Catholic Church prepares for tens of thousands of U.S. converts

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Washington D.C., Apr 1, 2009 / 04:09 am (CNA).- Tens of thousands of new Catholics are expected to join the Catholic Church in the U.S. in 2009, with many doing so at the Easter Vigil liturgies on April 11.Converts to Catholicism are known as catechumens if they have never been baptized and as candidates if they have received baptism in another Christian community and now seek full communion with the Catholic Church.

The Archdiocese of Atlanta, where Catholics have traditionally been a minority, estimates that 513 catechumens and 2,195 candidates will enter the Catholic Church in 2009, about 1,800 doing so at Easter. The figures do not include infant baptisms.

Father Theodore Book, director of the Office of Divine Worship for the Atlanta Archdiocese, said the archdiocese has been “blessed with an authentic dynamism” during recent years. He cited the archdiocese’s annual Eucharistic Congress, saying it draws nearly 30,000 participants.

“One of the many blessings that we have received from the Lord is the large number of individuals entering the Church,” he said.

The Archdiocese of Seattle will reportedly welcome 736 catechumens and 506 candidates, while the Diocese of San Diego will baptize 305 and receive into communion 920 other baptized Christians.

The mostly rural Diocese of Birmingham, Alabama reportedly will have 445 new converts. The diocese’s Cathedral of St. Paul could not hold them and their families for the Rite of Election, which had to be held in three separate ceremonies.

At St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City, California resident Heidi Sierras will represent North America at the Easter Vigil, where she will be baptized by Pope Benedict XVI.

The 2008 Official Catholic Directory listed 49,415 adult baptisms and 87,363 people received into full communion in 2007.

Comments: 30

Subscriber comments:

Published by: Catholic
C 04/03/2009 03:22 PM EST

"To him therefore who knows to do good and does it not, to him it is sin." (James 4:17) refers to you, editors, since you could post the comment about The Bride of Christ but didn't post it.

Thus you shall be responsible before God for all the blasphemies of Christ which shall follow from ignorance regarding that truth which ignorance could be removed by the truth of that post.

Published by: David F Prescott
Krebs 04/03/2009 07:04 AM EST

Welcome to the Mother Church, your are needed and wanted. I ask and encourage all who are lapsed from the Church to come home we love and miss you, and yes you are needed and wanted and missed. I do something for the betterment of the Catholic religion everyday weather reading scripture cleaning the buildings or promoting our faith. Evangelize

Published by: Catholic
C 04/02/2009 05:30 PM EST

awr, there is only one Church, The Catholic Church, The Bride of Christ.

If there had ever been more Churches then Jesus Christ would have had more Brides at the same time.

So, the truth can only be that only people who belong to The Catholic Church are Christians.

Thus, if genuine, these are conversions and converts to Christianity i.e. Catholicism.

Published by: Marie Gamache
Winnipeg,MB. Canada 04/02/2009 03:38 PM EST

What a wonderful thing to hear. Lets all unit in pray and thank the Lord. O Mighty King our Savier and our all.

excellent

Published by: James
Pennsylvania 04/02/2009 11:58 AM EST

It is wonderful that catechumens are joining the Church. They should be an inspiration to the lapsed members. They commitment is laudatory.

Published by: Joseph
lanesboro, Ma. u.s.a. 04/02/2009 07:23 AM EST

I think this is great welcome home to all. But why all the church closings ,if there are that many CONVERTS WE SHOULD PROB. KEEP THE CHURCHES WE HAVE ...OPEN IN STEAD OF HAVING TO BUILD MORE???????????

Published by: Joseph Grech-Attard
Malta 04/02/2009 04:03 AM EST

This is extremely good news, although not Good News! I wonder how many are LEAVING the Roman Catholic Church (in the USA)! Followers of Christ are Christians - then yes there are many of us, even anonymous ones!

Published by: JosephineYu
Hawaii, USA 04/02/2009 01:39 AM EST

Always in God's time. The victory belong to God. He is ever victorious!
Praise God for bringing them into His Universal Embrace !

