SAN DIEGO — A massive crowd of more than 4,760 people filled the Jenny Craig Pavilion at the University of San Diego March 1.
The occasion was the Rite of Election and Call to Continuing Conversion, the annual diocesan liturgy where those enrolled in the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) process are presented to the bishop and declared ready to receive the sacraments of initiation in their parishes during the upcoming Easter Vigil.
Among them were 611 adult catechumens and 1,242 adult candidates; 102 child catechumens and candidates; 1,803 sponsors; 319 parish team members; and 687 guests.
Catechumens are those who are preparing for baptism, confirmation and First Communion. Candidates, who are already baptized Christians, are seeking only confirmation and, if they haven’t already received it, First Communion.
Seventy-six Catholic parishes and faith communities were represented.
This was the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic that the Rite of Election was held as a single ceremony, attended by all participating parishes. In recent years, it had been the practice to hold multiple ceremonies. For example, last year, the diocese held six liturgies altogether – five at Good Shepherd Parish in Mira Mesa and one at St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Imperial.
“If we are to open our minds and hearts in this Lenten season, we are challenged to listen to the word of Jesus,” Bishop Michael Pham said in his homily.
“Prayer for us is very important,” he said. “In prayers and in silence, we hear the voice of Jesus.”
The bishop said that we can hear Jesus telling us many things, among them to repent and believe in the Gospel and to live out the Beatitudes, being humble, meek and finding ways to be peacemakers in a world that is “full of conflicts and problems.”
“We hear the voice of Jesus (saying), ‘Remain in my love. I’m with you to the end of time. Remain in my love to care for one another, to care for the vulnerable, the weak, the homeless, the poor, the immigrants, the refugees, and the migrants, (who) are facing difficult times, and they need the voice of us today. Are we hearing the voice of Jesus calling us as disciples of Jesus?”
