To be signed and sealed and delivered

Mar 10, 2024

By Elaine Jeyakumar-Wong
There was an air of anticipation as the faithful gathered at the Church of the Assumption in Penang and Our Mother of Perpetual Help in Ipoh at two special Masses on February 17 and 18, respectively. For they were there to witness and to celebrate the Rite of Election for 229 of our brothers and sisters in the Diocese of Penang who will be baptised at Easter.

In Penang, 148 Catechumens from 14 churches and in Ipoh, 81 Catechumens from nine parishes, stepped into the final leg of their journey towards becoming baptised and confirmed Children of God. Having answered the call of Christ and undergone the RCIA preparations for the past year, it was a poignant moment for them, their families and friends and sponsors alike.

The presence of the various priests representing each of the parishes, together with Cardinal Sebastian Francis, the Bishop of Penang, made the celebrations so much more meaningful and richer. In these times when the Church is crying for more vocations, it was truly wonderful to see a gathering of so many of our priests in one place.

The Rite of Election Masses at the two churches were quiet and solemn. However, they were filled with anticipation and joy with the realisation that these 229 Catechumens, now called, the Elect of Christ, number among the thousands who have been chosen and called throughout Malaysia and the whole world for initiation into the Sacred Mysteries this Easter.