By Gretchen Keiser

Close to 800 people declared their intentions to become full members of the Catholic Church this Easter in a colorful and communal celebration at the Georgia World Congress Center.

Seated in quadrants for the north, south, east and west portions of the archdiocese, the participants reflected a diversity of age and background, all taking part in the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) in their parishes. Over 200 are catechumens who are unbaptized and will receive all the sacraments of initiation, including baptism, at the Easter Vigil. The other 500 to 600 are candidates, already baptized Christians who will receive the sacraments of Confirmation and Eucharist.

Joining them at the Rite of Election Feb. 23 were Catholics who are sharing their journey as godparents, sponsors or members of parish RCIA teams. Friends and family members brought the crowd to approximately 2,500.

For the second year the archdiocese moved the celebration from the Cathedral of Christ the King, since it is too small to host the Rite in one sitting.

Emphasizing the Church’s welcome of them as they make the final spiritual journey toward membership, the Rite presents catechumens and candidates to the bishop.

In an opening procession, parish representatives entered ahead of Archbishop James P. Lyke, OFM, each holding a Book of the Elect.

Later the names of each catechumen and candidate were read aloud by the parish directors.

“I represent the Church in saying to you: It is God who calls, it is God who beckons, it is God who wants you here,” said Archbishop Lyke in the homily.

The words of the hymn “Amazing Grace” were sung earlier in the program and the archbishop used its familiar strain, “that saved a wretch like me,” to acknowledge that everyone carries a dubious past and still no one is separated from God’s grace.

“All of us have come to this point from a past that has its shady tones, its elements of waywardness,” he said. “A past that has its sense of an absence of God and an absence of love…It is well for us to remember that God’s amazing grace has always been there…we were always God’s child.”

From this point, the catechumens and candidates enter the season of Lent, with the whole Church, in preparation for the Easter Vigil. Calling this a time of silence and a time to reflect upon the teaching received thus far, the archbishop said it is a desert experience. “I am delighted to confirm you in this forthcoming desert experience and I call myself and all the Church of North Georgia to go with you into the desert, there to listen and to pray and to allow God’s word to sink ever more deeply into you.”

After the presentation of catechumens, their godparents were asked to affirm that they have been listening to the word of God, responding to it, and gathering in prayer with the Catholic community. These are elements of the RCIA that have taken place in the months since last fall as people gathered to consider joining the Church, receive answers to their questions, study, pray and share faith.

After the candidates were presented and called to continuing conversion, their sponsors, who will stand up with them at Confirmation, were asked to affirm that the candidates have been studying the Catholic faith and reflecting upon it, as well as meeting in common prayer.

The archbishop then touched each Book of the Elect held up by the parish or mission representative while incense drifted up. Representing the diversity of the archdiocese, Ana Maria Montero, Trang Pham, Jennifer Chung and Joanna Yim wore native dress of Spain, Vietnam and Korea, while holding up bowls of incense.

Of a large number of parishes and missions taking part, there was a catholicity present. Our Lady of Vietnam mission brought forward 14 catechumens, while the Korean mission presented 21 candidates. From the Cathedral of Christ the King, 51 candidates and catechumens were in attendance, while the mission of St. Helena’s in Clayton was represented by two catechumens and St. Mark’s parish in Claresville by one candidate. St. Mary’s in Rome was present with a total of 20 candidates and catechumens and Sts. Peter and Paul in Decatur with 38.

LaGrange, Gainesville, Toccoa, Cedartown, Calhoun and Canton were among the communities taking part in the Rite of Election.

Cecilia Converse interpreted the comments of Henry Worley and Jennifer Jones, two candidates who have been assisted by Catholics in deaf ministry. Worley, who is engaged to be married this summer, said he is taking part in Mass at Transfiguration parish, Marietta, which has signed Mass, and wants “to learn how to be a Catholic through the RCIA classes.”

Miss Jones, who is in St. Jude’s RCIA program, said she was attracted to the Catholic Church through contact with a priest friend of her brother, a former Marist student. “I’m impressed that they are starting a deaf ministry and they are helping me,” she said of the church.

Furman Elliott, a catechumen from the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, Atlanta, is completing a process begun three or four years ago, when he took part in the initial reflection stages of RCIA and decided he was not ready. “This time I feel ready,” said Elliott, who works for the state in vocational rehabilitation.

His sponsor, Don Hood, was received into the Catholic Church last Easter and now is supporting Elliott on the journey, attending weekly classes with him. Both said the Shrine’s community strengthened them, particularly in the parish outreach to the homeless, PWAs, and other activities, but that it was the Mass that attracted them to the Catholic Church. “I love the silence and the reverence,” Elliott said.

At the Shrine following Easter, new members are introduced to the parish and describe how they will serve, Hood said. He is a lector, as well as active in the RCIA, and spoke to the parish of his decision to give 10 percent of his income to the church.

Vespers, the evening prayer of the Church, formed the heart of the celebration, with sung psalms and intercessory prayer as well as the archbishop’s homily. An archdiocesan choir, directed by Alan Brown, sang music such as “Amazing Grace,” to Gounod’s Sanctus from the Mass of St. Cecilia. Janis Griffin from Our Lady of Lourdes parish and Sam Hagen were soloists. Kathy Kutczka led congregational singing. Brown is music director at St. Jude’s parish.

Co-chairs for the Rite were Father David Stachurski, OFM, Conv., and Sister Louise Sommer, CSJ, both members of the Atlanta Forum on the Catechumenate. Also taking part in extensive preparation were Peggy Stapleton, organist and musician, directors of religious education Sharon Loiselle, Terry Zobel and Betty Walsh and Carol Hammill of the archdiocesan Office of Religious Education.

“I thought it was a wonderful party and everybody came, a nice celebration of conversion,” said Sister Sommer.