The beginning of the Rite of Election

The RCIA service on the first Sunday of Lent is always an inspiring service as we meet people wishing either to be baptised and become members of the Catholic Church or those who are already Christians but now wish to come into full communion with the Catholic Church.

This year we had the joy of welcoming 54 catechumens and 25 candidates for full communion at the service.  As they gathered, together with their sponsors and families, the St Mungo Singers provided welcoming music from across the church’s musical history, Palestrina through George Herbert, Handel  and R V Williams to modern composers both Scottish (Bell, Walker, Fitzpatrick and Smythe) and international (Schutte and Mannion).

After the service had opened with scripture readings and psalm, Archbishop Nolan spoke of the need to find our direction in life and how those present had taken this first step.  He talked of a day when he had taken the wrong direction on the way to visit a friend.  The route had been pleasant but it was the wrong direction. So in life we can go along the wrong route, in a way that feels fine but is not the direction of our destiny which is God.  Today, he said to the catechumens and candidates, you have realised that the direction of your life is towards God.

The solemnity of the service was marked by the Celebration of Election when the catechumens wrote their names in the Book of the Elect, and those seeking full communion with the Catholic Church had their desire formally recognised.

After prayers of intercession for all present, the service ended with the beautiful Canticle of Ezekiel, and the catechumens and candidates were invited to experience the way the Church celebrates such joyous events, even in Lent, with refreshments in the Eyre Hall and  the opportunity to chat with the Archbishop and the community.