TRUMBULL—Three-hundred and forty-eight catechumens and candidates who are preparing for full communion with the Church at Easter were recognized and affirmed at this weekend’s Rite of Election and Call to Continuing Conversion ceremony.
The elect, along with their sponsors, family members and friends filled St. Theresa Church, the largest in the diocese, to near capacity.
The readings were read in both English and Spanish.
In Bishop Frank J. Caggiano’s homily, he spoke about Jesus’ journey into the desert, which was the Gospel reading.
“Jesus had no need to go into the desert,” said the bishop, “and yet He went and surrendered everything to His Father so that you and I might see the path to holiness.”
The bishop explained to the gathered that to follow this path, one needs “to wildly trust in the love of God in his mercy…to give up all that we have so that we may he might be the first and greatest desire of our heart.”
Quoting St. Augustine, Bishop Caggiano said that this journey to holiness is one of seeking holy desire. “We want what started out as an ember to become a blazing bonfire of love for Jesus Christ,” he said.
“He is the one who can heal our broken hearts,” the bishop said.
He encouraged the elect, “It will take your whole life to ever form more deeply with Jesus—and we do it together, don’t we?”
Photos by Amy Mortensen
“I thank you for addressing the spark that has lit up your life,” he said to those soon-to-be brought into further communion with the Church, “please be assured that I am praying for all of you.”
“I pray that we will never let the fire in our hearts dim and, God forbid, ever go out,” the bishop said, asking all for their prayers, as well.
During the service, each catechumen (non-baptized person) and candidate (those who were baptized but did not receive further sacraments) was invited to come forward and be welcomed by the Bishop in an act of recognition and admission.
The bishop thanked RCIA coordinators, catechists, godparents and sponsors, and pastors in attendance.
Before the final blessing, the bishop once again addressed the elect, “This is a time of renewal for the Church. And you, my friends, are the living example of the power of the Holy Spirit in our midst bringing the Church to new life and you bring me great hope.”
(For more information regarding RCIA and Adult Formation, contact The Office of Faith Formation at: OfficeofFaithFormation@diobpt.org or call: 203.416.1670.)
Rite of Election 2020 - Catchumens & Candidates
| Catchumens | Candidates |
|---|---|
| St. Joseph Church, Shelton Johanna Orea Kimberly Orea Juan Carlos Orea | St. Joseph Church, Shelton Laura Gjaci Tiffany Montoya Kistina Pepaj Kysbal Belliard Jessica "Leigh" Timm |
| St. James Church, Stratford Randi England | Our Lady of the Assumption Parish, Fairfield Robert Becker Eric Garcia Harmarie Lebron-Torres |
| St. Michael the Archangel Parish, Greenwich Harry Carrel | St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church, Ridgefield Andrew Neblett |
| St. Mary Church, Bethel Bennett Breslow Daniel Rodriguez | St. James Church, Stratford Ashley Veilette |
| St. Andrew Parish, Bridgeport Autumn Bernardo | Church of the Assumption, Westport Hunter Morris Maureen Deegan Erin Deegan |
| St. Joseph Parish, Danbury Yolanda Jeffers | St. Andrew Parish, Bridgeport Christina Casimiro Diana Zans Sophia Bernardo Jeffrey Mouro Michael Norling |
| St. Thomas More Church, Darien Barry Schofield | St. Theresa Church, Trumbull Tanya Dukacheva Stephen Fung William Prezioso Daniela Sagastume |
| St. Joseph Parish, Brookfield Debra Goodwin | St. Jerome Parish, Norwalk William Halstead |
| St. Francis of Assisi, Weston Suzanna Chen | St. John Church, Darien Matthew Becker Nancy Hill |
| The Cathedral Parish, Bridgeport Daniel Khang Micalizzi | St. Joseph Church, Danbury Valentine Jeffers John Brian McCreey |
| St. Cecilia-St. Gabriel Parish, Stamford Rhiannon Stefanick Molly Gottshall | St. Thomas More Church, Darien Phillip Huxford Erik Dahlquist |
| St. Peter Parish, Danbury Amanda Bergen | St. Jude Parish, Monroe David Williams |
| St. Peter Church, Bridgeport Rocky Acosta Luis Alberto Montes Richard Letona Nelson Torres | St. Rose of Lima Church, Newtown Timothy Burr Malcolm Johnson Michelle Mascolo |
