10 a.m. at St. Bede Church in Williamsburg, and later that same day at 2 p.m. at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Richmond.

The Roanoke celebration will take place on Sunday, Feb. 10, at 2:30 p.m. at Our Lady of Nazareth Church.

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