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BY ERIKA ANDERSON
Staff Writer
ATLANTA--The sound of trumpets and colorful banners representing the four
regions of the archdiocese reflected the spirit of joy at Rites of Election as
1,358 catechumens and candidates expressed their intention to become full
members of the Catholic Church at Easter.
At four separate ceremonies in February, one for each region of the
archdiocese, Archbishop John F. Donoghue greeted the elect. The 495 catechumens
are those who will receive all of the sacraments of initiation, including
baptism, at the Easter Vigil. The 863 candidates are baptized Christians who
will receive the sacraments of confirmation and Eucharist at that time.
Liturgical continuity was stressed throughout the ceremonies in which
catechumens and candidates of various ages and backgrounds from the North,
South, East and West regions of the archdiocese were presented to the
archbishop.
The homily, prayers of the faithful and songs were the same for each of the
liturgies, formally called the Rite of Election and Call to Continuing
Conversion. The liturgies were held over two weekends Feb. 13-14 and Feb.
20-21.
Prior to the ceremonies, catechumens and candidates signed the Book
of the Elect, declaring their intention to continue their faith journey
throughout the Easter season.
The congregation began each ceremony with “Amazing Grace,” a song
that unites people of faith from almost every denomination. Cantors Janis
Griffin and Sam Hagan then led the gathering hymn, “Here I Am, Lord,”
as parish representatives processed into the church with the Books of the
Elect.
Following a Scripture reading, responsorial psalm and Gospel, Archbishop
Donoghue, in his homily, encouraged the congregation to examine the prayerful
nature of the celebration.
“In the midst of this beautiful celebration of our Lord’s love for
us ... I think it is important for us to pause just a moment, in the midst of
all this activity--pause and collect our wits, and just for a moment, let
ourselves be quiet and surrender to contemplation--to that kind of
contemplation that the saints have taught us--taught us that within the
celebration, within the joy of this day, and the days yet to come, there is
also a place of quiet--a place of peace, where each of us lives, alone and in
his or her own way, with the Spirit of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and
with the great truths that the Father in Heaven has revealed for our
sakes.”
He also reminded those gathered that they have the power to avoid the
temptation of sin.
“God’s love is so persistent, that He has revealed to us through
Jesus Christ, a means by which we may protect ourselves, save ourselves, from
the misuse of this power--a means, in other words, by which we may be saved
from the power of sin, the power of evil,” he said. “And that means
is to surrender ourselves, totally, in body and soul, to the truth that Christ
has revealed--the truth that our salvation lies first in submitting to the love
of God, and of doing, not what we want, as Adam and Eve did, but what
He wants.”
The archbishop then addressed the catechumens and candidates.
“Today, dear friends who are now entering upon the last leg of the
convert’s journey, it is our hope for you, and our prayer--the hope and
prayer of your sponsors, your priests, your family and friends--and indeed, of
the whole Church, that the day will come, when you too will be able to look
back, and perhaps tell your children or grandchildren, or some young and
searching friend, that once upon a time, in the years of our Lord 1998 and
1999, you too, undertook a journey into the truth of Jesus Christ, into the
truth of His Church on earth, and that at journey’s end, you found, not a
closure, but instead, a beginning--a beginning of a revelation--a revelation
that can only begin, and that never ends--the revelation of life in
Jesus Christ, together with all the Faithful of His Holy Church,” he said.
After the homily, the parish director of the Order of Christian Initiation
read aloud the names of the catechumens, who came forward, along with their
godparents, to form a semicircle around the archbishop.
The godparents were asked to affirm that the catechumens have listened to
the word of God, responded to it and have gathered in prayer with the Catholic
community.
Next the candidates stood at their places with their sponsors as their names
were called. The sponsors affirmed that the candidates have been studying the
Catholic faith and reflecting upon it, as well as meeting in common prayer.
The Book of the Elect was then brought up to the altar and presented to the
archbishop, who blessed it.
Following the ceremony, the catechumens, candidates and their families had
an opportunity to meet the archbishop.
At the rite for the East region, Dawn Kuhns, a catechumen from St. Lawrence
Church, Lawrenceville, described the ceremony as “wonderful.”
“The Catholic Church is so universal,” she said. “I feel like
I’m going to be a part of one big community.”
She said that after her initiation into the church, she feels her life will
be more fulfilling.
“I’ve known for a long time that something was missing,” she
said. “I finally figured out what it is.”
Jeff Harrison, a catechumen from Corpus Christi Church, Stone Mountain, also
said that he is excited about joining the Catholic family, as well as
strengthening his own family and his relationship with his wife of over two
years, who is Catholic.
“I think it is bringing me closer together in spirit with my
family,” he said.
He also believes that becoming Catholic will allow him to let go of past
ills.
“I think it will bring myself to let go of hate and to learn to forgive
and forget,” he said. “The church teaches about forgiveness and I
think it will take a little time, but there will be a change.”
For Tammy Reis of St. Oliver Plunkett Church, Snellville, who was baptized
in the Lutheran church, the Catholic Church has been a source of love.
“When I saw in this church that they were so together and that there
was so much love, I knew that was something I wanted to be a part of,” she
said.
Reis also is looking forward to joining spiritually with her husband, who is
Catholic, and feels that her journey toward the church has changed her life.
“I really stop now and think, ‘What would Jesus do,’”
she said. “I think it’s made me a better wife and it’s made me
think before I talk, rather than talking before I think.”
Reis said that her initiation into the church will be the end of a long
journey.
“In my life, I was always searching for something. At first, it was my
husband, but even after we were married, there was still something
missing,” she said. “Now that I’ve found God and the Catholic
Church, I feel like I am complete.”
Archbishop Donoghue presided at all four liturgies. The Rite of Election for
the West region was held at St. Joseph’s Church in Marietta, on Feb. 13
where 389 candidates and catechumens were presented. The East region liturgy
was held at St. Oliver Plunkett Church, Snellville, on Feb. 14 where 351
candidates and catechumens were presented. The rite for the South region was
held Feb. 20 at St. Philip Benizi Church, Jonesboro, where 193 candidates and
catechumens were presented and the Church of St. Benedict in Duluth hosted the
Rite of Election for the North region on Feb. 21 where 425 candidates and
catechumens were presented.
Rob Doerschner, coordinator and co-convener of the Atlanta Forum on the
Catechumenate, said the Rite of Election “is clearly a spiritual highlight
of my year.”
“From the first to the last one of each year, it is evident that the
Holy Spirit is present to all in attendance. It is especially moving to see the
expression on the faces of the catechumens when the archbishop declares them to
be ‘the Elect of God.’ It is evident that they know and appreciate
what it means to be part of God’s chosen and that they feel they are being
called by name,” said Doerschner of Holy Family Church, Marietta, who has
worked on the rite for the past five years.
This year, he said, the number of catechumens and candidates in the East
region increased by about 25 percent over last year, in particular because of a
significant increase in the number of people in the initiation process at St.
Lawrence Church, Lawrenceville.
There is a trend overall toward an increase in the number of catechumens, or
unbaptized, Doerschner said, who this year make up 36 percent of the total
group.
The North region continues to have the largest regional group of catechumens
and candidates and the rite was moved to the largest church in the region, St.
Benedict, this year. The church was filled to capacity, he said. In fact, all
four sites were filled for their respective liturgies.
The group in the North region included 41 catechumens presented to the
archbishop from the Korean Martyrs Catholic Center in Doraville.
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