AMERICA/UNITED STATES - Thousands of catechumens will be received into the Catholic Church at Easter

Tuesday, 22 March 2016 evangelization   episcopal conferences   local churches  

Washington (Agenzia Fides) - "Thousands of people across the United States will be welcomed into the Catholic Church on Easter Vigil, March 26. Among them, many dioceses around the country are welcoming entire families who, inspired by each other, want to receive the sacraments", says the statement of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops sent to Fides.
The Archdiocese of Baltimore will welcome 292 catechumens (who will be baptized) and 516 candidates (who will receive confirmation and first Communion), among them, a 14-year-old parishioner who found her Catholic faith while battling cancer. An entire family of five will join 419 catechumens and 581 candidates who will be receiving the sacraments in the Archdiocese of Detroit.
About 80 of the nearly 200 dioceses in the United States reported numbers for 2016 to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The Archdiocese of New York will welcome about 497 catechumens and 1,116 candidates while the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, the largest diocese in the United States, will welcome 1,638 new Catholics.
Other Archdioceses report numbers as follows: Cincinnati: 880 candidates and catechumens; Philadelphia: 245 catechumens, 345 candidates; Boston: 235 candidates, 321 catechumens; Santa Fe, New Mexico: 268 catechumens, 287 candidates; Louisville, Kentucky: 250 candidates, 214 catechumens; New Orleans: 174 catechumens, 217 candidates; Omaha, Nebraska: 133 catechumens, 275 candidates; Hartford: 116 catechumens, 268 candidates; San Francisco will initiate 400; Washington: 1,375 catechumens and candidates; Newark: 1090 catechumens and candidates.
The complete list can also be found on the website of the CCB: http://www.usccb.org/news/16-032.cfm (CE) (Agenzia Fides, 22/03/2016)


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