Archbishop Shelton J. Fabre told catechumens and candidates entering the church that the heart of Lent is a “journey home” and they are living that out by becoming disciples of the Lord.
As he presided at this year’s Rite of Election and Call to Continuing Conversion Feb. 26, he preached to 372 people preparing to join the church as catechumens — people who have never been baptized — and candidates — who were baptized in another Christian tradition.
At or near Easter, 171 catechumens will receive the sacraments of initiation — baptism, Eucharist and confirmation. Just over 200 candidates will receive Eucharist and confirmation because the Catholic Church recognizes their baptism.
Because catechumens and candidates aren’t yet able to receive Holy Communion, the celebration wasn’t a Mass. However, Scripture was read in both English and Spanish.
During his homily, the archbishop thanked catechumens and candidates for finding a faith home in the Catholic Church.
Three catechumens from St. Joseph Church in Butchertown found their “faith home” by researching world religions and history — and asking plenty of questions.
Peyton and Aubrianna Utley, a married couple, and their friend Miles Hicks have attended classes for about a year with Deacon Michael Shumway at St. Joseph, part of the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults.
Peyton Utley said the architecture of St. Joseph drew him to that church in particular, but the tenets of Catholicism — and Deacon Shumway’s guidance — drew them into RCIA.
“My reading on the Catholic Church, I started a little bit old,” Peyton Utley said, laughing. “I came to Deacon Michael with a lot of questions all the way back with blessing the tongue of salt and he was like, ‘It’s been a very long time since we’ve had that.’ ”
Deacon Shumway said the trio isn’t typical of catechumens, and that their RCIA sessions “get into the nitty-gritty” of the religion.
“Peyton is very knowledgeable about the background and history of the church,” the deacon said. “He’s studied Augustine, studied a lot of doctors of the church, their writings.”
Hicks, who grew up attending churches of different faith traditions, said Catholicism makes sense to him because Catholics are “more open about discussing difficult topics.”
“It was very hard to try and get any sort of actual intellectual philosophy out of (other churches) because they would say, ‘Well, that’s what the Bible says,’ ” he explained. “And I’m like, ‘I don’t doubt that’s what the Bible says. I want something more than that. I need to know what these words mean.’
“With the Catholic Church, there’s more we can draw from — the bishops, tradition, the thinkers, the centuries of people that have interpreted the works.”
Similarly, Peyton Utley said he appreciates the Catholic Church’s approach to reconciliation.
“The Catholic Church knows you’re going to sin, which is why we have confession and spiritual counseling, things like that.”
The three catechumens said the Rite of Election and Call to Continuing Conversion made them feel welcome. For the Utleys, who will be baptized alongside their infant son during the Easter Vigil, this season of their lives feels like a gift.
“Oh my gosh, I’m going to get emotional,” Aubrianna Utley said, wiping her eyes during the interview. “I’m very, very happy about it because I would have never thought we would actually come to this level as a family and to just get closer with God. Honestly. … I’m just happy about it.”
Hicks said the Rite of Election makes him feel “fully welcomed into the church as a fellow Catholic.”
“It does mean a lot to me that going through this process, finally I can be part of something much greater than myself and even of this world,” Hicks said.
