What's Inside... Karrinyup parish priest Fr Richard Rutkauskas begins six Lenten meditations - Page 7 Teachers in Catholic schools get five per cent pay rise - Page 3 PERTH, WA: February 29, 1996
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Nun prison chaplain film reviewed - Page 11 Chinese refugees given hope - Page 5 Vatican sex education installments - Page 11
W I COMe By Peter Rosengren
As momentum world-wide builds in the Church's campaign of evangelisation in the lead-up to the year 2000, St Mary's Cathedral last Sunday afternoon saw 90 Western Australians present themselves to meet Jesus Christ in the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist at Easter. Forty catechumens and 50 candidates were presented to Archbishop Barry Hickey as the first step in their journey towards being fully received into the Catholic Church. The special ceremony. known as the Rite of Election and part of the Rite of the Christian Initiation of Adults, leads to the Easter vigil when they will be fully received into the Church through the sacraments of baptism, confirmation and Eucharist. Archbishop Hickey welcomed the 90 catechumens - those being baptised - and candidates - those baptised but being confirmed in the Catholic Church - and said the Rite of Election was an important occasion. it is important for me to meet you. to see the working of divine grace in your hearts, and how God works through the local community" he said. It was also important for the intending converts who were to become members of the Catholic Church to meet him as head of the archdiocese and a symbol of the unity enjoyed by the Church. he said. Archbishop Hickey said he wanted to welcome them to a sacramental community, one which received strength through access to the sacraments, in particular the Eucharist and Penance. "Because through those two sacraments we are able to live close to one another as a community and close to Christ, who guides the community to Himself," he said. He said that although the catechumens and candidates could not yet receive the
sacraments, they nevertheless looked forward to the day when they could be nourished spiritually by the Body of Christ in the Blessed Eucharist and make peace with Him in the Sacrament of penance. The RCIA ceremony, held in the Cathedral on a sweltering summer afternoon, saw both groups presented to the archbishop and enrolled in the Book of the Elect. The Book contains the names of all those who have asked to join and have been received by the Church. The catechumens and candidates present came from 22 parishes around the metropolitan area. Archbishop Hickey also said he welcomed the converts to a community based on the Word of God. -The Word of God also calls us. We listen to the Word of God. We open ourselves to be touched and changed (by it)." he said. The catechumens were the first to be called forward to the sanctuary where they gathered with their godparents. Archbishop Hickey questioned the godparents who responded on behalf of their Individual catechumens. In an act of formal examination of the catechumens, the Archbishop asked if the catechumens were sufficiently prepared to be enrolled among the elect for the coming celebration of Easter, and whether they had listened faithfully and responded to God's Word and joined in prayer with their Christian brothers and sisters. Following his declaration that the catechumens were now members of the elect Archbishop Hickey met each and congratulated them. "Now that you are elect, strive faithfully to he courageous to God." he urged them. An almost identical procedure was followed with the candidates when they were called up on to the Cathedral sanctuary. Since July last year the 90 catechumens and candidates have gathered in suburban homes and parish centres to begin their journey in faith towards the Church.
In the trenches with Sally
Godparents support candidates as the godparents respond to Archbishop Hickey
A catechumen presents her name on a scroll for entry in the Book of the Elect to Archbishop Hickey as Como parish priest Fr Frank O'Dea SSS looks on.
Sally Trench, England's Catholic Woman of the Year for 1995 and a tireless campaigner for the poor and underprivileged, visited Perth at the invitation of the Catholic Social Justice Commission this week to speak on her experiences delivering aid to the children of war-torn Bosnia. A remarkable woman who risks her life on a daily basis, Sally told an audience at St Joseph's parish hall in Subiaco on Tuesday night she had witnessed women being placed in freezers to die, girls of 14 being raped and children shot by snipers. She appealed for funds to continue her aid to children of Bosnia. Full story in next week's Record
Salty Trench this week in Subiaco
The archbishop meets catechumens and candidates at the end of the Rite of Election