This afternoon, Bishop Peter led the Office of Evening Prayer and the celebration of the Rite of Enrolment or Election of candidates who will be received into communion with the Catholic Church this Easter.

​The election or enrolment of names is the second step in Christian initiation and is the liturgical rite called both election and enrolment of names, which closes the period of catechumenate proper - that is the lengthy period of formation of catechumens' minds and hearts.

​The celebration of the Rite of Election, which usually coincides with the opening of Lent, also marks the beginning of the period of final, more intense preparation for the sacraments of initiation, during which the elect will be encouraged to follow Christ with greater generosity.

​At this second step, on the basis of the testimony of godparents and catechists and of the catechumens' reaffirmation of their intention, the Church judges their state of readiness and decides on their advancement towards the sacraments of initiation. Thus the Church makes its 'election'...

​This step is called election because the acceptance made by the Church is founded on the election by God, in whose name the Church acts. The step is also called the enrolment of names because as a pledge of fidelity the candidates inscribe their names in the book that lists those who have been chosen for initiation.                         
(Rite of Christian Initiation # 105 - 106)

​Please keep all the candidates in your prayers at this special time in their lives.