While we continue to hear about fallen-away Catholics, more than 30,000
will enter the Church during the Easter Vigil Masses in the U.S. this Saturday. That’s enough for a small city!
That number
is based on 85 of the nearly 200 dioceses reporting to the United States
Conference of Bishops, so there are certainly much more than just that. The Archdiocese of Los Angeles, will welcome nearly 3,000 people into the Church; 1,700
catechumens and 1,127 candidates. In the Galveston-Houston
archdiocese, more than 2,000 will become Catholic.
is based on 85 of the nearly 200 dioceses reporting to the United States
Conference of Bishops, so there are certainly much more than just that. The Archdiocese of Los Angeles, will welcome nearly 3,000 people into the Church; 1,700
catechumens and 1,127 candidates. In the Galveston-Houston
archdiocese, more than 2,000 will become Catholic.
The Easter Vigil Mass is the first Mass of Easter on Saturday evening, celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Catechumens, who have never been baptized, will receive baptism, confirmation and first Communion and those already baptized in another Christian tradition recognized as valid by the Catholic Church, will enter the Church through a profession of faith and reception of confirmation and the Eucharist.
Although people can enter the Church throughout the year, it is customary during the Easter Vigil.
“Holy
Baptism is the basis of the whole Christian life, the gateway to life in the
Spirit (vitae spiritualis ianua), and the door which gives
access to the other sacraments. Through Baptism we are freed from sin and
reborn as sons of God; we become members of Christ, are incorporated into the
Church and made sharers in her mission: “Baptism is the sacrament of
regeneration through water in the word,” (CCC 1213 ).
Baptism is the basis of the whole Christian life, the gateway to life in the
Spirit (vitae spiritualis ianua), and the door which gives
access to the other sacraments. Through Baptism we are freed from sin and
reborn as sons of God; we become members of Christ, are incorporated into the
Church and made sharers in her mission: “Baptism is the sacrament of
regeneration through water in the word,” (CCC 1213 ).
Welcome Our Brothers and
Sisters
Sisters
We can make our new Catholic brothers and
sisters feel at home in their new Church. Catholics have a bit of a reputation
for keeping to themselves, so it might take a little push. If that’s the case, pray to God for the
courage and inspiration for how best to welcome new Catholics in your parish. Here are some suggestions.
sisters feel at home in their new Church. Catholics have a bit of a reputation
for keeping to themselves, so it might take a little push. If that’s the case, pray to God for the
courage and inspiration for how best to welcome new Catholics in your parish. Here are some suggestions.
1.
If you
attend the Easter Vigil, go up and congratulate them after Mass. Continue to be friendly and greet them after
other Masses or on the street.
If you
attend the Easter Vigil, go up and congratulate them after Mass. Continue to be friendly and greet them after
other Masses or on the street.
2.
Invite
them to your prayer group or Bible study.
Invite
them to your prayer group or Bible study.
3.
Do you
have a favorite book to inspire a new Catholic? If you have the means, no one
is going to be offended if you hand out such gifts to help celebrate.
Do you
have a favorite book to inspire a new Catholic? If you have the means, no one
is going to be offended if you hand out such gifts to help celebrate.
4.
Print
out this form
for a free 6-month subscription to the National Catholic Register. Anyone can
take advantage of the offer, but what a great way for a new Catholic to become
informed on news relevant to the Church.
out this form
for a free 6-month subscription to the National Catholic Register. Anyone can
take advantage of the offer, but what a great way for a new Catholic to become
informed on news relevant to the Church.
5.
Share
the Good News! Every Catholic can benefit
in a big way by starting the day with a short summary of the news from a
Catholic perspective, along with inspiration, trivia, and a whole assortment of
inspiration—all of it brief to fit easily into the day. Go here
to sign them up, or yourself.
Share
the Good News! Every Catholic can benefit
in a big way by starting the day with a short summary of the news from a
Catholic perspective, along with inspiration, trivia, and a whole assortment of
inspiration—all of it brief to fit easily into the day. Go here
to sign them up, or yourself.
6.
Give
them a card to congratulate them with a short note. Include your phone number or email. You can
also write down the websites for the 6-month National Catholic Register trial
subscription or to sign up for the Good News letter.
Give
them a card to congratulate them with a short note. Include your phone number or email. You can
also write down the websites for the 6-month National Catholic Register trial
subscription or to sign up for the Good News letter.
7.
Enroll
them up for a year of Masses and give them a card. Call your parish office for the names. If the parish secretary doesn’t know you, you
might have to verify that you are a parishioner and not some stalker. There are
many orders who enroll people in memberships and parishes which will take names
to have a Mass said.
Enroll
them up for a year of Masses and give them a card. Call your parish office for the names. If the parish secretary doesn’t know you, you
might have to verify that you are a parishioner and not some stalker. There are
many orders who enroll people in memberships and parishes which will take names
to have a Mass said.
8.
Pray
for them. They could use the prayers to stay the course.
Pray
for them. They could use the prayers to stay the course.
9.
Light
a candle for for all the new Catholics.
Light
a candle for for all the new Catholics.
10.
Hand
them a favorite holy card. Catholic
books stores have them or order them online.
It might be too late to arrive in time for the Easter Vigil, but you can
hand them out later if you know who the new Catholics are or order them now to be
ready for next year.
Hand
them a favorite holy card. Catholic
books stores have them or order them online.
It might be too late to arrive in time for the Easter Vigil, but you can
hand them out later if you know who the new Catholics are or order them now to be
ready for next year.
Let us praise God and pray for those
entering the Church. “Dear Lord, we pray
for all new Catholics. May they be strengthened and blessed in the faith and
grow ever closer to you. Help us to
support them through our prayers and friendships. And use us and them, according to your will
to lead others home to the Church.”
entering the Church. “Dear Lord, we pray
for all new Catholics. May they be strengthened and blessed in the faith and
grow ever closer to you. Help us to
support them through our prayers and friendships. And use us and them, according to your will
to lead others home to the Church.”
~~~~~~~~
For more inspiration check out the Amazing Grace Series. Follow Patti at Twitter and Pinterest, like her pages at Dear God Books, Big Hearted Families, Catholic News & Inspiration on Facebook, and her author Facebook page. Sign up at the right column to receive articles in your inbox. God bless you!
