Posted on 04/15/2006 12:04:05 PM PDT by Brytani
Tonight being Easter Vigil is a special night for those in the RCIA program. Tonight, they will receive full acceptance into the Church including Baptism, First Communion and Confirmation.
I found out last night at our Easter Vigil the Miami area had 1200 Catechumens and Candidates enter the church this year.
Christ is working within our Church and bringing people into it. Praise be to our Lord.
I was stunned at how many orthodox Catholic commentators they put on the air. Something was going on, even Father McBrien from Notre Dame stuck to the actual teachings of the Church. They would have been better served to do the CSPAN thing with the funeral, the commentators could barely keep their mouths shut for more than ten seconds at a time. I watched the funeral on CSPAN.
I watched the show they put on this year recalling last year's events this Saturday afternoon. It was also surprisingly respectful. I think that's what was so surprising last year, they showed a modicum of respect, no sneering "on the other hand" commentary.
**I found out last night at our Easter Vigil the Miami area had 1200 Catechumens and Candidates enter the church this year.
Christ is working within our Church and bringing people into it. Praise be to our Lord.**
What GREAT news. Praise the Lord!
We did our bedtime Prayers last night.
I was practicing my Latin and said Christo, Christo, Christo...my heart was in Prayer and the thunder in the sky went boom boom and the lightining ripped.
Holy Moly my neighbors whom I sent an e mail too....wrote back and said that is what happened and we both rejoiced HE HAS RISEN.
I kid you not on the above it is true testimony. All that happen earlier in the day with reconciliations of long time friends was unbelievable. Folks came to greet us in Celebration we have not seen or heard from in a Decade.
Very Art Bellish for non believers but for us Graces of Love and kindness like bountiful...wow this has to be the Best Easter in my whole life.
Now if I can just get the darn lump out of my throat and dry my darn eyes up...
We don't deserve all God's Love, and certainly have never felt the Holy Spirit so strong.
Cat out of Bag! LOL
Yeah, and this isn't even supposed to be "Catholic Country", except for all the Hispanics.
It sure seems to me we must have at least 50. Thank goodness all of them didn't show up at the retreat and give their faith journeys, we might be there still.
It took me a long time to make the jump. I'd been feeling like a Catholic trapped in an Episcopalian body for years... like we were only playing Catholic. Our Pastor said something really nice to the "entering class." He said "You are the heart and soul of this church, and those people out there (pointing in the direction of the nave) may not know it but *I* know it." It was sweet, and I'm coming to love my Priests the same way I love the Pope. It's weird.
There was only one outside choir to sing at a Vigil Mass for John Paul, and that was the choir from my church. I am honored to be a member of that choir now, and I sang my first Triduum with them, ending today.
We're going to Eastern Europe next year.
Congratulations and welcome to both of you!
Flavius, don't forget to visit Rome as a Catholic. You will be totally blown away when you walk into St. Peter's and realize that you are now fully and totally part of all that!
MM, we're waiting for your report!!! Congrats and I hope everything was wonderful.
Neither is Oregon supposed to be "Catholic Country."
But --
Last night at the Easter vigil -- full church with added chairs -- probably 50
8:15 AM this morning -- full church with added chairs -- probably 80
10:30 AM this morning -- full church with added chairs -- probably 120
12: 30 PM -- Hispanic Mass -- I don't know if they added extra chairs, because we took down all the ones we had in our vestibule.
Something wonderful is happening -- what a great problem to have!
What a beautiful experience! From the beginning, when the Easter Vigil begins in darkness with the Easter Candle being carried in, it was full of meaning. I LOVED when we sang the Gloria and the bells rang and the statues were uncovered and the lights came up and the candles were lit!
The best part was the Eucharist. I almost started crying with joy when I received the Host.
We only did three of the Gospel readings instead of the Seven because of the numbers we had being baptized (17 if I counted correctly.) We have a baptismal font so all were baptized in the font in brown robes, which then were exchanged for white. One entire family was baptized.
I am at a loss for how to explain my feelings yet, but am so glad that I made this decision. I feel that I am home, after "church shopping" through the Protestant churches for years. This is where Ibelieve God has called me to be.
Thanks so much for your interest. Happy Easter!
I am so happy for you - and for your family! I didn't realize you all were being received. That's wonderful and you all have discovered a great treasure and everybody's lives will be changed as a result. I think the Holy Spirit is working overtime!
Christ is risen!
I did it!
No wait, GOD, did it!
Confirmed and communed, last night, praise God! I don't even have words to express how filled with joy I was and am still. God is SO good.
My friends three children were baptized. She was beyond words too! She is recently divorced and the hardest thing of the entire evening for her was watching her children interact with their Dad (in his own fake way.) I just told her to keep looking for the positive!
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