Homily given by Bishop Anthony Randazzo
Bishop of Broken Bay
Rite of Election of the Catechumens 2025
9 March 2025
My sisters and brothers in Christ, beloved catechumens, sponsors, and all gathered here in our Cathedral Church today. This is a day of great joy and great hope, not just for those of you who are preparing to enter the waters of Baptism but for all of us in the Church.
The Rite of Election marks a significant moment in your journey of faith, a moment where, in the presence of the whole Church, you are formally elected to move forward in your pilgrimage of hope.
In our reading from the Letter to the Romans, Saint Paul reminds us today that “The word, that is the faith we proclaim, is very near to you, it is on your lips and in your heart” (Romans 10:8). It is the word of faith, which has been proclaimed to us, and which, as you have heard, has stirred your hearts to take this first step in the Christian journey. You have listened to the call of the Lord; you have heard the message of salvation, and now you respond with joy and hope.
Saint John Paul II, in his deep love for the Church, often reminded us that moments like these are not just individual milestones but moments of the entire Church being drawn together.
He said, “This is a day of joy and hope for all of us in the Church. We are eager to help you grow in the Christian faith... Together with you we look forward to the day of your Baptism, Confirmation, and First Communion, the day when you will be received into full communion with the Catholic Church.” (cf. John Paul II, Brisbane, 25 Nov 1986)
Today, dear catechumens, we look with eager hearts to the day when you will be fully initiated into the Church through the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist. But let us also remember that the journey does not end at the Easter Vigil. No, it is just the beginning of a new way of life. A life where, having been nourished by the Word of God, you will go forth as disciples of Jesus Christ, living out your baptismal call in the world.
This is a journey into hope, and it is a pilgrimage that continues throughout your life. Hope is not something distant or abstract; it is alive in you. It is the living hope of the Resurrection, which you will experience most powerfully at Easter.
As you enter the waters of Baptism, as you are sealed with the Holy Spirit in Confirmation, and as you are nourished with the Bread of Life in the Eucharist, you will encounter the living Christ, and His resurrection will be the foundation of your own hope.
The Holy Year we are journeying through invites all of us to reflect on the theme of hope, especially as we accompany you on your journey. You are not alone in this pilgrimage. The whole Church walks with you, your sponsors, the parish community, and the broader diocesan family. As we walk together, we will help you grow in prayer, in charity, in trust in God, and in a deeper relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ, while at the same time you will encourage each of us.
You are already, in a very real way, members of the household of God. You have a right to be nourished by the Word of God and to take part in the special liturgical rites that bring us together as the People of God. But, as you move closer to your full initiation, we ask you to remember that this is not a journey that stops at Easter. Rather, it continues throughout your life, each day a step deeper into the communion of Jesus Christ.
Through Baptism, Confirmation, and the Eucharist, you are being initiated into Christian life. But that life is not simply to be lived in the quiet of our hearts.
As disciples of Jesus, you will be called to participate in His mission. The end goal of our mission as the community of the Church is to accompany all people into communion with the Blessed Trinity, to share with all the world the Good News of salvation. That is what we are all called, to bring others into the communion of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit for eternal life.
So, as you journey forward into this Pilgrimage of Hope, remember that it does not end at the Easter Vigil. The Resurrection gives us hope, but that hope must be lived out in the world. You are called to be agents of hope, hope in a world that needs the Good News of Jesus Christ. As disciples, you are entrusted with the mission of bringing others into the fold, to welcome them into the hope of the Gospel, in the same way that you have been welcomed.
Our hope is not simply for the future but is something we live out in the present. Each day of your life as a baptized Christian will be an opportunity to live in the hope of the Resurrection, to be a sign of hope for the world. And as you walk this road, we, your Church, will continue to support you in prayer, in teaching, in fellowship, and in love.
Remember that the Church is with you. Your sponsors have an important role to play, guiding you and walking with you, but know that the entire Church accompanies you. We are here to help you grow in holiness, to trust in God even in moments of trial, and to continue to draw closer to our Lord and to His Blessed Mother, Mary, who is our Mother, too.
My dear catechumens, as you take this important step today, know that you are not merely moving toward a future of sacraments, but that your journey has already begun.
May you continue to walk with great hope, knowing that you are being drawn closer each day to the love of God, which is revealed in the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Let us continue to pray for one another, especially for you, our catechumens, that the grace of God may be with you every step of the way as you prepare to receive the sacraments of initiation, and that your pilgrimage into hope may lead you to eternal life.
May God bless you all and may Mary, Star of the Sea, guide you always to Jesus Christ her son and Our Lord. Amen.