Rite of Election/Call to Continuing Conversion
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Contact Us
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pbirchcatholicdos.orgDirector Office of Worship
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Youth Image Submission
What if a parent or guardian does not consent to the use of their child’s image and likeness?
IMAGE/LIKENESS CLAUSE: There are occasions when representatives of the Diocese of Superior and/or the media photograph, record youth while in school or attending/participating in diocesan sponsored functions. For the 2021 Rite of Election/Call to Continuing Conversion, if a parent/guardian does not consent to the use of their child's image and likeness, parish RCIA leadership should notify the Office of Worship in writing ([email protected]) prior to this diocesan sponsored function. These records should be maintained at the parish. It will be up to the parish representative(s) to avoid potential recording or photographing of restricted persons. Thank you in advance for your cooperation.
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Scroll down for Assembly Worship Booklet excerpt and the Online Submission Form
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Instructional Memo:
C A T H O L I C
D I O C E S E O F S U P E R I O R
O f f i c e o f W o r s h i p
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1201 HUGHITT AVENUE P.O. BOX 969 SUPERIOR, WISCONSIN 54880
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Phone: (715) 394-0233 e-mail: [email protected] Fax: (715) 395-3149TO: Parish Order [formerly Rite] of Christian Initiation of Adults leaders or
Pastors, Priests, Parish Life Coordinators or Parish Directors
FROM: Paul Birch
DATE: January 23, 2025
RE: Instructional memo for the 2025 Rite of Election / Call to Continuing Conversion
The First Sunday of Lent
Sunday, March 9, 2025
3:00 p.m.Cathedral of Christ the King
1111 Belknap Street, Superior, WIWe are once again approaching our diocesan celebration of the Rite of Election/Call to Continuing Conversion. This liturgy, which is not a celebration of Mass, takes place each year on the First Sunday of Lent at the Cathedral of Christ the King in Superior. It is an important event for those in the parish OCIA [formerly RCIA] process as it ritually highlights the progress of their journey toward baptism and/or full initiation/communion. Through Bishop’s presence as celebrant, it also shows how these individuals are linked beyond their local parish to the Universal Church, manifested by our particular Church of the Diocese of Superior.
Because the liturgy will be livestreamed, submission of a diocesan Youth Image and Recording Release Form is required for minors who are participating.
Both catechumens and candidates and their godparents/sponsors should attend.
This liturgy is especially important for our catechumens (the unbaptized) because it is the formal beginning of their time of intense preparation for the sacraments of initiation. Through the testimony of their godparents, they are found worthy for “election” (which is founded on their election by God, in whose name the Church acts.) As a pledge of fidelity they inscribe their names in our diocesan Book of the Elect. (Afterwards they are then referred to as our “elect.”)
Attendance at this liturgy is also important for our candidates (those who have been baptized) because it is here that their sponsors and the community at large attest to their readiness for either the completion of their initiation sacraments and/or for their reception into the Church. Bishop Powers formally recognizes their desire to be more fully one with the Church and prays for them and for their journey of faith.
Should Priests, Parish Life Coordinators and Parish Directors attend?
Because the liturgy includes calling the names of the catechumens (first) and the candidates (second), someone from the parish ideally needs to be there to take the pre-printed lists in hand (located at the main entrances of the cathedral) and call the names at the appropriate times during the liturgy. The pastoral leader or a member of the parish OCIA [RCIA] team may function this way, or a substitute may be delegated.
- The liturgy taking place in Superior will be livestreamed via the Cathedral parish Facebook page and will posted there in recorded form afterward. The presence of any adults in attendance at the liturgy in Superior will be considered permission to incidentally include them in the livestream/recording. Any minors present who are participating in the liturgy in Superior need to have their parent or legal guardian fill out and sign the diocesan Youth Image and Recording Release Form for their incidental inclusion in the livestream/recording. Parish OCIA [RCIA] leadership should provide a hard copy of this form to the parent or legal guardian of minors who will be in attendance, collect the completed forms from them prior to the liturgy and then retain the hard copies of the completed forms at the parish. (See below for link to form.)