Published by: Margaret
SOUTH AFRICA 04/02/2009 12:38 AM EST

DEO GRATIAS

Published by: Chris
Louisville, KY, US 04/01/2009 09:39 PM EST

To Dan. I am a Bishop Sheen, Scott Hahn convert as well. Today's Christianity is simply whatever you think scripture means. The concern of reading scripture concerned me so greatly, God granted the grace of full truth that it is only to be read in full by the Church established by Christ. I was taught to be a strong opponent against the Roman Catholic Church. Praise be to God to allow me entrance in to faith.

Published by: Francis Thong
Singapore 04/01/2009 09:19 PM EST

Love the Lord Jesus,be a Catholic and you find peace and happiness.Pray for those newly Catholics
welcome home my Brothers and Sisters.
Yours truly
Francis Thong

Published by: awr
Collegeville 04/01/2009 09:15 PM EST

Please note, whoever writes your headlines and articles: The US Catholic bishops in the National Statutes for the Catechumenate teach that baptised Christians joining the Roman Catholic church are not to be called "converts" because they are already Christian and their becoming Catholic is not a "conversion."

Published by: Anita
Florida,USA 04/01/2009 09:14 PM EST

All this is happening, not by human intervention, but by God's.

Published by: Jarrad
Monroe, LA, USA 04/01/2009 09:09 PM EST

I was reconciled with Holy Mother Church through RCIA last Nov. I am a former Baptist and a young husband and father of three. Church authority is driving many like me to the Catholic Church. When it became clear that Jesus, the Incarnate Word, founded only on Church on his Holy Apostle Peter, how could I do anything but join Christ's Church. The Catholic Church has made a tremendous difference in my life in so many ways. Thank God I wised up and dropped my protest!

Published by: Nancy
Parkland, FL, USA 04/01/2009 07:31 PM EST

When Pope Benedict addressed the crowd in Vatican City right after he was elected he said: "The Church is alive becaue Christ is alive". I converted to the Catholic Church because of a religious experience. I was reading the biography of Saint Teresa of Avila one day and was shocked when she said "I would rather die a thousand deaths than ever break a rule of the Church." I thought this was the stupidest thing anyone had ever said and I looked up and said "How can she say this? There are so many stupid rules of the Church". In my mind these stupid rules were no birth control, no married priests and no women priests. A short time later I had this profound experience where God pointed my eyes to a picture of John Paul II on the cover of an old Time magazine and said "He's telling you the Truth". I took the necessary steps to change my life to become a practicing Catholic afterward which resulted in the birth of my fourth child we named "Teresa". She is a joy in our lives we would not have were it not for this beautiful experience.

Published by: Br. Joseph
Philippines 04/01/2009 06:54 PM EST

To God be the glory! This is the work of the Holy Spirit. God bless the Church!

Published by: CLAUDIO YACAMAN
TEGUCIGALPA,HONDURAS 04/01/2009 06:21 PM EST

I READ A NOVEL ONE TIME THT SAD RUN BABY RUN VERY INSPIRING IT IS TO SAY THE RCC HAS RECEIVED 1,000S OF CONVERTS BUT THAT IS A PROCESS WERE THEY CAN WALK OUT ON YOU IF THEY DONT LOVE MARRY MARRIE IS THE TRUE PILAR OF THE RCC JESUS IS THE MESIAH ASK A CATHOLIC IF THEY NO MARRIE THEY WILL TELL YOU I LOVE MY HOLY MOTHER CHRISTS NEVER TOLD ME THAT THETRUE CHURCH WAS THE RCC I HAD TO FIGURE THAT OUT ON MY OWN TERMS BUT I AM TELLING YOU CHRISTS DOES NOT MAKE IT HAPPEN IS SORT OF LIKE THE RCC SEAL COMES IN SEVERAL PARTS LIKE DOU ARE PETER ONLY CATHOLICS HAVE THAT SEAL ST.MARRIES LOVE ONLY THE RCC TALKING WITH THE PEOPLE FROM HEAVEN ONLY THE RCC TALKING WITH THE ANGELS ONLY THE RCC TALKING WITH ALL THE VIRGINS ONLY RCC SO IF THESE CONVERTS DONT HAVE THESE THEY WONT LASTS .