| St. Mary Church, Ridgefield Amanda Mason | St. Joseph Parish, Brookfield Heather Clifford Dr. Cornelius Ferreira David Strout Erik Nordskog |
| St. Ladislaus Parish, Norwalk Juan Amaya Nancy Euceda Miriam Pogyo | St. Peter Church, Bridgeport Irene Ascencio Amy Lanuza |
| St. Pius X Parish, Fairfield Christopher Maietta Rhisleyne Altamirano Augustus Gardauskas | St. Peter Parish, Danbury Danielle Ford Sara Goncalves Susan Wolf Linda Brham Raissa Lobo Sergio Jiminez Motta |
| St. Matthew Parish, Norwalk Susan Cundari Roman Perez Michael Perez Roody Joseph | St. Pius X Parish, Fairfield Nathaniel Gonzalez Linda Palmer Gabriele Gardauskas |
| Sacred Heart Church, Stamford Rosemery Vega | St. Ladislaus Parish, Norwalk Rubicely Aguirre Carlos Bernabé Olguin Campos Joan Chacua Grace Elizondo Iliana Galeana Juan Gonzalez Carlos Lucero Katherine Ordonez David Ordonez Nancy Rodriguez Noelia Vega Karen Villacis Vanessa Villacis Johana Mota Myra Rios |
| Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, Danbury Gerberth Mejia Ingrid Ruiz | St. Matthew Parish, Norwalk Andres Bedoya Gary James Guiser Guillermo Alonso Rojas Victoria Perez Wilfredo Perez Rocio Sanabria Jaharra Torres |
| St. Mary Church, Bridgeport Janessa M. Rodriguez Gabriella Hernandez | Sacred Heart Church, Stamford Maico Barillas Erik Bravo Reina Carias Yasmin Garcia Astrid Garcia Hector Garro Bagner Gomez Carlos Lucero Katie Orellana Ricky Pagani Sergio Perez Ayra Pinto Martha Revolorio Sharon Recinos Jesus Alberto Gonzales Vega |
| St. Mary Church, Stamford Kenia Castañeda Cristian Najarro Yomira Ordoñez Ada Reyes | Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, Danbury Otto Aparicio Rosalinda Pochiero Yageysa Bencosme John Burgos Byron Caina Rosa Chabla Hugo Cruz Yuleidy Espinal Michael Garcia Teresa Giron Katheryn Lemus Carmen Marin Gisell Posadas Nayely Quezada Byron Segovia Lucero Soto Kelly Trujillo |
| St. Charles Borromeo Parish, Bridgeport Abelino Aquino Jazmine Ramirez Felipe Neto Angel CiFredo Beyonce Padilla Jair Velasquez Jennifer Velasquez Ivan Avila Ashley Rodriguez David Rodriguez Chailira Colon Felipe Rodriguez | St. Mary Church, Bridgeport Iyuna Allen Leslie Baculima Jesus Casarrubias Gabriella Cid Doel Duran, Jr. Larissa Galeano Jason Hernandez Jim Hernandez Alexandra Meza Edwards Ramos Bryan Rodriguez Ana Laura Tlahuextl Eric Vega |
| St. George Church, Bridgeport Yurseli Mota Alia Mota Joan Mota Yaher Tochimani Jarie Tochimani Allison Ramirez Melanie Romero | St. Mary Church, Stamford Andrew Pepe Franco Casole Norma Lemus Oscar Lemus Zoila Lemus Jose Lopez Richard Pabey Marjorie Plua Oscar Ramos Carlos Recinos Sixto Rodriguez Yahely Sarceño Helen Martinez Luis Vasquez Daniel Reyes Jesenia Altamirano |
| St. Joseph Church, Norwalk Dominick Almonte Leidy Castillo Jenifer Murillo Lauren DianeVodzogbe Johny Daniel Vodzogbe Lourdes Peralta Faustina Hernandez | St. Charles Borromeo Parish, Bridgeport Alexis Ramirez Jaylene Brenes Miguel Rivera Ramiro Vargas Sarai Aquino Servio Mateo Wendy Veasquez Edison Cabrera Jennifer Pineda Jimmy Melendez Jose Torres Moises Hernandez Juan Rendon Juan Natividad Jaileen Carcano Jose Carcano Emmanuel Collazo Jariel Collazo Jorge Collazo George Cornejal James Galinda Cristina Galvez Nayelis Leon Camila Maldonado Anacelly Mendez Jessica Mendez Lissette Mendez Edinir Hernandez Edison Hernandez Monserrat Pineda Gian Carlo Porro Kiana Ramos Melvin Ramos Jaime Santos Matheus Pimenta Ruben Alvarez Josiah Benitez Bryan Calderon Jeffrey Charleston Nasheelis CiFredo Jazlynn Claudio Bryan Delgado David Irizarry Jordan Torres Jefferson Deleon Graciela Tejada Karina Andujar Jorge Arias Heriberto Collazo Maria Cortes Nazareth Redzep Wendy Redzep Jose Cortez Fernanda Maria Guilherme dos Reís Laysa Dutra Tony Martins Maria Martins Hellen Souza Edison Cabrera Iris Cardoso Oliviera Rudulfo Lucas Barbosa Vania Coutinho Aurera Thais Pereira |
| St. Ann Church, Bridgeport Jennifer Martinez Frank Maldonado Sarah Frederick |
|
| St. Joseph Church, Norwalk Harrison Rodriguez Alba Rodriguez Sebastian Rojas Luis Salazar Abel Valerio |
