The Rite of Election was celebrated on March 11, 2017, at St. Charles Borromeo Parish. Every parish in the Pierce Deanery was represented. Notable this year was the great diversity. The Rite was celebrated in both English and Spanish.
God Has Chosen Us
Archbishop Sartain presided and reminded us that it is called an ‘election’ because God has chosen us. It is at this time that some have heard the call and are saying ‘yes’ to the next steps. Archbishop Sartain’s homily likened the spiritual journey to the construction of a building. The Archbishop has always loved construction sites and is particularly fascinated with the big holes that are created to begin a building project. He pointed out something that all engineers and architects know and that is that “to go high, we must go deep.” The Archbishop challenged each of us to go deep in our spiritual journeys.
Signing the Book of the Elect
Saint Patrick Catholic Church has 15 adults and 14 children preparing for the Sacraments of Initiation which will take place at Easter Vigil on April 15, 2017, at 8:30 PM. The Catechumens or the unbaptized are referred to as The Elect, now that they have signed their name in the Book of the Elect. The Candidates, those who have been baptized and are called to complete their journey by preparing for the remainder of their Sacraments of Initiation are still called Candidates.
We invite you to not only continue to pray for the Elect and the Candidates as they continue on this journey of faith, as they grow ever closer to joining us at the table of the Lord but to journey with them through The Scrutinies.
The Scrutinies
On the middle three Sundays of Lent, the third, fourth, and fifth Sundays, special rites are celebrated. Theses rites are called Scrutinies. As noted before, the Elect are those in our midst who are preparing for Baptism. Part of their journey to the Baptismal Font is that they have been received among us, the Rite of Acceptance, and they have been enrolled in the Book of the Elect in the Rite of Election.
A Spiritual Journey of Renewal
During the Scrunities, the Elect model for us what we, as the Church, are called to do— to scrutinize our lives during Lent. Reflecting upon the journey the Elect are making during Lent can be used as an inspiration and source of renewal for all of us in our spiritual journey.
The Faith Community is Part of the Journey
The Scrunties will be celebrated as follows for 2017: 1st Scrutiniy at 8:30 AM Mass on March 18, the 2nd Scrutiny a 10:30 AM Mass on March 25 and the 3rd Scrutiny at 5:30 PM Mass on April 1. The Scrutinies are rotated through the three Masses to include all parishioners in the RCIA process and all the faithful who provide support to the Elect.
The Faith Community Provides Strength
The Scrutinies are ancient rites and they may, at first, seem strange to us. But they are profoundly rooted in our human experience. We need to examine— scrutinize how we are, the areas of our lives where we are tempted, or seriously sin— in what we do and what we fail to do. We need healing and the strength that can come from the support of our sisters and brothers.
Learn More
Do you know someone who is interested in becoming Catholic or Catholic curious? Invite them to Mass, to the Parish Mission the week of March 20 – 24, 2017 at 7 PM or to a social event at Saint Patrick Catholic Church & School. There are many ways to introduce or re-introduce a friend or family member to the Catholic faith. How will you invite someone to come home to the Catholic church and Encounter Christ this Lent and Easter?
