Joining the family of God
Candidates and catechumens take the next step in their spiritual journey
By Scott Alessi
Staff Writer
METUCHEN – Theodore D. Klein has always known in his heart that there was a place for God in his life, but it was not until the birth of his son that he finally decided to make it official.
Although he was raised in a Methodist family and sometimes attended church as a child, Klein has never been baptized. After marrying a Catholic woman, he began to reevaluate the role of faith in his life and his plans for raising children.
“I always felt kind of empty in that part of my life,” said Klein, a catechumen in the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults at St. Thomas the Apostle Parish, Old Bridge. “My wife getting pregnant and my son’s birth inspired me. It made me realize that this is what I needed to do in order to really feel complete.”
Klein was one of 216 men and women from parishes across the diocese who came together Feb. 25 at St. Francis of Assisi Cathedral for the Rite of Election and Rite of Calling the Candidates to Continuing Conversion. Bishop Paul G. Bootkoski presided at the liturgy.
In the Rite of Election, 72 catechumens seeking to enter the Catholic Church were presented before the bishop. Their names were read by parish representatives and each catechumen came forward with their godparents to sign the Book of the Elect, formally indicating their desire to be welcomed into the Catholic faith at Easter.
Long-awaited return
The catechumens were joined by 144 candidates who have already been baptized, but who wish to complete their initiation into the Catholic Church through the sacraments of the Eucharist and Confirmation. The names of the candidates were read aloud as they stood with their sponsors. For many, the event marked a return to the church after a long absence.
“I started [receiving the sacraments] many years ago as a child but never completed it,” said Joseph Konya of Whitehouse Station, a candidate to receive Confirmation. “It is something I have always wanted to do, and it was just the time in my adult life to do it. So far, it has been a great experience.”
Konya said that while living in the same town for his entire life, he had driven by Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Whitehouse Station every day. Each time he passed the church, he felt a calling to return to his faith. The day finally came when he was ready to make the church not just a landmark along the road, but rather a destination.
Following the Lord
In his homily, Bishop Bootkoski discussed the need for faith and Scripture to help us through our lives, and congratulated the candidates and catechumens for recognizing that need.
“We are a sinful people. We can’t get through life unless we have Christ with us,” Bishop Bootkoski said. “Christ is the ultimate gift that you are saying ‘yes’ to.
“Faith is something that is a gift, something that is given to us,” the bishop continued. “We can refuse it or accept it. We can take it to heart or push it aside. It is up to us.”
Bishop Bootkoski encouraged the candidates and catechumens to take the Scriptures to heart, and to follow the call of Jesus to love and serve one another as brothers and sisters in Christ.
“Life is service, it is being there for each other,” Bishop Bootkoski explained. “We come to know the Lord Jesus through living that life and through being of service to each other.”
Catechumens
The following catechumens celebrated the Rite of Election by signing their names to
the Book of the Elect Feb. 25 at St. Francis of Assisi Cathedral, Metuchen.
Annandale Avenel Belvidere Bound Brook Carteret Colonia Dunellen Far Hills Flemington Hackettstown Hampton Hopelawn Iselin Lambertville Manville Metuchen Monmouth Junction
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New Brunswick St. Mary of Mount Virgin Old Bridge St. Thomas the Apostle Parlin Perth Amboy St. Mary Plainsboro Port Murray Port Reading Raritan Sayreville Somerset Somerville South Amboy South River Warren Whitehouse Station |
Candidates
The following candidates celebrated the Rite of Calling the Candidates to Continuing Conversion Feb. 25 at St. Francis of Assisi Cathedral, Metuchen.
Annandale Avenel Basking Ridge Belvidere Bernardsville Bound Brook Bridgewater Carteret Colonia Edison Far Hills Flemington Great Meadows Hampton Hopelawn Iselin Kendall Park Laurence Harbor Manville Metuchen Middlesex Milford Monroe Township |
New Brunswick Sacred Heart St. Mary of Mount Virgin Old Bridge St. Thomas the Apostle Parlin Perth Amboy St. Mary Phillipsburg Piscataway Plainsboro Port Murray Port Reading Raritan Somerset Somerville Whitehouse Station Woodbridge |
*The attached/referenced article was originally published in The Catholic Spirit, the official newspaper of the Diocese of Metuchen, and is protected under U.S. and international copyright law