The Rite of Election will be celebrated on the First Sunday of Lent, February 26, 2023 at the Cathedral of St. Jude the Apostle in St. Petersburg at 3:00 PM.   

During the Rite of Election, Bishop Gregory Parkes:

• Will acknowledge God’s gracious call and the catechumens faithful response to seek Christ in His Church.
• Will declare the catechumens to be members of the “elect” who will be fully initiated and receive the three sacraments of initiation (Baptism, Confirmation & Eucharist) at the 2023 Easter Vigil.
• And it will mark the beginning of their final period of intense, spiritual preparation during the season of Lent, known to them as the Period of Purification & Enlightenment.

A mailing was sent out the week of December 19, 2022 to all pastors and RCIA directors to assist them with their preparations for this year’s Rite of Election. Included were:

• Invitation Letter (bilingual version)
• Rite of Election Information Sheet (bilingual version)
• Seating Registration Form  (fillable WORD doc.)  – This fillable form can be downloaded and saved; then the RCIA director may type in the pertinent information and return it electronically to the Office of Worship.
• Seating Registration Form (PDF version)

The deadline for returning the Seating Reservation Form to the Office of Worship is Thursday, January 26, 2023.