Since early September a group of men and women have participated in the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA), attending sessions on Tuesday evenings, learning the Catholic faith, learning to pray, and seeking to follow Christ as his disciples. Today, the First Sunday of Lent, is a special day for them, as they will go to the Cathedral to meet with Bishop Iffert and those from other parishes for the Rite of Election. In that ceremony they will be called forward and officially acknowledged by the bishop as those who will enter the Catholic Church and receive the Sacraments of Initiation at the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday night.
    
These fall into two categories—the catechumens and the candidates. Catechumens are those who have never been baptized in any Christian denomination, and who will receive Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist at the Vigil on Holy Saturday night. Candidates are those who have been baptized in some other Christian religion, and who wish to enter now into the fullness of the Catholic faith. They will be confirmed and make their First Holy Communion at the Vigil Mass. A third group are those known as baptized but uncatechized Catholics. These were baptized as Catholics when they were children. They will make their First Holy Communion and will be confirmed at the Easter Vigil.
    
At the 11:30 am Mass today, a ceremony known as The Rite of Sending for Election will take place at Mother of God. This will include special prayers that we with say with and for them.