The Easter Vigil is one of the highlights of the Catholic Church’s calendar, and for over 50 people, it will be the beginning of their new lives in Christ.
Men and women of various ages are set to be welcomed into the Catholic Church at Easter, having completed the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) program in over 20 parishes across the Diocese. They will be baptised, confirmed and will receive the Eucharist for the first time.
The large group were formally recognised during the Rite of Election at St Patrick’s Cathedral, Parramatta, in February, with Bishop Vincent Long OFM Conv, Bishop of Parramatta, signing their names into the Book of the Elect.
Catholic Outlook spoke with two catechumens about their journey to faith and what it will mean to them to be called a Catholic.
Jolene McFarland from the Parish of Baulkham Hills
RCIA candidate Jolene Mcfarland (second left) with her family. Image: Supplied
“I’ve always had a sense of the Christian faith. Although I was never baptised, I remember going to Sunday school and reading Bible stories.
“20 years ago, I married my husband, who was a Catholic, and we’ve since had kids and they go to St Michael’s. Through them going to school there and us attending Mass, I got a sense of the community, who are very welcoming and friendly. I’ve always felt like I belonged and that I’m accepted in the community, even though I wasn’t Catholic.
“I’ve always tried to live by values of being a decent person, which I guess are part of the teachings of the Catholic faith. Going through the program, the teachings have solidified that I’m on the right path, this is where I need to be, and this is what I’m meant to be doing.
“My husband, kids and my mum and dad will be there to support me, and my husband is my sponsor and godparent, which is amazing.
“Even before I was a Catholic, we would always attend Easter celebrations. The Stations of the Cross always make me cry – it’s a beautiful celebration and it’s very grounding because you get to look within yourself and establish who you want to be as a person and how you want to live your life.
“Becoming a Catholic will solidify who I am and how I’ve lived my life. It will be nice to know that I have a sense of faith and belonging and a new extended family.”
Lisa Reid from St Bernadette’s Parish, Castle Hill
RCIA candidate Lisa Reid. Image: Supplied
“Becoming a Catholic is something I’ve been thinking about for quite some time. It wasn’t really until I had children of my own that I started thinking about it more. I wanted to give them a solid foundation growing up and I wanted to guide them to have some faith.
“When my eldest daughter started school at St Bernadette’s, she would come home and talk about the various things she’d learn in Religion and was asking me questions, and I felt that I didn’t really have the right answers or give her all the information the way I wanted to be able to do.
“Looking into getting my children baptised, this led me down the path of becoming baptised myself, and once I am baptised, they won’t be far behind me.
“Participating in the RCIA program, I feel I’ve grown so much in such a short amount of time. It’s been a great experience because I’m learning about not only the Catholic Church, but about myself and being able to provide that additional guidance for my kids. The more that it’s gone on, the more that I feel this is where I belong.
“I’ve been grateful for the support and encouragement of the school community during this process. My daughter had an assembly in the church one day, and picking her up from school, she said, ‘I saw your photo in the church, and I was so proud to see your photo there.’ This made me realise that I’m doing this not only for myself but for my family and to provide an environment for them that’s stable and giving them a belief system they can carry on in their future lives.
“I feel at peace with my decision and very eager to enter the next phase of being a Catholic. Knowing that I’m a Catholic, I’ll feel part of a community and I’ll have some stability and belonging with what I’m doing in my life and a sense of purpose.”
We pray for all of the catechumens in the Diocese of Parramatta as they prepare to be welcomed into our faith communities.
View images from the Diocesan Rite of Election here or below:
