Bishop Thomas John Paprocki welcomed the people and gave a brief catechetical instruction about the Cathedral and how it gets its name from the cathedra chair, which is the symbol of the bishop’s teaching authority in the church.
“If you are a fan of Star Wars you know that nobody sits in the captain’s chair but the captain,” he said. “So in a sense, as bishop I am the captain of this ship.” On a more serious note, he added, “So I am the chief catechist and the chair is significant of the teaching office that I hold.”
Also in his welcome, Bishop Paprocki reminded the people, “God has chosen you to be his followers and you have said, ‘yes.’” In his homily he continued with that theme and added, “We are here today because in one way or another each of us has experienced a stirring in our hearts … .
“Today we have gathered to celebrate an ancient ritual of Holy Mother Church in which those seeking the sacrament of baptism ‘give their names.’ We have also gathered today to call those who have already received the grace of baptism to a life of deeper fidelity to Christ and to an ongoing conversion to prepare to be received into the full communion of the church which the Lord established on the rock of Peter.”
Bishop Paprocki told the catechumens and candidates that the whole church rejoices at their presence. “There are many who would like us to believe that the church is diminishing, that faith in the western world is weakening, that Christianity will soon have vanished,” he said.
“Your presence among us and your desire to enter into the full communion of the church demonstrates quite the opposite. Through you, we see in clear fashion that activity of the Holy Spirit present in the world, stirring the hearts of men, women and children to turn to the One who has not only given them life but who also gave his life for them.”
During the liturgy, in which the assembly participated, Bishop Paprocki ratified the enrollment of the names of catechumens in the parishes’ Book of the Elect. From now until they are baptized, these individuals will be referred to as “the elect.”
He then blessed the holy water in the baptismal font and recognized those baptized candidates who will complete their Christian initiation.
Following the Rite of Election and Call to Continuing Conversion, nothing stands in the way of these people becoming Catholic. For them, Lent is a period of enlightenment and purification, when they and their parish communities focus on conversion and reflect on their decision to join the Catholic Church.
Although they gathered in the Cathedral for this liturgy, the elect and candidates will become full members of the church through the sacraments of baptism, confirmation and Eucharist at their own parish’s Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday, April 19.