PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — Catechumens and candidates will participate in the Rite of Election and Call to Continuing Conversion celebrations Feb. 25-26, the first weekend of Lent. Bishop Robert Deeley will celebrate Mass at the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church, 331 Main Street in Presque Isle, at 4 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 25.
During the Rite of Election, catechumens (those who have not been baptized in any Christian faith tradition) will publicly express their desire for baptism to the bishop. Their names are recorded in the Book of the Elect, a designation which reflects that the bishop, in the name of the Lord and the local Church, is choosing or electing them to share in the Easter sacraments. Candidates (those who were baptized in another Christian faith tradition) celebrate the Call to Continuing Conversion by professing their faith in and coming into full communion with the Catholic Church at Easter.
At the Masses, parishes present the catechumens and the candidates to the bishop and the congregation. The catechumens and candidates affirm their desire to enter fully into the life of Christ through the Catholic Church. Godparents and sponsors are then asked by the bishop to affirm that the catechumens and candidates are sufficiently prepared to continue their journeys of faith. The congregation, along with the godparents and sponsors, follow this testimony by pledging their support and prayers for those in preparation.
After the Rite of Election and Call to Continuing Conversion, the catechumens and candidates will spend the season of Lent reflecting and preparing to be welcomed into the Church at Easter. The days of Lent are the final period of purification and enlightenment for catechumens and candidates, marked by prayer and study, and spiritual guidance from the priests and parish teams with whom they work.
The Celebration of the Sacraments of Initiation takes place during the Easter Vigil, held on Holy Saturday (April 8). The catechumens receive the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and the Holy Eucharist, while the candidates complete their initiation by receiving the sacraments of Confirmation and the Holy Eucharist.
For a one stop section for Maine Lenten resources, visit www.portlanddiocese.org/Lent. You will find Mass times, retreats, prayer opportunities, faith sharing groups, Bible study programs, Stations of the Cross listings, and many other materials like Saints of Lent, Lectio Divina, and Echoing God’s Word to help you on your journey.
