Easter Vigil was glorious celebration in diocesan cathedral
July 29, 2019 at 12:37 p.m.
By Rose O’Connor | Correspondent
There is perhaps no more moving celebration of the Catholic faith than the Easter Vigil. The beauty and splendor of the Mass was illuminated as the Easter candle, lit from the fires blessed by Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., was processed into the Diocese’s darkened Mother Church, St. Mary of the Assumption Cathedral, Trenton, April 19.
From the Easter candle, individual candles were lit and pierced the darkness as the Light of Christ quickly spread throughout the church.
Father Douglas Freer, diocesan vicar of Catholic Education, chanted the Exsultet, proclaiming the Resurrection of Christ and his victory over death.
As Bishop O’Connell explained during his homily, “We can trace the development of those writings and traditions tonight in the readings selected for the Easter Vigil: from the creation story and the call of Abraham in the book of Genesis, to the liberation of the chosen people of God, Israel, in the Red Sea, through the prophecies of Isaiah, Baruch and Ezekiel, salvation history is mapped out for us, leading us to the promised Messiah.”
Following the Liturgy of the Word, which was proclaimed in both English and Spanish, the Alleluia, not proclaimed since before Lent, resonated with joy throughout the church.
“My brothers and sisters, the Lord Jesus Christ has risen from the dead. This is what we are about tonight. That is what joins us with Christians throughout the world,” Bishop O’Connell stated in his homily.
“There is no more significant human expression than faith in Jesus’ Resurrection. He didn’t just die and come back to life. He was not revived or resuscitated. Jesus’ Resurrection is about new life, transformed life, a completely different order of existence. He rose from the dead leaving death behind him.”
He continued, “Christ once raised from the dead shall never die again; death has no more power over him. And the source of our joy tonight is that he offers the same triumph and glory to us who believe in him. That is the meaning of our Baptism when we say we die in Christ only to rise in him, new, changed, different, filled with grace and light and life.”
This new life in Christ was exemplified during the Easter Vigil as the Church welcomed new members into the faith with open and loving arms.
Five elect received the Sacraments of Initiation: Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist through their participation in the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) process. They were joined by their godparents as they approached the baptismal font where Bishop O’Connell blessed the water to be used in the sacrament.
Following the Renunciation of Sin and the Profession of Faith, Bishop O’Connell baptized four women and one man who then once again illuminated the cathedral full of the faithful with candles lit from the Easter candle.
The catechumens joined 22 candidates for the celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation. Wearing the name of the saint they chose for their Confirmation name, the candidates knelt before Bishop O’Connell with their sponsors behind them, for the laying on of hands and anointing with Sacred Chrism.
Five of the RCIA candidates who received their Sacraments of Initiation or the Sacrament of Confirmation were students at Georgian Court University, Lakewood.
Amanda Stone, a freshman at the university and resident of Hazlet, completed the RCIA at the only Catholic university in the Diocese of Trenton, and was “so uplifted” by the whole experience.
“It was very fulfilling,” Stone shared. Her classmate Julia O’Brien, 18, agreed.
“This is such a joyful experience,” O’Brien said as she credited Father Anthony DiPalma and Mercy Sister Helen Neder for showing her “who God is.”
“I’m really excited to get this part of my life back,” she admitted. “I fell away from the faith for a while and I am so excited to be moving forward in faith.”
Lisa Gravato, 19, of Tuckerton, was radiating joy as she expressed her happiness of being “part of the Mass” and more importantly, “part of the Catholic faith.”
The Carias family of Trenton traveled the journey into full initiation into the faith together; mother and son, Sury and Eddy, received all three Sacraments of Initiation and husband and father, Edin, was confirmed that evening.
“I am so happy,” Sury offered as she and her family gathered for photos after Mass. “This is so very special to me.”
Her husband agreed, “This was beautiful,” he said of the Vigil Mass and reception of the sacraments. “To do this with my family … I feel really good about it.”
Twelve-year-old Eddy confessed, “I was nervous at first. I knew I was going to receive all the sacraments. But that moment, when I felt the water, it was as if all your sins washed away, it felt awesome- it really is new life.”
