Initiation service welcomes new members

The Boston College community filled St. Ignatius Church to welcome 13 individuals as they embraced full membership in the Catholic Church. Undergraduates, graduates, and Douglas Otte, the fiance of a BC alumna, received the sacraments of initiation during last night's ceremony, presided over by Vice President for University Mission and Ministry Rev. Joseph Appleyard, S.J.

Graduate student Ryan Mattison, senior Philip Nguyen, and Christy Tran, A&S '11, received all three sacraments of baptism, first communion, and confirmation, while Gregory Bombard, BC Law '10, Laura Cavicchi, CSON '11, Loretta Jordan, A&S '08, Marlena Papavaritis, A&S '11, Noah Meissner, A&S '10, Olivia Amadon, A&S '10, Eric Bradley, A&S '08, Jason Marineau, A&S '12, and Otte, became full members of the church through the sacraments of communion and confirmation.

The evening was the culmination of the candidates' year-long preparation through the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) program in Campus Ministry. Candidates reflected, prayed, studied the Scriptures, and learned about the traditions and beliefs of the church during weekly meetings in anticipation of their entrance into the church community. Sister Mary Sweeney, who worked with the candidates all year, said that receiving the sacraments as adults offered the catechumens a unique approach and insight into their faith and experience of initiation.

"As young adults, they are learning and asking questions in a way that fourth-graders can't," Sweeney said. "There is a different kind of support for them."

Candidates come to the program from varying backgrounds of Catholic, Christian, and non-Christian faiths, or without any prior religious membership. Tran said that although she had attended a Lutheran school for two years, she had never identified herself with any specific faith. "I was pretty much lost spiritually. When I came to BC, I promised my uncle that I would get involved in the church. I went to a mass, and RCIA was there," Tran said.

"It took me a long time. The biggest thing is I kind of thought my way into the faith through philosophy, especially a class I took with Professor [Brian] Braman," Bradley said. "I found a lot of truth in the Catholic Church, so I'm thrilled." Both Bradley and Tran found the RCIA program to be extremely helpful in developing their own faith, especially through the relationships the candidates formed among themselves.

"It was a very comforting process. I really liked the meetings, and you get comfortable with the people in the group and grow with them. I just love them now," Tran said.

Bradley said that although he was impatient during the year of preparation as he waited to become a member of the church, hearing the other candidates' stories reinforced his own faith and helped him to appreciate the process."The wait was really important, because it made me want it a lot more," Bradley said. "This night is the culmination of all that."

Appleyard said that the night was an opportunity for members of the community to reflect on their own baptisms and reaffirm beliefs in their faith, particularly in light of the recent Easter celebrations. "The church community celebrates its own baptism," Appleyard said. "It's really a continuation of Easter."

Sweeney said it was also an invitation for students to re-examine their own faith and lives.

"It's a reminder to the students who have already been initiated that, look, these people are going really public and being brave about their new faith decision. I think that's really inspiring," Sweeney said.