The day of Easter Vigil was packed full of emotion, from beginning to end… Impossible to capture every moment of significance. We began with our final RCIA retreat, and it was designed to prepare us for going to our first reconciliation. The team members did an incredible job of expressing the great benefit and deep joy that comes through confession. Was it hard? Yes, in a way … actually the anticipation was harder than actually confessing. But afterwards, the sense of lightness and freedom and joy was overwhelming. After we had lunch, we spent a final hour going over a few details about the evening ceremonies once more, and really finished off our time together with a wonderful sense of the family we have become, and anticipation of the family we would be joining that evening.
We then were able to go home and relax for a couple of hours before getting spruced up and coming back at 6pm to prepare for the 7:30 service. Here are a few pics from the gym while we waited.
- Lisa, in her gorgeous gold veil
- My lovely sponsor, Lynn
- Megan, in her pretty ivory veil
- Mother, in her delicate black veil
- Laurent, in her elegant white veil
- Paul, in his… wait a minute! That goofball…
- Look out, Rome — here come the Heidmanns!
- Nettie and sponsor, Lynn
- Laurent and Megan with their Sponsor, Pat
- Paul with his extremely long-suffering sponsor, Jeff
- Laurent and our friend and RCIA team member, Carol – they matched!
- Mother and her sponsor, Angela
- Sisters
- Friend Joe, from class, and his beautiful wife, who was also his sponsor.
Finally it was time to line up and go in for the service. Our family was all able to be seated, with our sponsors, in the very first row, so we had a fantastic view of all the proceedings. The only downside (if you could call it that) was that we were first-up when it was time for both confirmation and the Eucharist, and that didn’t give us much time to mentally prepare to make sure we did everything exactly right. A little nerve-wracking, but we all got through and nobody fell flat on their face. :-) And I really wouldn’t have wanted to be anywhere else. Since I sing in the choir, this was probably one of my only opportunities to actually sit with my family during a service and participate and observe all that happens.
Here are pics from the Service of Light, the Bishop’s fantastic homily, the Baptisms and the Confirmations.
- The Service of Light began in total darkness, until the Holy Flame was lit, and then the Paschal Candle was lit from that, and the light was passed from person to person until the whole cathedral was lit by candles.
- Throughout the service there was glorious music from the choir, and I felt so blessed to be able to hear it from the congregation. Here the Priests and Bishop are listening, after the lights were raised.
- This picture gives an idea of the grand scale of the altar, and how wonderful our view was from the front pew. (In case you might have a concern about all the pics I took of the service, I really was paying attention, and I really was very unobtrusive. No flash, no clicking shutter sounds, kept the camera down low and didn’t make a big scene out of holding it up or anything, so I wouldn’t distract anyone else.)
- Incensing the altar.
- Deacon Chuck reading the Gospel. (We love Deacon Chuck – he reminds us of Dad!)
- My upside down bulletin and our candles, which were used at various points during the service.
- So beautiful!
- Bishop Olmsted beginning his wonderful homily.
- Our good bishop. We are so blessed!
- From left-to-right, Fr. Lankeit (our Rector), Fr. Lopez, and Fr. Henry, our priests who care for us, nurture us with Word and Sacrament, and spur us on to holiness.
- Altar boys proceeding across the altar to assist the Bishop, with our Sacristan Chris Mincolla keeping all things running smoothly.
- The clergy moving to the font in preparation for the baptismal service.
- Blessing the baptismal water.
- There were many adult baptisms from our class, as well as a baby and a sweet little girl, seen in this photo.
- Then it was time for the Confirmations. I got three pics that turned out, the final one being our god-daughter, Lisa — HOORAY!!!!! The promises we made at her baptism have been fulfilled! Thanks be to God!!
- Several class members were chosen to bring forward the gifts for the Eucharist.
- Deacon Chuck incensing before communion (there is a lot of incensing in this church. And I like it.).
The service was joy-filled from beginning to end and I know that I was glowing as we left – and it was only partially because of the oil of Chrism on my forehead! :)Â We met up with Geneva, Jacob, and our friend Koos (Jeff had been there too, as long as he could, until he had to leave to get to his own church for a 10pm vigil service there), and went back over to the gym for cake, punch, and pictures with Fr. Lankeit and the Bishop.
- Koos and Mother
- Lisa with Susan, her sponsor
- Our whole Heidmann clan with Fr. Lankeit
- Paul, beaming with joy
- Mother conversing with Bishop Olmsted
- Same (Koos had the camera and was getting shots from many angles)
- More conversing with the Bish
- The whole Heidmann clan with Bishop Olmsted! Hooray!!
