From left: Anne, Adel, me and Peter after the Rite of Election.
There is something divine about Catholic churches, and rightly so. After all, that is the House of God. Every time I enter one, a sense of serenity envelopes me. As a child, I used to follow Mum when she celebrated Mass at The Church of the Holy Name of Jesus in Balik Pulau on Sundays. I was too young to understand and follow the proceedings. Thinking back, there was always this feeling of awe and serenity that followed every time after Mass concluded.
Now, as I begin to celebrate Mass again, that sense of bliss and serenity once again pervades into my very being. The seed of Christ that was sown in me long ago is beginning to sprout. Now, I am adult enough to understand what God is all about and what the Catholic Church represents. As I delve deeper into the Gospels, I can see clearly what I had been missing all these years. Being spiritually empty is the worst feeling one can have.
Now that I have Christ in my life, my journey has become one that is with a destination and a purpose. The potholes are beginning to be filled. The roads may be winding but I am certain that He will be there on every turn to make sure that I am safe and sound.
This evening, I was among the more than one hundred catechumens from all over Penang and Kedah who participated in the Rite of Election at the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit. The Rite of Election is for those who have embraced the Catholic faith but have never been baptised. Our names were entered into the Book of the Elect to signify our intention to be initiated into the Catholic Church at the Easter Vigil where we will be baptised, confirmed and receive our first communion. My journey has only begun.
* Photos of the Rite of Election have been added to the Gallery.
peter, congrats on having passed the rite of election. so now you are waiting for the rite of initiation where you’ll be baptised and become a catholic.
indeed your journey of faith has just begun. there’s lots more to discover of the catholic faith.
btw are adele and peter in the photos your sponsors? now they call it sponsor and not god-parents anymore.
I am looking forward to the Rite of Initiation with anticipation. Words alone are not sufficient enough to describe how I long to receive the Holy Communion.
Adel is the co-catechist. She comes with Anne for my catechisms. My younger maternal uncle is my sponsor/godparent. He could not make it, so Peter, my cousin, stood in for him.
Congratulations on your upcoming baptism, confirmation and very first communion! It is a big and momentous step in this exciting life-long journey with Christ 🙂
Indeed it is! My life will never be the same again.
Congrats! I can only hope our Christian brethren will be what you expected and nothing less….
By God’s will, they will be. 🙂
http://home.att.net/~Local_Catholic/Catholic-Australia-Oceania.htm
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