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By Rose O’Connor | Correspondent
There is perhaps no more moving celebration of the Catholic faith than the Easter Vigil. The beauty and splendor of the Mass was illuminated as the Easter candle, lit from the fires blessed by Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., was processed into the Diocese’s darkened Mother Church, St. Mary of the Assumption Cathedral, Trenton, April 19.
From the Easter candle, individual candles were lit and pierced the darkness as the Light of Christ quickly spread throughout the church.
Father Douglas Freer, diocesan vicar of Catholic Education, chanted the Exsultet, proclaiming the Resurrection of Christ and his victory over death.
As Bishop O’Connell explained during his homily, “We can trace the development of those writings and traditions tonight in the readings selected for the Easter Vigil: from the creation story and the call of Abraham in the book of Genesis, to the liberation of the chosen people of God, Israel, in the Red Sea, through the prophecies of Isaiah, Baruch and Ezekiel, salvation history is mapped out for us, leading us to the promised Messiah.”
Following the Liturgy of the Word, which was proclaimed in both English and Spanish, the Alleluia, not proclaimed since before Lent, resonated with joy throughout the church.
“My brothers and sisters, the Lord Jesus Christ has risen from the dead. This is what we are about tonight. That is what joins us with Christians throughout the world,” Bishop O’Connell stated in his homily.
“There is no more significant human expression than faith in Jesus’ Resurrection. He didn’t just die and come back to life. He was not revived or resuscitated. Jesus’ Resurrection is about new life, transformed life, a completely different order of existence. He rose from the dead leaving death behind him.”
He continued, “Christ once raised from the dead shall never die again; death has no more power over him. And the source of our joy tonight is that he offers the same triumph and glory to us who believe in him. That is the meaning of our Baptism when we say we die in Christ only to rise in him, new, changed, different, filled with grace and light and life.”
This new life in Christ was exemplified during the Easter Vigil as the Church welcomed new members into the faith with open and loving arms.
Five elect received the Sacraments of Initiation: Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist through their participation in the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) process. They were joined by their godparents as they approached the baptismal font where Bishop O’Connell blessed the water to be used in the sacrament.
Following the Renunciation of Sin and the Profession of Faith, Bishop O’Connell baptized four women and one man who then once again illuminated the cathedral full of the faithful with candles lit from the Easter candle.
The catechumens joined 22 candidates for the celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation. Wearing the name of the saint they chose for their Confirmation name, the candidates knelt before Bishop O’Connell with their sponsors behind them, for the laying on of hands and anointing with Sacred Chrism.
Five of the RCIA candidates who received their Sacraments of Initiation or the Sacrament of Confirmation were students at Georgian Court University, Lakewood.
Amanda Stone, a freshman at the university and resident of Hazlet, completed the RCIA at the only Catholic university in the Diocese of Trenton, and was “so uplifted” by the whole experience.
“It was very fulfilling,” Stone shared. Her classmate Julia O’Brien, 18, agreed.
“This is such a joyful experience,” O’Brien said as she credited Father Anthony DiPalma and Mercy Sister Helen Neder for showing her “who God is.”
“I’m really excited to get this part of my life back,” she admitted. “I fell away from the faith for a while and I am so excited to be moving forward in faith.”
Lisa Gravato, 19, of Tuckerton, was radiating joy as she expressed her happiness of being “part of the Mass” and more importantly, “part of the Catholic faith.”
The Carias family of Trenton traveled the journey into full initiation into the faith together; mother and son, Sury and Eddy, received all three Sacraments of Initiation and husband and father, Edin, was confirmed that evening.
“I am so happy,” Sury offered as she and her family gathered for photos after Mass. “This is so very special to me.”
Her husband agreed, “This was beautiful,” he said of the Vigil Mass and reception of the sacraments. “To do this with my family … I feel really good about it.”
Twelve-year-old Eddy confessed, “I was nervous at first. I knew I was going to receive all the sacraments. But that moment, when I felt the water, it was as if all your sins washed away, it felt awesome- it really is new life.”
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