The US Diocese of Lansing is set to record its highest number of Easter converts, including adult baptisms, in 20 years, with 940 men, women and children due to be received into the Church or complete their Sacraments of Initiation at the Easter Vigil on Saturday, April 4.
Bishop of the Diocese, Most Rev. Earl Boyea descried the development as “all grace” and God’s doing. “I also know it’s not just our diocese. It’s across the country, around the world. Thanks be to God for this great evangelization that’s taking place,” he said.
Bishop Boyea has had a tour the diocese for three Rite of Election ceremonies hosted at Saint Joseph in Dexter, Saint Matthew in Flint, and Saint Martha in Okemos. The celebrations involved some 380 Catechumens and 560 Candidates, each of whom will be received into the Church, or complete their Sacraments of Initiation, in parishes across the diocese during this year’s Easter Vigil.
“It was a fatiguing weekend but also one that filled me with great joy,” added Bishop Boyea, “how can one not be filled with joy when confronted by this mystery, when confronted by this grace and, really, you have no responsibility for it, at all. It’s just pure grace. Thanks be to God!”
The Rite of Election is the liturgical ceremony, celebrated during the season of Lent, when Catechumens transition from being mere “inquirers” to being officially chosen by the Church as the “elect”, deemed ready to receive the Sacraments of Initiation. To signify this, their names are enrolled in a Book of the Elect.
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