- Feb 5, 2002
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The reality of Jesus Christ and the Eucharist, the witness of saints, the study of Scripture and Church history, and the love of truth are common themes for those who entered the Catholic Church as adults.
Dioceses across the nation are preparing for the Easter Vigil and the welcoming of catechumens (those not yet baptized) and candidates (baptized and preparing to receive Confirmation and First Holy Communion). Some dioceses are preparing to receive large groups of new converts. The Diocese of Venice in Florida, for example, will welcome its largest-ever group of 216 catechumens and 351 candidates for a total of 567 new Catholics. The Diocese of Rochester, New York reported 160 new coverts, the Archdiocese of St. Louis 452 and the Archdiocese of Newark, New Jersey is preparing to receive nearly a thousand.
CWR spoke with some of these new converts in different dioceses around the country, asking them to summarize their conversion experiences, and also spoke with some converts who converted in years past who are now working in significant ways to share the Catholic faith.
Entering the Church this Easter vigil
Aila Popritkin, a sophomore at Miami Dade College in Miami, is preparing to be received into the Church at Easter Vigil. She is from Argentina, having emigrated from Argentina to the U.S. in 2019. She plans to be a nurse.
Both her parents are architects, although her mother stayed home for many years to care for her and her two siblings. Her father is Jewish and her mother was a nominal Catholic who rarely attended Mass. Although they celebrated both Christian and Jewish holidays, Alia was not baptized and had previously considered herself Jewish.
Aila’s conversion was sparked by the positive influence of Catholic friends she met in Florida. She attends St. Augustine Church and the Catholic Student Center at the University of Miami, and regularly participates in a FOCUS missionary Bible study. She said, “I’ve had many great conversations with Fr. Leo, our priest, and the other Catholics I’ve met. You really see the light of Christ in them.”
Her mother has been positively influenced by Aila’s conversion, and has returned to Mass with her. Aila has had many friendly debates with her Jewish father, and while he does not agree with her new-found faith “he’s happy that I’m happy.”
Continued below.
www.catholicworldreport.com
Dioceses across the nation are preparing for the Easter Vigil and the welcoming of catechumens (those not yet baptized) and candidates (baptized and preparing to receive Confirmation and First Holy Communion). Some dioceses are preparing to receive large groups of new converts. The Diocese of Venice in Florida, for example, will welcome its largest-ever group of 216 catechumens and 351 candidates for a total of 567 new Catholics. The Diocese of Rochester, New York reported 160 new coverts, the Archdiocese of St. Louis 452 and the Archdiocese of Newark, New Jersey is preparing to receive nearly a thousand.
CWR spoke with some of these new converts in different dioceses around the country, asking them to summarize their conversion experiences, and also spoke with some converts who converted in years past who are now working in significant ways to share the Catholic faith.
Entering the Church this Easter vigil
Aila Popritkin, a sophomore at Miami Dade College in Miami, is preparing to be received into the Church at Easter Vigil. She is from Argentina, having emigrated from Argentina to the U.S. in 2019. She plans to be a nurse.
Both her parents are architects, although her mother stayed home for many years to care for her and her two siblings. Her father is Jewish and her mother was a nominal Catholic who rarely attended Mass. Although they celebrated both Christian and Jewish holidays, Alia was not baptized and had previously considered herself Jewish.
Aila’s conversion was sparked by the positive influence of Catholic friends she met in Florida. She attends St. Augustine Church and the Catholic Student Center at the University of Miami, and regularly participates in a FOCUS missionary Bible study. She said, “I’ve had many great conversations with Fr. Leo, our priest, and the other Catholics I’ve met. You really see the light of Christ in them.”
Her mother has been positively influenced by Aila’s conversion, and has returned to Mass with her. Aila has had many friendly debates with her Jewish father, and while he does not agree with her new-found faith “he’s happy that I’m happy.”
Continued below.
Becoming Catholic: Conversations with seven converts
www.catholicworldreport.com
