The Catholic Diocese of Orlando has announced that hundreds of catechumens and candidates will enter the Church this Easter. The number they have this year is 200 more than what they had last year, the diocese revealed in a report by the Florida Catholic.

200 More Elects than in 2022

The Florida Catholic reported that the diocese revealed it had 200 catechumens than last year who would become the Church’s new elects in Easter this year. 

The Rite of Election happened on Feb. 26 at the Basilica of the National Shrine of Mary, Queen of the Universe. Orlando’s Bp. John Noonan officiated the proceedings.

The elects are comprised of catechumens (those who have never been baptized) and candidates (those who have been baptized in another Christian tradition). The report noted they would all be initiated into the Catholic faith on the Easter Vigil.

The news outlet said 44 Centro Guadalupano Mission parishioners were part of the new elects for the Catholic Church.

Catechesis for Children

The article mentioned that Fr. Rodas Grajales urged Jorge Sevilla and his wife, Margarita, to handle the catechesis for children preparing to accept the Sacraments. Jorge was earlier entrusted with the Rite of Initiation for Catholic Adults, the report noted.

With the Sevilla couple saying yes to the priest’s challenge, they found volunteers who would help minister the catechism for the Hispanic catechumens. They eventually found two women named Maria Romero and Betty Chavez. 

The article said Chavez taught children aged 13 to 18, while Romero taught those aged 18 to 46. Meanwhile, Margarita took care of teaching those aged 7 to 12.

Father Grajales told the Florida Catholic that he first thought he ordered too many books (20) with the initial expectation that very few would choose to undergo catechism. It turned out that he ordered too few, as the total catechumens reached 44.

The report noted that those 44 catechumens would get the full Sacramental reception into the Church on Easter. There would be an additional 18 elects who would be welcomed into the Catholic fold earlier this year, the news outlet disclosed.

Mass Entry to Catholic Fold

According to Fr. Delvis Mederos, it was the first time he saw such a large group decide to become part of the Catholic faith. Mederos explained that such a mass movement into Catholicism could be attributed to parents who moved their children to accept the Church.

“It is a work of welcoming. They have a great desire to know God. I was moved by the attention the children pay to praying the rosary,” Florida catholic quoted him saying.

Mederos said the inherent “love of faith” in the culture of Hispanics is also a factor.

“I was so happy that my children were finally on the road toward Our Lord. I want them to learn all they can to live a good life and to be aware of all that God provides all around them. I am also grateful to the Virgin of Guadalupe and the Lord. I am glad they will at last be able to live a Sacramental life,” Alba Rojas, whose three sons are among the new elects, told the Florida Catholic.

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