The Day I Became Catholic
I have always treasured the celebration of the Easter Liturgy. The celebration of the Paschal Mystery of Jesus’ dying and rising is central to our worship.
Holy Saturday of 1942 was the day when I was conditionally baptized into the Catholic Church. I had been baptized as an infant in St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church on Edenton Street here in Raleigh. In those days the Holy Saturday liturgy was celebrated in the morning. As it is with the most important events in one’s life, I can remember the details with surprising clarity. I remember being prepared for the event by Sister Marinus, I.H.M. Father Jerome Tierny, O.P., was the celebrant.
This might be the reason that I have always loved the Holy Saturday Liturgy. For me one of the great things the 2nd Vatican Council did was to renew this ritual and to restore the celebration to the night of Holy Saturday.
The lighting of the fire, the entry into the darkened church with just candles giving light, the proclamation of the Scripture, the chanting of the Exsultet, the Baptism and Confirmation and First Communion -- I find these to be soul- stirring.
This is a time of new birth in the Church. The old Paschal celebration of our Jewish ancestors in faith gives way to a new Passover celebration for us Christians. Thus we enter into a new covenant with God. The paschal lamb now is unleavened bread. We are now commanded: “Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His Blood, you have no life in you.”
Thus we celebrate God’s great love for us. Thus we treasure the new Passover given us by Jesus and the ritual for this given us by the Church.
Msgr. Thomas P. Hadden