Published by: Father Leo Petit, M.S.C.
Center Valley, PA--USA 04/01/2009 06:01 PM EST

I felt my own faith as a Catholic Christian affirmed by all who gave the "credit" to God, Father, Son, Holy Spirit especially Michael--"laudetur Jesus Christus."
The Catholic language I grew up with.

Published by: Mariam
canada 04/01/2009 04:28 PM EST

Also, another comment - The states in which the "Catholics come home' commercial has been shown on TV, has had almost 82,000 catholics return to church and the faith. Like I said, we do the evangelizing, and God does the rest.

Published by: Mariam
canada 04/01/2009 04:25 PM EST

The joyful news - Catholic and secular news reports say over 6 MILLION MUSLIMS have converted to Catholicism in the past 5 years. The sad news - over 100,000 Catholics have joined other Christians and non-christian systems. For a while many did not think of working conversions, but each and every Catholic needs to be doing this - bringing more complete knowledge of our faith and it's truths to others and God will do the rest.

Published by: veronika
OntarioCA 04/01/2009 03:35 PM EST

So true, Dan. I love and see the beauty of our Catholic Church, there is nothing that the world can offer in comparison..those who dispise it are usually outsiders, to them God does not reveal the truth because they do not seek it..

Published by: Catholic
C 04/01/2009 03:27 PM EST

Great news if all or almost all of these conversions are genuine. Because unfortunately it has already happened that some people faked their conversion. To work more easily and more successfully on destruction of The Church, of course.

Published by: Brad Farr
Littleton, CO 80120 04/01/2009 12:59 PM EST

This is wonderful! What is the cause of this?

Published by: antonella
Harmeze, Poland 04/01/2009 12:28 PM EST

This is a wonderful news!!! Let us pray for our growing Catholic Family!A joyful Easter to all!

Published by: Susan
Amarillo, TX 04/01/2009 12:26 PM EST

Protestants tell me so many times that the Catholic church is dying, why would I ever convert. Guess again! It isn't just me. I am so thrilled for all the new Converts! Welcome Home!

Published by: Lois Harris
DeLand, FL, USA 04/01/2009 12:15 PM EST

Are there any stats available concerning the large number of people entering the Roman Catholic Church that would provide data that would reveal from where they are converting? e.g. number of prior Baptists, Episcopalians, Islam, No faith, etc.

Published by: gerry boos
branchville,nj,usa 04/01/2009 12:01 PM EST

I am so happy that so many have responded to the Holy Spirit's call with the gift of Faith. The gift of Faith has been the most precious gift that God has given me...God bless them all! Mrs. Boos

Published by: Michael
Willow Grove, Pa. 04/01/2009 11:48 AM EST

Laudetur Jesus Christus!!!

Published by: JAVIER
CV 04/01/2009 10:45 AM EST

Happy April Fools' Day!

What about the “Tens of thousands of new” former “Catholics ” that now has been apostatized?

Published by: Dan
Santa Fe/NM/US 04/01/2009 07:04 AM EST

What was the saying-- I think attributed to Bishop Fulton Sheen? 'There are many who think they know The Catholic Church and despise it, but there are none that actually know the Church who don't love it'---or something to that effect. It is those who are educated about the Catholic Church's teachings as the deposit of faith that are joining, and that is a very good thing. Scott Hahn, Marcus Grodie and others like them--ex-pastors who studied the Bible with an open heart finding Catholic Sacremental Truth all throughout. These converts will eventually replace those marginally 'in' The Church now that try to compromise Truth and human rights for secular society acceptance or even prestige. As Pope JPII said The Church will be smaller in number, but more filled with Christ's mission and mindset. Again I paraphrase.

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