The Question

Around the end of December, or beginning of January, is when a catechumen needs to look herself or himself in the eye and see the commitment to becoming a Catholic. For me, there was still a level of uncertainty. I questioned if I was in the program for the proper reasons, and if Catholicism was right for me. Three people helped to guide me to my final decision. First, Mary McCain and I had an out of class meeting at the Parish. I expressed my concerns, and she walked through each one with me. She reassured me that my concerns were natural. At the same time, she challenged me to truthful with myself and to do some self reflection. The second influence was my sponsor. I did not begin the program with a sponsor, so Mary matched me up with a parish member that has sponsored catechumens in the past. My sponsor and I went to lunch at McGee’s after class one Sunday, and I asked some tough questions about the views of the church. During our discussion, I discovered that my sponsor and I had the some of the same interpretations of Catholic ideals. I learned that Catholicism has universal teachings, but that faith is a personal understanding and experience. The last person I spoke with was my wife (then fiancée). As we are planning to spend the rest of our lives together, I wanted to know all the reasons why she was Catholic. We talked about love, sacrifice, and faith. She told me of being raised in the church, and how it expanded her view of life and the world we live in. At the conclusion of my discussions with everyone, I felt confident in my decision to finish the program, and I felt a little closer to God.

The End

Holy Saturday is when the final ceremony of catechumens becomes confirmed Catholics, not only at St. Vincent’s, but around the world. Entering church that night is a special feeling. The only light present is candles, and they cause shadows to dance on the walls. For RCIA members, the night involves Confirmation, and potential Baptism and First Communion depending on a members’ previous Catholic experience. Baptism comes first. I was part of this group. We took turns entering the baptism fountain and having Fr. Don baptizing us. As he poured the water over me and said the blessing, I had an exhilarating feeling that a new part of my life had just begun. A sense of rebirth overwhelmed me, and I could not help but smile all night. The next step is the Confirmation of all RCIA members. We went up to the Sanctuary as a group, and became confirmed members of the Catholic Church in front of the entire congregation. Finally, with the rest of the congregation, we took part in accepting the Eucharist. It was special to hear Fr. Don offer me The Body of Christ and accept it.

As Mass ends, we all moved to the parish center for a reception. Instead of the quizzical looks we gave our fellow RCIA members six months ago, there were handshakes and hugs. Looking around the room, there was a sense of belonging and family. We were now part of a family that included millions of brothers and sisters across the world.