Starting new way of living faith

Elected, chosen, invited and welcomed. At St. Paul Cathedral Sunday afternoon 87 catechumens celebrated the Rite of Election and 72 candidates celebrated the Rite of Recognition and Call to Continuing Conversion. A path to a new way of life was opened to them.
They are in the final weeks of preparation before being initiated into the sacramental life of the Catholic Church at the Easter Vigil.
They were sent by 37 different parishes, or their college, to be recognized for their worthiness. The catechumens were enrolled in the Book of the Elect.
Bishop McManus asked the catechumens and candidates to ponder two simple questions: What is God calling you to do with your life? What will happen if you answer his divine call?
Catechumens are unbaptized people who will be fully initiated into the Church at the Easter Vigil.
Candidates are baptized Catholic adults who are preparing for confirmation and Eucharist, or baptized non-Catholics who will be welcomed into full communion with the Church.
Although assent is necessary, “you are not choosing God, it is God, and Christ, who is choosing you,” the bishop told them.
Throughout religious history God has made the call – to Abram, to young Mary of Nazareth – the bishop said.
“The Lord is issuing you an invitation,” he told the men, women, teens and children who are anticipating being full members of the Church. The invitation asks them to repent, put sin behind them and believe in the Gospel. They are being asked to surrender their old way of life to live a life of grace, the bishop said.
“God holds out to you a new way of being in the world, a new way of thinking about God,” he said.
At baptism “you will become a new creation,” he said. “If you die with Christ in the waters of baptism, you will rise with him to a new life. ... You will enjoy a peace that this world cannot give.”
“I welcome you into the household of faith. At Easter you will become one of us in the life of Christ,” he said.
Bishop McManus then greeted each person, and their sponsor, individually.

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