A record number of people in England and Wales will be received into the Catholic Church in Holy Week and Easter.
Over
4,700 people took part in Rite of Election ceremonies in dioceses
around England and Wales last weekend, marking a bumper year of new
faithful, both catechumens and candidates for reception.
The
number was unusually high thanks to the number of groups of Anglicans
being received into the Church in Holy Week for the Personal Ordinariate
of Our Lady of Walsingham – about 900 lay people and 61 clergy.
The
Archdiocese of Westminster had the largest numbers of candidates and
catechumens come forward with almost 900, 62 of whom will join the
ordinariate in Holy Week, while 829 people will be received or baptised
at Easter.
It marks a slight drop from 2009’s record of 850 people being
received into the Church at Easter.
Southwark Archdiocese had a record
684, of whom 167 people were joining the ordinariate.
Meanwhile,
according to the figures released by the Bishops’ Conference of England
and Wales, Brentwood diocese has the highest number of former Anglicans
joining the Ordinariate of all the English and Welsh dioceses, with 240
people.
The south of England had the largest number of people joining
the ordinariate while 11 dioceses, located predominantly in the north of
England and Wales, did not have any people joining the ordinariate at
the Rite of Election.
Attendance to the Rite of Election was optional
for former Anglicans joining the ordinariate.
The Diocese of
Portsmouth experienced a record number of candidates and catechumens,
without even counting the 61 former Anglicans joining the ordinariate.
Speaking
at the Rite of Election, Bishop Crispian Hollis said: “This is my 23rd
celebration of the Rite of Election in this Cathedral and in the
diocese, and this year we are seeing the largest numbers I have known
coming forward for the final stage of the journey to the Easter
sacraments.”
During his homily he specially greeted those joining
the ordinariate, and added: “Wherever you are coming from and whatever
has been the character of your journey of faith, we are blessed by your
presence. You bring a huge variety and experience of Christian life and
your own personal journeys of faith to this celebration, to your
parishes and communities, to the diocese and to the Church. You all have
much to offer.”
Speaking about those joining the ordinariate,
Bishop Kieran Conry, who is in charge of the Bishops’ Department for
Evangelisation and Catechesis, said: “The witness of so many people
taking this life-changing step is so very encouraging. Each year people
freely choose to come forward from all walks of life, bringing with them
unique experiences and talents. The Catholic community welcomes them
with love and the assurance of prayer. If you’re considering taking a
similar step or are not sure yet, come and see. Give your local Catholic
church a ring or ask a Catholic friend for help.”
Peter Jennings,
spokesman for the Archdiocese of Birmingham, said there were
significantly more people coming forward for reception into the Church
this year than last year.
In the past the archdiocese has had one
ceremony for the Rite of Election but this year they had two, one on
Saturday and one on Sunday.
This included four ordinariate groups, two
coming forward for the Rite of Election on each day.