“Welcome to draft day,” Bishop Tylka greets catechumens and candidates
As the catechumens and candidates gather in the sanctuary during the Rite of Election at St. Mary’s Cathedral on Feb. 17, Bishop Louis Tylka, on behalf of the Church, “recognizes your desire to be sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit and to have a place at Christ’s Eucharistic table.” The Catholic Post/ Paul Thomas Moore
By Paul Thomas Moore
“Welcome to draft day,” Bishop Louis Tylka said to the catechumens and candidates gathered for their Rite of Election and Call to Continuing Conversion at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Peoria on Feb. 17 and 18.
During the Rite of Election, these who are preparing to be received into the church at Easter Vigil are called forth by name, and are individually welcomed by Bishop Tylka.
Come Easter, the catechumens will be baptized and receive the fullness of the sacraments of Eucharist and confirmation. The candidates are already baptized Christians and will receive the sacraments of Eucharist and confirmation.
In his address to the catechumens and candidates and their respective godparents and sponsors, Bishop Tylka contrasted being called forth as one of God’s elect with the way professional athletes’ names are called at player entry drafts.
He cited the differing experiences of hockey player Connor Bedard and football player Brock Purdy. Bedard, one of the most highly-hyped hockey players of his generation, had his name called first in the 2023 NHL entry draft by the Chicago Blackhawks, and is the odds-on favorite to win NHL rookie-of-the-year honors.
Bishop Tylka addressed the catechumens and candidates and their respective godparents and sponsors, contrasting being called forth as one of God’s elect with how professional athletes have their names called at player entry drafts. The Catholic Post/ Paul Thomas Moore
Different kind of relevance
Purdy, though he had a stellar college career, didn’t hear his name called until number 262—dead last—in the 2022 NFL draft by the San Francisco 49ers. Each year, the holder of the final NFL draft spot is ingloriously referred to as “Mr. Irrelevant.”
Nonetheless, Purdy quickly rose through the ranks from third-string quarterback to starter, had the highest regular season quarterback rating in the NFL in 2023, and took his team to the Super Bowl in February, narrowly losing 25–22 in overtime to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Even though Bishop Tylka is a Black Hawks fan and was there in person the first time Connor Bedard stepped on the ice in Chicago, he conveyed that in the context of the Rite of Election as well as in the broader Christian sense, whether your name is called first or last doesn’t matter. “God has chosen you . . . . You are not irrelevant.’”
Bishop Tylka added that the Rite of Election serves as a reminder of what’s truly important not just for the elected, but for all of us:
“We have to recognize how we too are on that path of conversion . . . We too have the responsibility to help each other in our journey of faith.”
A total of 378 catechumens and candidates — the largest “entry draft” in the Diocese of Peoria since 2017 — were scheduled to have their names called at St. Mary’s Cathedral over Rite of Election weekend.
