A total of 282 people across six counties in northeast Ohio are preparing to enter the Catholic Church at Easter, marking an increase of more than 90 individuals compared with last year, according to the Diocese of Youngstown, Ohio.
The group includes 143 people who will receive the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and First Communion at the Easter Vigil on April 4, as well as 139 already baptized Christians who will make a profession of faith and receive Confirmation and the Eucharist, the diocese said.
In an interview with the Tribune Chronicle, Bishop David Bonnar of the diocese of Youngstown described the increase as a source of joy.
“I am overjoyed by the large increase in the number of catechumens and candidates,” Bishop Bonnar said, according to the newspaper, which first reported the figures.
“Behind these numbers are people who have heard the Gospel being proclaimed and witnessed it being lived by priests, deacons, lay ministers, the faithful, as well as friends and family,” he said. “I think it is a powerful affirmation of the work of the Holy Spirit in this portion of the Lord’s vineyard.”
The diocese said 282 men, women, and children from 44 parishes are participating in the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults, or OCIA, the process through which people prepare to become Catholic. Participants spend months learning about Catholic teachings and practices and taking part in parish life.
On the first Sunday of Lent, those preparing for Baptism — who are known as catechumens — celebrated the Rite of Election at St. Columba Cathedral in Youngstown. During the ceremony, they were presented to the bishop, and sponsors and members of the congregation attested to their readiness for the sacraments.
Those already baptized in other Christian traditions are called candidates and were also presented to the bishop.
Bishop Bonnar also linked the increase to the broader life of the Church, telling the Tribune Chronicle, “Not to mention that we have the election of our new Holy Father, Pope Leo, one of our own, to thank for this great increase.”
After the Rite of Election, catechumens and candidates will continue their preparation in their parishes throughout Lent before being received into full communion with the Church at Easter.