Rite of Election marks milestone for hundreds on journey to become Catholic

UPDATED March 1, 2025

Five years ago, Predell Tynes would not have imagined that at the age of 42 he would be participating in the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults process and preparing to become Catholic.

“But here I am,” he said, “and my experience has been one of true enjoyment.”

PHOTO GALLERY: 2025 Rite of Election

Tynes, who began the process in St. Aloysius Parish, Jackson, was among the 304 women, men and teens from around the Diocese who gathered with Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., for the March 9 Rite of Election, marking a milestone on their journeys to become Catholic.

Held in St. Robert Bellarmine Co-Cathedral, Freehold, the Rite of Election was a time for the catechumens, supported by their sponsors, godparents, family members and parish ministers, to declare their intention to become fully initiated “Catholic Christians” when they receive the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist at the Easter Vigil, which this year is April 19.

Others who will be taking a significant step in their journeys to the Catholic Church are the O.C.I.A. candidates, those who have been baptized as Catholics or in other Christian faiths, but did not have any further religious instruction in the Catholic faith.

This year, the Diocese reports having a total number of 491 candidates, with 106 non-Catholic candidates and 385 Catholic candidates who are taking part in the Call to Continuing Conversion in their parishes, inaugurating a time of intense spiritual preparation leading up to the Easter Vigil when they will receive the Sacraments of Confirmation and Eucharist.

Called By Name

Addressing the congregationthat filled the 1,100 seat Co-Cathedral and overflow space, Bishop O’Connell reflected in his homily on the importance of a name.

“The name we focus upon today is that of Christian, Catholic Christian,” he said. “The name Christian means ‘follower of Christ.’

“Being a Catholic is how we do that, through the Catholic Church and its teachings, worship, practices, customs and laws,” he said.

He continued, “To be a Christian, to become Catholics and to be known by that name means something to you who are catechumens, something far deeper and far more convincing than anything the world has to offer. . . You see through all that darkness a light that burns far brighter, a light of faith in the Lord, the grace and hope he gives; the power to overcome sin and turn death into life.”

“The name of Catholic Christian in our Church is a deep identification of what you believe in; who and what you are called to be and, therefore, how you are planning to live in this world from your ‘election’ forward,” Bishop O’Connell said. “Your name and your identity as a Catholic Christian, as with all of the baptized in the Church, draw from the person of Jesus Christ.”

In the Rite of Election ceremony, Denise Contino, diocesan director of the Department of Catechesis, presented the catechumens to Bishop O’Connell.

“Most Reverend Bishop, Easter is drawing near, so the catechumens, whom I now present to you, are completing their period of preparation,” she said. “They have found their strength in God’s grace and support our community’s prayer and example. Now they ask that after the celebration of the Scrutinies, they be allowed to participate in the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and the Eucharist.”

Bishop O’Connell asked the godparents and the assembly to affirm that the catechumens are sufficiently prepared to be enrolled among “the elect” (the name given to the catechumens following their participation in the Rite of Election). The catechumens declared their wish to enter fully into the life of the Church, and their names were read aloud as a parish RCIA team member presented each Book of the Elect. The books had been signed by the catechumens earlier in the day in their local faith communities during Rite of Sending ceremonies.

Seeing God’s Plan

Though Leonela Plaza was raised Pentecostal, she was introduced to the Catholic Church by her fiance, with whom she began attending Mass on Sundays in St. Mary of the Assumption Cathedral, Trenton.

“I’ve learned so much about the Catholic religion,” Plaza said of her experience in the O.C.I.A. She added that she was interested to learn the correct way to participate in Mass, about the many different prayers and the saints, who they are and how they became saints. She noted she was inspired by the story of St. Philomena, who was martyred for her faith as a young girl, and St. Dymphna, who Plaza chose for her Confirmation saint.

Plaza described the Rite of Election as a “beautiful experience,” seeing so many people who are preparing to become Catholic.

“It really made me excited for my journey ahead,” Plaza said. “I felt like I belong.”

While growing up in Mexico, Nora A. Santana was never baptized, but was familiar with the Catholic Church through her mother and other family members who were Catholic but didn’t practice the faith regularly.

When she and her family did attend Mass, Santana said she “used to love hearing the teachings about God and Mary … that stayed with me,” Santana said.

For Santana, the decision to become Catholic surfaced during the pandemic when she would watch Mass on TV. She also began attending Mass in St. Joseph Church, Trenton, with her boyfriend, who is now her fiance.

“I’ve always loved everything about the Catholic Church. I haven’t been to another Church,” she said. “Coming back to the Church and going through the [OCIA] process has taught meso much and has helped me get closer to God,” she said, adding that she has found learning the prayers that are said during Mass to be enlightening as well as praying the Rosary.

Santana noted how heartened she is to have found her way to the Catholic Church and is eager to receive her Sacraments at the Easter Vigil.

“I thank God,” she said.

Hector Vasquez was 16 years old when he first started thinking about becoming Catholic. Though he was never baptized and his family is Catholic, his interest in the faith has been consistently nurtured over the past 10 years by regularly attending the Spanish-language Mass in St. Joseph Church, Toms River. Now at 26, he said, he’s ready to receive his Sacraments.

“It’s been good, I’ve learned a lot and OCIA has helped me to build my relationship with God,” Vasquez said, adding that the process for becoming Catholic, “has changed my life.”

Tynes acknowledges a similar experience. While growing up, he said that his father’s family was Baptist and he would attend services sporadically “but never anything consistently and I was never baptized.”

As a Jackson resident, he was familiar with St. Aloysius Church, “which I always thought looked awesome from the outside,” but his first time in the church was to attend a Mass during which his son was presented with the Catholic Scouting program’s Parvuli Dei award.

“When I left St. Aloysius that morning, I had a feeling inside of me that I hadn’t felt while attending church previously,” he said. “I told my fiancé, Amanda, how good I felt, that a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. I wanted to keep having that feeling so we agreed we would start attending Mass there every Sunday.”

Six months later, he said, he made the decision to become Catholic and joined the OCIA.

“I look forward to the lessons,” Tynes said, adding that he appreciates the effort of team members Father Rjoy Ballacillo and Yvette Rego who “are excellent and always open to answering my questions. Attending these classes has allowed me to see our Lord Jesus Christ like I haven’t before. I’ve found myself wanting to pray and take time out to thank God, and not just when something good happens,” he said. “I’ve felt myself grow in my faith and grow closer to Jesus.”

“When I look at my life I know that this was his plan for me,” Tynes said.

A parish OCIA team member holds the Book of the Elect as the catechumen’s name is called during the Rite of Election.