Australia: St Mary's Cathedral Sidney welcomes record numbers at Rite of Election

Candidates and catechumens with their sponsors and godparents. Photo: Giovanni Portelli

On Sunday 9 March, at St Mary's Cathedral, the Archdiocese of Sydney welcomed a record 384 catechumens and candidates at the annual Rite of Election-a 30 per cent increase in converts from the previous year.

They were accompanied by 310 godparents and sponsors from 54 parishes, swelling the congregation to more than a thousand in total and reflecting the increasing priority of evangelisation in the archdiocese.

Simon Yeak, who has overseen the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) in the archdiocese for the past five years, described the experience as "unlike anything I've been part of."

"I never could have foreseen the rise in the number of converts coming into the church, and it's really a testament to showing where we are as a church here in Sydney," he said.

Outside the cathedral it was a gloriously sunny autumn afternoon, while inside the usually hushed space there was nervous excitement as many catechumens and candidates experienced the grandeur of the cathedral for the first time and prepared to affirm their readiness for full initiation into the church in the company of their godparents, sponsors, families and the wider church.

They were ushered by the many volunteers who supported the afternoon together with staff from the archdiocese's Sydney Centre for Evangelisation.

To read on see: https://catholicweekly.com.au/rite-of-election-2025-sees-catechumen-numbers-rise-in-sydney/

Watch a video of the day: www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPexBZn4I0M