Third Sunday of Lent

​Dear parish family and friends of St. Julia,
This weekend at our 5:00 p.m. mass we will begin to celebrate the scrutinies.  The scrutinies are a series of rites for adults who wish to be baptized, called catechumens.  They are celebrated in the third, fourth, and fifth weeks of the Lenten season.  Here at St. Julia we have two catechumens who will be baptized at our Easter Vigil.
Maggie Cimprich & Jennifer Koren
We also pray for Susan Ogieriakhi, and her sons, Garry, Barry, Wayne, and Terry Eweka, who have joined our RCIA journey more recently, and will be baptized and received at a later date in the near future.
Candidates, on the other hand, are those who are already Christians by baptism and are seeking to enter into full communion with the Catholic Church.  They usually have a basic understanding of the Christian faith and only need to learn the particulars of the Catholic Church.  Here at St. Julia we have six candidates.
Akua Yirenkyi, Andrew Kallmuk, William Gault, Kasandra Belanger, Tyler Adair & Justin Challis
This time during Lent is considered a period of purification and enlightenment for the elect.  There are prayers of exorcism which are intended to help purify the elect from sin and sinful desires.  The overall prayers and laying on of hands are to help the elect be enlightened by the Word and grace of God.

I ask you to keep in your prayers all of our candidates and catechumens, as they prepare, with great joy, for our Easter Vigil, to be one with us around the altar and to be welcomed into the faith we hold so dear to our hearts.

May God bless each of you and those that you love, and I look forward to seeing you at mass this weekend on the Third Sunday of Lent.

Fr. Greg