Rite of Election to be held February 13 at the Cathedral

by Ann Przybilla

On Sunday, February 13, 2005, the First Sunday of Lent, Bishop John C. Nienstedt will preside at the Celebration of the Rite of Election which will be held at the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in New Ulm at 3:00 p.m.

The Rite of Election is the second step in the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA). The Rite of Election closes the lengthy period of formation, the Period of the Catechumenate. It marks the beginning of the final, more intense preparation for the sacraments of initiation which are Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist and the final period called Mystagogy which is the "deepening of their grasp of the paschal mystery and ... making it part of their lives through meditation on the Gospel, sharing in the Eucharist, and doing the works of charity." (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, no. 244)

People involved in the RCIA process are either Catechumens or Candidates. Catechumens (those who were never baptized) are baptized and confirmed at the Easter Vigil. Candidates (those already baptized) will complete their initiation in the sacraments of Confirmation and Eucharist also at the Easter Vigil. All have participated in the Rite of Acceptance into the Order of Catechumens and the Rite of Welcoming for Candidates prior to the Easter Vigil. This rite occurs at a Sunday parish liturgy.

Sponsors of the Catechumens and Candidates along with RCIA initiation teams are invited to celebrate the Rite of Election. All people of the Diocese of New Ulm are welcome to attend the Rite of Election and offer their prayers, witness, and support to the Catechumens and Candidates.

What is the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults?

The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults is a series of rites, conducted in the context of learning about the faith and spiritual formation, through which a person is fully incorporated into the Body of Christ, the church. It is not a new idea in the church. It is a restoration of the ancient way the early church went about making disciples. The rite was revised and restored in 1972 in accordance with the mandate of the Second Vatican Council and by decree of Pope Paul VI. It is also adapted for people baptized in other Christian denominations. There are four stages in the RCIA: the Precatechumenate, or period of inquiry and evangelization; the Catechumenate, which is a time of serious and dedicated formation; the Period of Purification and Enlightenment, which coincides with Lent; and Mystagogy, which lasts from Easter to Pentecost. All of these stages are marked by distinct liturgical rites.

The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults is concerned with the total formation of a person into believing with the church community, living with the church community, praying with the church community, and serving with the church community.

RCIA is not just another program to implement in the parish. It is all about who we are, what we believe, and what we are about as Catholics. It is not only the process for becoming Catholic Christian; it is also the model for being Catholic Christian.

For further information regarding the Rite of Election or the RCIA process, contact Ann Przybilla, director,

diocesan Office of Worship (507) 359-2966.