Rite of Election and Call to Continuing Conversion held in two locations in diocese

By KATIE LEFEBVRE, Globe staff reporter
March 4, 2004

Bishop Daniel N. DiNardo celebrated the Rite of Election and Call to Continuing Conversion for catechumens and candidates throughout the Diocese of Sioux City on Feb. 29 with an afternoon service at St. Mary Church in Storm Lake and an evening service in Sioux City at the Cathedral of the Epiphany.

Twenty catechumens took the next step in their journey towards baptism and 69 candidates moved closer to their full initiation into the Catholic Church - from 20 parishes - at the ceremony in Storm Lake. In Sioux City, 30 catechumens and 80 candidates from another 22 parishes participated in the service.

During the Rite of Election, the bishop elected the catechumens, the unbaptized, to become members of the church at their individual parishes in the diocese at the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday.

The candidates are people that have been baptized in either the Catholic faith or another Christian denomination but have not received the other Sacraments of Initiation - first Eucharist and confirmation.

The services in each location - Storm Lake and Sioux City - were close to the same except for the trilingual parts of the ceremony at Cathedral.

The service began with the Liturgy of the Word. In Sioux City, the first reading, Genesis 9:8-15 was said in Spanish. The second reading, 1 Peter 3:18-22 was presented in Vietnamese, and the Gospel, Mark 1:12-15 was proclaimed in English.

Deacons Larry Sitzman and Jim Sands, both of Sioux City, assisted with the service at Cathedral. In Storm Lake, Deacons Bob Lenz of Pomeroy and Greg Sampson of Carroll assisted with the ceremony.

Bishop DiNardo was the homilist at both services.

"For me it has always been a great blessing every year, for the last six years, to stand here and express my gratitude to the people of this diocese. That goes to priests, deacons, catechists, directors of RCIA, sponsors and others of our Catholic faithful who walk with our catechumens and candidates," said Bishop DiNardo. "Above all to express my gratitude to the catechumens and to the candidates and their families as they walk on this wonderful journey. There is not one catechumen or candidate here that does not have a unique narrative or story to tell."

He commented that he could remember his first catechumen when he was in Pittsburgh, who on the night of Holy Saturday went to the Eucharist with tears. He explained, "I had never realized what the gift of the Holy Eucharist was until I saw it in his eyes."

"You are enriching us," said Bishop DiNardo to the candidates and catechumens during his homily. "For those of us who were baptized many years ago, it is your presence, your enthusiasm, your questions, your knowledge, your faith, your entering into the covenant, that says celebrate the mysteries by which we are born. It is something that effects us. It makes us understand more who we are."

In response to the Gospel, Bishop DiNardo said that Jesus "emptied himself so that we could be made rich. He humbled himself to the father so that we can have access to the father. He poured out the very spirit of his life so that he could give the Holy Spirit to us."

After the homily, representatives from each parish called the catechumens forward. The unbaptized signed the Book of Elect before joining the bishop in the sanctuary. A refrain was sung after the catechumens from each cluster were presented.

The bishop questioned the godparents as to the catechumens' readiness for receiving the sacraments of Christian initiation. He addressed the congregation, asking them to affirm and support the catechumens. He then asked the catechumens about their own intentions. At Cathedral, the bishop said this in English and Spanish. Father Hieu Nguyen, Vietnamese pastoral minister at Cathedral, addressed the catechumens in Vietnamese.

The deacons then brought the Book of Elect forward and presented it to Bishop DiNardo.

The candidates were then called forth in a similar fashion by parish representatives during the Call to Continuing Conversion. They gathered in the sanctuary with their sponsors. The sponsors and general assembly were asked by Bishop DiNardo to give affirmation on behalf of the candidates. Then the bishop asked the candidates, in both English and Spanish, if they wished to continue the process of conversion.

Once the Rite of Election and Call to Continuing Conversion were concluded, intercessions for the elect and candidates were read. At Cathedral, the intercessions were read in English, Spanish and Vietnamese.

At the conclusion of the ceremony, Bishop DiNardo offered a blessing over the catechumens and candidates with outstretched arms.