Besides the usual submission of names of participants, there is also the option for submission of digital images of catechumens and candidates who are planning on attending. As above, submission of a diocersan Youth Image and Recording Release Form is required for images submitted of minors.- The optional submission of digital images of the catechumens and candidates participating in the rite along with their names will allow the images to be included in the livestream/recording. This is not in any way a requirement, but only a suggestion which may enrich the experience of those viewing the livestream/recording. The submission of the image of any adult will be considered permission for its inclusion, while those of minors would need to have their parent or legal guardian fill out and sign the diocesan Youth Image and Recording Release Form. As above, parish OCIA [RCIA] leadership should provide a hard copy of this form to the parent or legal guardian of minors who will be in attendance, collect the completed forms from them prior to the liturgy and then retain the hard copies of the completed forms at the parish. (See below for link to form.)
How are pictures of the catechumens and candidates submitted for inclusion in the livestream?
Instructions are found in the Online Submission Form below. Please scroll-down to access this form.
What if a parent or guardian does not consent to the use of their child’s image and likeness?
If a parent/guardian does not consent to the use of their child's image and
likeness, parish RCIA [OCIA] leadership should compose a hand written notice of the denial of consent and retain it at the parish along with the completed consent forms. It will be up to the parish representative(s) present at the liturgy to ensure the avoidance of potential recording or photographing of these restricted persons.
If hazardous weather prevents your trip to Superior that afternoon, the livestream still may be available—unless the liturgy is completely canceled.- If hazardous driving conditions develop and prevent in-person attendance by some—depending on overall road conditions in the diocese—the liturgy could possibly take place in a reduced way with those who are safely able to be present. It would then be available for remote viewing via the livestream/recording. (The submission of the participants’ digital image mentioned above would then serve enrich this virtual participation.)
How do we find out ahead of time if the liturgy in Superior has been cancelled due to poor road conditions?
View the “News” section of our diocesan website’s homepage before you leave that morning.
Unfortunately, poor weather conditions across the diocese may warrant cancellation of the event in its entirety. Beginning at 6:00 a.m. on Sunday, March 9th, prior to your departure for Superior, view the “News” section located on our diocesan website’s homepage:
https://catholicdos.org/
Any cancelation information will be included there.
How do the names get on the lists that are called?
Whoever is in charge of the OCIA [RCIA] at the parish level is asked to complete the Online Submission Form found here below. (Please scroll-down to access this form.)
Please submit the names by individual parish groups.
Because the names are called by individual parish groups (and not by cluster) we ask that you submit the names in individual parish groups. Refresh the online form between parish submissions.
Online submissions should reach the chancery no later than Monday, March 3, 2025.
For catering purposes and because the names that get called out are also printed on a sheet that is inserted into the worship booklet as a keepsake, we ask that the Submission Forms containing them and all other necessary information submitted to the chancery no later than Monday, March 3.
Additional helpful information requested by the Online Submission Form
Requests for additional information only need to submitted once for each cluster or group in attendance. This additional info is helpful for planning purposes and consists of: a head count of those projected to be present at the liturgy in Superior, the name and contact info of a reader from your parish who will be attendance and who would be able to function in that way during the liturgy, and requests for additional information aimed at helping us keep our parish OCIA [RCIA] contact information current.
Components of the liturgy – ritual movement.
Because this is a “combined” liturgy (the Rite of Election for the unbaptized combined with the Call to continuing Conversion for the baptized) there are shared but also separate parts. Details about specific ritual movement as well as other instructions are contained in the worship booklet which is available at the liturgy. A draft version of this information is available below as well, in case it would be helpful for you to review it ahead of time and perhaps share it with those planning on being in attendance.
For catechumens who end up not being able to be present in Superior.
Optionally, those catechumens not present at the liturgy in Superior could sign a parish version of our diocesan Book of the Elect at their convenience. (Hard copies of these signatures could then later be mailed to the chancery for inclusion in the diocesan book if so desired.)
Questions
Please contact me at the chancery [Paul Birch – 715-394-0233 – [email protected] ] and I would be happy to try to answer any further questions you may have.
2025 ASSEMBLY WORSHIP BOOKLET RITUAL MOVEMENT AND SPOKEN RESPONSE EXCERPT