The word “elect” has a different connotation in the church than it does in the secular world, Archbishop Shelton J. Fabre noted during this year’s Rite of Election and Call to Continuing Conversion ceremony Feb. 18 at St. Peter the Apostle Church.
He spoke about that word choice to 201 elect and 166 candidates — men, women and children who are preparing to enter the Catholic Church at or near Easter — along with their sponsors and those who are guiding their formation.
“Each year on the first Sunday of Lent, it’s an honor and a privilege to celebrate this Rite of Election and Call to Continuing Conversion,” Archbishop Fabre said. “But that’s an odd name and an odd title.”
He recalled being named a bishop-elect in his home state of Louisiana and a friend jokingly announcing that he hadn’t cast a vote and wondered if he’d missed his opportunity to do so.
Archbishop Fabre said with a laugh that he didn’t ask his friend how he would have voted.
“The action of voting tied to our secular understanding is not the understanding of the church,” the archbishop said. “We must understand the English word comes from the Latin word ‘to choose.’ One who is elected is one who has been chosen.”
At or near Easter, the elect — also known as catechumens — will receive the sacraments of initiation: baptism, Eucharist and confirmation. Candidates, who have already been baptized in another Christian tradition, will receive Eucharist and confirmation because the Catholic Church recognizes their baptism.
“Each year on the first Sunday of Lent, it’s an honor and a privilege to celebrate this Rite of Election and Call to Continuing Conversion.”
Archbishop Shelton J. Fabre
“You have not been chosen because you have received more votes, but more importantly you have been chosen by God,” Archbishop Fabre said.
“But dear members of the elect, God having chosen you is not the only thing we celebrate,” he noted. “Having said yes … it is equally important that you have chosen God.”
Kaitlynn Slone, a candidate from St. Bernard Church, said she chose this path after her boyfriend introduced her to the Catholic Church. She was baptized in the Sojourn Church several years ago.
She said she’s most looking forward to participating in the Eucharist. “I yearn for it so much,” she said.
Chris Lussier, St. Edward Church’s pastoral associate, said seeing so many folks preparing to enter the church is exciting. St. Edward has 35 catechumens and candidates this year and Lussier is guiding them through the process as the parish’s coordinator of the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults.
“It’s exciting to know people are rediscovering” Christ and the church, he said.
Butch and Denise Daugherty, members of St. Michael Church, attended in the capacity of sponsors for their nephew who is joining the church this year. Butch Daugherty said seeing St. Peter the Apostle Church filled with so many catechumens and candidates means a lot to him as a Catholic.
“It’s bringing more young people to the Church,” he said. “We’re so excited to see them live their lives as Christ asks them to.”
The Daughertys encouraged Catholics to support their parish’s elect and candidates.
“Give them everything they need,” Butch Daugherty said. “We have 2000 years worth of history — it’s a lot to learn in a short amount of time. Encourage them through it.”
