Choose to walk with God

Mar 22, 2019

By Vincent D’Silva
The Malacca Johore Diocese looks set to welcome 335 new Catholics into the Church at Easter. The names of these catechumens were presented during the Rite of Election at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, March 10.

This was an increase from last year (2018) which saw only 299 catechumens being baptised at the Easter vigil.

These adult catechumens, from all language groups and coming from 18 parishes and chapels, have been journeying with the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA).

Their names had been enrolled into their parish’s Book of the Elect in a Rite of Sending celebrated at their parishes – a rite that is symbolic of each parish testifying to the readiness of their catechumens before sending them forth towards Election. At the Rite of Election Mass, the Books of the Elect were presented to Bishop Bernard Paul.

Fr Moses Rayappan, head of the Diocesan Catechetical Ministry, shares, “The candidates are called by God and chosen to be his/her child. They have responded. We understand Election as being chosen to fulfill God’s mission, to do God’s work.”

Bishop Bernard affirmed the Elect who have “responded to God’s call” and told them they had arrived at “the period of final and more intense preparations for the Sacraments of Initiation.”

“Up till now, you’re known as catechumens but after today, you’ll be called Elect,” he said and encouraged them to “be grateful that God has chosen you as his sons and daughters.”

“These new elect, who have experienced conversion of mind and heart,” said the Bishop, “now enter a period of “intense preparation for the Sacraments of Initiation,” that is Baptism, Confirmation and first Communion. He invited the Elect to be mindful of this Lenten season so that, together with the community of faithful, they may die to themselves and be “transformed into sons and daughters of God at Easter.”

The quadrilingual Mass, presided by Bishop Bernard and assisted by Msgrs Michael Mannayagam, V.G. and Peter Ng, V.G., a number of priests and deacons, witnessed a warm welcome by local parishioners as the catechumens filed into the Cathedral with their respective facilitators and sponsors.

In his homily, Bishop Bernard said we have the option to walk with God or to walk without God. And if we choose to walk with God, then God is near to us and everything is in harmony, as there is a certain simplicity in us and a certain goodness in us.

He said, “But when we choose to walk without God, we give in to our weaknesses and we lose God, the joy and peace.” “God’s desire is our happiness. We seek Him in order to find happiness,” he added.

After signing all the Books, Bishop Bernard declared the catechumens as “members of the Elect to be initiated into the sacred mysteries at the forthcoming Easter Vigil.” Intercessions and prayers over the Elect were followed by a final blessing by the Bishop. The parish of St Joseph, Plentong, led the list with 76 candidates.

The parish of Immaculate Conception, Johor Bahru had 41 and Our Lady of Guadalupe, Kerubong, Melaka registered 32 candidates.

Dr Grace Gan, 57, from St Theresa, said it was a joyous occasion and it was amazing being together with everyone from the other parishes who are also on the RCIA journey.

She said, “I felt ecstatic to see the Church was behind us, supporting us and praying for us. It made me think back on my journey and the support of everyone who is a part of it. I feel blessed for being chosen and I am looking forward to Holy Saturday when I will be baptised.”