By John Rohlf, The Message assistant editor
Over 200 individuals gathered at the Diocese of Evansville Catholic Center earlier this month for the annual OCIA retreat.
There were 230 catechumens, candidates, sponsors and Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) team members in attendance Feb. 7 for the annual retreat. Joel Padgett, Director of Catechesis for the diocese, said the retreat “isn’t so much focused on getting you ready for the Easter Vigil,” stating they hope the OCIA teams at the parish level have been working with them for that.
“We want to focus a little bit more on what happens after the Easter Vigil,” Padgett said. “Kind of when you feel like I’m going to be all on my own here.”
During the retreat, there was one track in English for catechumens, candidates and sponsors, and a separate English track for OCIA team members. There was also a Spanish track. Prior to splitting into groups, all in attendance joined together for the bilingual morning prayer, which was led by Bishop Joseph M. Siegel.
Bishop Siegel said it was a great blessing to have so many in attendance for the annual retreat. He noted it was said several times how the Holy Spirit has blessed and touched the hearts of the catechumens and candidates to bring them to receive the Sacraments of Initiation or come into full communion with the Catholic Church. Bishop Siegel said it is a blessing of our diocesan family to be with them. He looks forward to being with them again Feb. 22 at St. Benedict Cathedral for the Rite of Election and the Call to Continuing Conversion, where they ceremonially and ritually welcome them in the final process for the final stages before entering the Sacraments of Initiation.
“In the sacraments of Initiation, we are freed from the power of darkness and joined to Christ’s death, burial and resurrection,” Bishop Siegel said in the introduction during prayer. “The sacraments combine to bring us the faithful of Christ to its full stature and to enable us to carry out the mission of the entire people of God in the Church and in the world. As we join together today to reflect on our spiritual journeys, may we always remain open to the working of the Holy Spirit in our lives.”
Speakers during the track for the catechumens, candidates and sponsors were Father Tony Ernst, pastor of St. Francis Xavier Parish in Vincennes and St. Philip Neri in Bicknell, and Associate Director of Vocations for the diocese; Mary Whelan, Pastoral Ministries Assistant for the diocese; and Jeff Heron. Speakers for the Spanish track were Pedro Mendez, Eneida Ortiz and Bertha Melendres, Director of Hispanic Ministry for the diocese. Nicholas Soellner, Associate Director of Catechesis for the diocese, and Matt Miller, Director of the Office of Worship for the diocese, led the track for OCIA team members.
During his talk, Father Ernst focused on the three Sacraments of Initiation, which are Baptism, Eucharist and Confirmation. He said while there are a lot of great reasons to want to become a Catholic, the ultimate reason to be drawn into the Catholic Church is to share in the sacramental life and incredible grace God wants to give you in the Catholic Church.
“My prayer for all of you is that you would be open to that, to the sacramental grace that the Lord wants to give you through his holy church,” Father Ernst said. “And I hope you kind of feel that this morning a little bit that you can feel overwhelmed by the sacraments of God, of Christ. Seriously. You should feel that way. Not just at your initiation, but frequently. You should feel overwhelmed to be a Catholic and to receive the sacraments, especially the Eucharist.”
Father Ernst encouraged those in attendance to never allow the sacraments to become normal for them. He stressed they are not normal and are supernatural gifts.
“Know of my prayers for all of you,” Father Ernst said. “We’re so happy to have each one of you and see our church continue to grow and increase. May the Lord bless you and be with you during these holy days.”