A Big Step-Rite of Welcome

This past Sunday was very special to me and to all of my fellow R.C.I.A/O.C.I.A. classmates. During Mass the Rite of Welcome was celebrated. Although I was baptized as a child in a protestant church, I am unsure if my baptism was valid because, quite frankly, I can’t remember if the pastor who baptized me said the formula correctly, “I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,”...also, try as I might, I have not been able to get a copy of my baptismal record, I am considered a Catechumen. For me, a conditional baptism will need to be performed. Once that is done, then I will be considered a Candidate.

As we all stood before the altar, facing the congregation with our sponsors behind us, I could not help but feel overjoyed and loved as a new member of, not only of my parish, but also of a whole spiritual family. As a sign and gift of our welcome, a necklace with a little wooden cross was placed around our necks. I have not taken mine off at all since then, except when I shower.

Once the Rite of Welcome had concluded, I wanted to jump up in joy…but I contained myself. Personally, I don’t want to look like a fool in Church; but, I’ll gladly admit that I am Jesus’ fool. I imagine I am with the quirky sense of humor that God Almighty gifted me with when I was created.

Even though life can be harsh, especially with me being out of a job, in debt, finances growing, and having a death in my family this year, I can’t help but feel love and joy as my journey to know our Lord and Savior continues and my relationship with Him grows.

For those of you reading my article wondering what the Rite of Welcome is, it is a celebratory moment of those converting to join the Catholic Church. Though we are not confirmed Catholics yet, we are officially recognized as members of the Catholic Church and must do our best to uphold the requirements of attending on days of Obligation, which are the following:

• Mass every Sunday or the Vigil Mass on Saturday nights,
• Feast of the Epiphany,
• Ascension of the Lord,
• Assumption of Mary,
• All Saints Day,
• And, of course, Christmas!

Though it is not considered a day of Obligation, I strongly advise attending Mass on Ash Wednesday.

Being a new convert into the Catholic Church, I have been doing a lot to get to know the Messiah more. I have been doing Adoration (in which I go to the chapel and simply spend some quiet time in prayer in the presence of our Lord in the Eucharist), attending bible studies, attending Mass every Sunday and weekday Mass whenever possible, attending R.C.I.A. (now called O.C.I.A, Order of Christian Initiation of Adults), and reading the Bible, Catechism, and my numerous books I own written by various Catholic Arthurs: Patrick Madrid, Drew Mariani, Matthew Kelly, Archbishop Fulton Sheen, Bishop Barron, and copies of books written by various Saints…the latest copy I bought being The Story of a Soul by St. Therese of Lisieux, also known as St. Therese of the Child Jesus the Little Flower of Jesus. Right now, I am in the middle of reading the Saint Benedict Prayer Book published by Aquinas Press and edited by Bart Tesoriero.

I used to have over 200 books that were all Catholic related, including sets of encyclopedias on sacramentals, theology, and philosophy. Unfortunately, having hit hard times, I had to sell most of my books, including ones I had not read yet, just to be able to afford to buy groceries and pay my cell phone bill. Even though I was in a bit of a brief depression from it (I did not want to sell my books at all!), during Bible Study, I read a verse that reminded me that all will be ok, that things will get better and that the Lord will always be with me. That verse was Matthew 6:19-21:

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and decay destroy, and thieves break in and steal. But store up treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor decay destroys, nor thieves break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.”

This verse made me think that they're just books. I can always rebuy them later; and, besides, where better to learn about Christ and the Church than straight from the source…the Church! As long as I still have my Bible and Catechism (I will never sell them no matter how desperate I am), I really don’t need any of the other books I had purchased throughout my studies.

I have to admit, when I was going through my bout of depression, I was beginning to think dark thoughts, thoughts that frightened me to the debts of my soul, thoughts that would have made me doubt my faith. I had to go to confession and ask for spiritual advice. The priest that heard my confession reminded me that Jesus is there, He is here for me and for everyone. I was reminded of this a second time when I wrote about this in my journal. In the physical journal I keep, it has passages from the Bible, a different verse at the bottom of each page. Wouldn’t you know it, the verse on the bottom of the page I had journaled my experience on was Psalm 27:1…”The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom should I fear? The Lord is my life’s refuge; of whom should I be afraid?” I had been reassured that Jesus has got my back.

All of these feelings were washed completely away once I entered the vestibule of my parish for the Rite of Welcome. I definitely know that from that day on, Jesus will always be with me, no matter how bad things can get in our physical existence in this sinful world. So, mental note to myself, chin up and spirits up!