Dear Parish Family,
I have the honor of writing this week’s pastoral note to share with you about several in our parish family who will soon be celebrating sacraments - those preparing for First Communion and those preparing to become Catholic.
This weekend at the doors to the church, you will see our 2nd graders’ Belonging Posters. This project, which they completed at home with their families, is an occasion for our 2nd graders to share a little about themselves with our parish family. The posters show how their family works, plays, and prays together. Get to know those who will soon receive Jesus in the Eucharist. I encourage you to pray for them by name as their First Communion draws near on April 26, 2025.
Graham Brooks, Sloane Byrne, Nora Cunningham, Ethan Fuhrman, Lilly Anne Gardner, Nolan Gibson, Bradi Harkness, Josephine Humphrey, Joseph Ketterer, Eliza Kraft, Sophia Martinez, Ethan McAndrew, Penelope Moser, Jayden Munguia, Liam Neal, Ava Nunier, Drew Orndorff, Madison Pickerrell, Luke Welsh, Genevieve Wirth, Mayleen Zipp
We also have several children and adults preparing to become Catholic at the Easter Vigil on April 19, 2025. As they draw closer to the Easter sacraments, they will participate in several rites, which help to prepare them for the sacraments they will receive in addition to the formation they participate in regularly. This process is known as the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (formerly RCIA). Two groups will come into the church, those not yet baptized called Catechumens, and those already baptized called Candidates. All of them will participate in the Rite of Sending on March 2 during the 10:30 Mass. They will come forward with their sponsors so that we can affirm them in their journey thus far and pray for them. Then they will be sent to Archbishop Thompson for the Rite of Election and Call to Continuing Conversion.
During this rite, the Catechumens will become the Elect when the Archbishop affirms their call into the Church by God. The candidates, who are already united to us in baptism, will be called to continued conversion, as they draw closer to the Lord in the Catholic Church. Following these rites, the Candidates will participate in the Penitential Rite, and the Elect will participate in the Scrutinies. These rites during Sunday Mass encourage the Elect and candidates to be firm in their commitment to Christ and the Church, supported by their sponsors, and prayed for by our parish community. Finally, the Elect and Candidates will receive the sacraments at the Easter Vigil and join us at the Eucharistic table.
Throughout Lent, you will get to know our Catechumens and Candidates in the bulletin with photos and biographies of each of them. When you see them in the pew, don’t hesitate to introduce yourself and welcome them to our Holy Family family. Hold them and their sponsors up in your prayers throughout Lent.
Blessings,
Kristina Seipel
Director of Discipleship & Catechesis