Rite of Election/Call to Continuing Conversion

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 (pbirch@catholicdos.org) 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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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: pbirch@catholicdos.org       Fax: (715) 395-3149

TO:           Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults leaders or
                  Pastors, Parish Life Coordinators or Parish Directors
FROM:     Paul Birch
DATE:     January 14, 2021
RE:           Instructional memo for the 2021 Rite of Election/Call to Continuing Conversion

                  Sunday, February 21, 2021 - 3:00 p.m.
                  Cathedral of Christ the King
                  1111 Belknap Street, Superior, WI

                                   
Once again we are approaching the time for our diocesan celebration of the Rite of Election/Call to Continuing Conversion. This liturgy takes place 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 RCIA process as it ritually highlights the beginning stages 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. 

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 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. The pastoral leader or a member of the parish RCIA team may function this way, or a substitute may be delegated.


Changes in our 2021 liturgy due to COVID:

            No coffee or Cathedral tours ahead of time, nor reception afterward.

• Unfortunately, social distancing concerns dictate that coffee and Cathedral tours won’t be available before the liturgy this year, nor will the reception which usually follows the liturgy.

• The liturgy taking place in Superior will be livestreamed via the Cathedral parish Facebook page and will be 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 would need to have their parent or guardian fill out and sign the diocesan Youth Image and Recording Release Form for them to be incidentally included in the livestream/recording.  Parish RCIA leadership should obtain and retain this completed form (see below).

• Additionally, the 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 a requirement, but 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 guardian fill out and sign the diocesan Youth Image and Recording Release Form.  Parish RCIA leadership should obtain and retain this completed form (see below).

• Even if hazardous driving conditions develop and prevent normal attendance by some, as long as Bishop and the videographer are able to make it to the Cathedral that day, most likely the liturgy could still take place via the livestream.  (That way, if the weather or some other eventuality does not permit your attendance at the liturgy in Superior in person, you may still be able to avail yourself of it via the livestream/recording.)  The submission of the participants’ digital image mentioned above will enrich this virtual participation.

How do we find out ahead of time if the liturgy in Superior has been cancelled?
Call before you leave that morning.
Due to the seasonal tendency toward inclement weather, the diocese has established an after-hours call-in number which may be used to find out if events have been cancelled due to dangerous travel conditions.  Beginning at 6:00 a.m. on Sunday, February 21^st, prior to your departure, please dial 715-392-2937 and follow the prompts for “event cancellation” to confirm that the liturgy will take place as scheduled.


How do the names get on the lists that are called?
Whoever is in charge of the RCIA at the parish level is asked to complete the on-line Submission Form available on the diocesan website in this location: https://www.catholicdos.org/rite-of-election-call-to-continuing-conversion.  This provides us with the lists of names of the catechumens and candidates from individual parishes which will be called at the liturgy. All names submitted will be called at the liturgy in Superior due to the livestream component. Again, the presence of any adults in attendance at the liturgy in Superior will be considered permission to incidentally include their image in the livestream/recording. Any minors present who are participating in the liturgy in Superior would need to have their parent or guardian fill out and sign the diocesan Youth Image and Recording Release Form. Parish RCIA leadership should obtain and retain this completed form. https://d2y1pz2y630308.cloudfront.net/5291/documents/2020/8/70%20-%2071%20Image%20and%20Recording%20Release%20-%202%20pg%20for%20PDF.pdf

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. 

For catechumens not present in Superior.
Those catechumens not present at the liturgy in Superior should 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.


How are pictures of the catechumens and candidates submitted for inclusion in the livestream?
Instructions will be found on the diocesan website in this location: https://www.catholicdos.org/rite-of-election-call-to-continuing-conversion.  Again, 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 guardian fill out and sign the diocesan Youth Image and Recording Release Form.  Parish RCIA leadership should obtain and retain this completed form. https://d2y1pz2y630308.cloudfront.net/5291/documents/2020/8/70%20-%2071%20Image%20and%20Recording%20Release%20-%202%20pg%20for%20PDF.pdf

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 (pbirch@catholicdos.org) 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.

Additional helpful information requested by the online Submission Form
Requests for additional information may be submitted just once for each cluster or group in attendance. This additional info consists of: a head count of those projected to be present at the liturgy in Superior for social distancing planning purposes, 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 RCIA contact information current.

Questions
Please contact me at the chancery [Paul Birch – 715-394-0233 – pbirch@catholicdos.org ] and I’d be happy to answer any further questions you may have.

Ideally, your online submissions should reach the chancery no later than
                                                               Friday, February 12.  
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 Friday, February 12^th.

Location of online forms. 
Please use the links above, or you may: on the “Worship” drop-down menu at the top of the home page, select: RCIA-Becoming Catholic and then click on Rite of Election/Call to Conti... which appears below that and to the left.

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. This information will also be posted on the webpage above, in early February just in case you may be interested in looking it over ahead of time.