At an empty Easter Vigil, a word of hope for RCIA catechumens
Across two Sundays in early March, RCIA candidates and catechumens stood shoulder to shoulder in the sanctuary of the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels during the Rites of Election and Calling.
Godparents and sponsors prayed alongside them as they continued their walk with God through the repentant days of Lent into Easter, not yet fully aware of an invisible enemy that would change the trajectory of their journey during the holy season.
The threat of the coronavirus (COVID-19) still felt somewhat elusive in the U.S. at the time, but in a matter of weeks the world went dark. Stay-at-home orders were issued, while churches, schools, and businesses closed after the World Health Organization declared the global outbreak a pandemic. All baptisms and confirmations have been delayed until further notice.