By Rose O’Connor | Correspondent

The Church of Trenton formally welcomed 163 men, women and teens who are journeying toward full membership in the Catholic Church this Lent in preparation for the Easter Vigil.

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In a joy-filled ceremony Feb. 22 in St. Mary of the Assumption Cathedral, Trenton, the catechumens, representing 52 parishes across Burlington, Mercer, Monmouth, and Ocean Counties, stood with their godparents, sponsors and teachers and publicly acknowledged their desire for the reception of the Sacraments of Initiation.

Rite of Election ceremonies, which are held in cathedrals throughout the world, stems from an ancient Christian practice wherein those preparing to be initiated into the Church, publicly express their intention to become Catholic.

As Bishop David O’Connell, C.M., continues to recuperate from his recent surgery, Msgr. Thomas Gervasio, moderator of the curia, vicar general and pastor of Our Lady of Sorrows-St. Anthony Parish, Hamilton, celebrated this important rite in his stead.

“Today, we gather to celebrate an event that is nothing but good news for you, as catechumens, good news for your parishes, good news for the whole Church,” Msgr. Gervasio said, as he addressed the catechumens, their godparents and sponsors who filled the pews in “the most important church in our Diocese.”

The Rite of Election stems from an ancient Christian practice wherein those preparing to be initiated into the Church at the Easter Vigil, the catechumens, announce their intention at the start of the Lenten season. The “election” refers to the covenant by God with his chosen people of Israel. The rite is the beginning of the final phase of the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults, the process through which adults become members of the Catholic Church.

Msgr. Gervasio spoke of the importance of the ancient rite and the significance of the milestone in their “journey of faith.”

During the Rite of Election, the Church affirms that the men and women are prepared and worthy to be admitted into the faith, and their sponsors also testify to their worthiness and eligibility for admission by the diocesan bishop or his representative. At his acceptance, the catechumens are publicly declared as “the elect.”

Msgr. Gervasio reflected on the individual stories of the catechumens, stories which led them to seek life in our Catholic faith.

“How many wonderful stories we could hear from each of you,” Msgr. Gervasio remarked. “Stories about the marvelous ways of the Lord’s hand at work in your lives, inviting you to a life of faith, inviting you to a relationship of friendship with him.”

“For some, you have probably seen that hand of God in some extraordinary event, and for others, God’s Word revealed itself perhaps in simple quiet ways over the course of time.”

Regardless of the differences in their personal journeys of faith, Msgr. Gervasio emphasized the love of Christ for the newly elect.

“Today the Lord is saying to each of you, ‘I created you, I formed you, I have called you by name and you are mine’.”

Eileen Hart, coordinator of educational advancement in the diocesan Ministry of Catechesis and Evangelization, presented the catechumens to Msgr. Gervasio. It was then that the godparents and the assembly affirmed the catechumens’ desire and preparation to receive the Sacraments at the Easter Vigil which this year will be celebrated April 4 .

After the catechumens formally declared their wish to enter fully into the life of the Church through the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist, their names were enrolled, as a member of the parish read the name aloud and another parishioner presented the Book of the Elect which included the catechumens’ inscribed names.

Msgr. Gervasio addressed the elect, reminding them of their call to be faithful to God and “to strive to reach the fullness of truth, which your election opens up before you.”

He invited the godparents to each place their hand on the shoulder of the Elect and asked them to “ sustain them through your loving care and example,” as they continue to prepare for the reception of the “sacraments of God’s life.”

Marques Pray, from Corpus Christi Parish, Willingboro, confessed he had somewhat “gotten away from the Lord” despite having a background in the Baptist faith. “I wanted to become Catholic to become closer to God and I can honestly say this has been a very beautiful experience.”

“It feels great to know that I am not alone,” he remarked of celebrating the rite with parishioners from around the Diocese. “There’s always a chance for redemption.”

“Every since she was a little girl, she has wanted to take the Eucharist,” Joseph Prinke, said of Gabrielle Block, a teen from St. Anthony of Padua Parish, Hightstown.

Prinke, who was chosen to be Block’s godfather, stated with pride. “I feel it’s a big step for her.  I have always tried to help her out and mentor her in this area.”

Hailing from a Jewish-Catholic family, Noah Coniglio, 12, was offered a choice regarding his faith development and decided to become Catholic.

“My dad is Jewish and my mom is Catholic and they let me choose as I got older,” the elect from Our Lady of Sorrows-St. Anthony Parish explained. He credits both his family and his Catholic school for assisting him in his decisions and faith development.

Lisa Gravano had always been curious about the Catholic faith and once she married her husband, who is Catholic, she sought out her parish RCIA team in Sacred Heart Parish, Riverton, to learn more about the faith.

“It has been a great experience,” she said of her formation with the RCIA.

“I have had a lot of questions answered and they have been guiding me in the right direction.”

Gravano also revealed that through her own involvement in the RCIA, she has reached out to others who are discerning the Catholic faith for themselves.

“It’s good that I have been able to help out other people,” she shared.

In his closing remarks to the newly elected, Msgr. Gervasio offered words from his own ordination into the priesthood, “May God who has begun the good work in you bring it to completion.”

Nickole Boudreaux of St. Catharine-St. Margaret Parish, Spring Lake, smiled as she told of how she and her fiance and sponsor, Fred Sigrist, want to be married in the Catholic Church and raise their family in the Catholic faith.

“It’s important to us,” she said, and Sigrist added that “we want to live a life that’s under God’s guidance.”

Though Lisa Grippo always considered herself to be a “spiritual person,” she admitted to being “afraid to fully ask God to take over my life.”

“I don’t know why, really. Perhaps it was a fear based on what ‘others’ were saying or how they acted,” she said.

Grippo, a member of the elect from St. Rose of Lima Parish, Freehold, noted that part of her decision to become Catholic was based on being married to a Catholic man.

“I love being close to him through faith,” she said, then added how much she has learned through the RCIA process about the faith.

“I am committed to my religious journey and my developing relationship with God!”

Mary Stadnyk, associate editor, contributed to this story.