Rite of Welcome: December 6

by Denis P. Gorman, photos by Anthony Oeswadi
The sound of knocking reverberated throughout the church. Doors opened and, two at a time, our RCIA catechumens and candidates received a warm ovation from those in attendance during the 11:30 a.m. Mass. “I invite all that we have welcomed,” Bishop Sanchez said, before greeting the candidates individually on the altar and blessing them with the sign of the cross. The Rite of Welcome Mass signifies the official welcome from our church community to those who began their individual and collective journeys into the Catholic faith. This current RCIA class of 15 will attend Masses over the next 15 weeks to hear the Word of God, then be dismissed to discuss and study it in preparation for the Easter Vigil in March 2016.