ST. CLOUD, Minn. – February 10, 2010 – The Roman Catholic Diocese of Saint Cloud will celebrate the Rite of Election on Sunday, Feb. 17, for individuals currently working toward initiation in the Catholic Church. Most Reverend John F. Kinney, Bishop of the Diocese, will preside at the 3:00 p.m. ceremony at the Cathedral of Saint Mary.

The Rite of Election marks the willingness of non-baptized adults to enter into the final period of preparation for the Sacraments of Initiation and full communion with the Roman Catholic Church. In addition to the Rite of Election, the service will also celebrate the “Call to Continuing Conversion” for those baptized in other Christian faith traditions also seeking entrance into the Catholic Church. Bishop Kinney will determine the readiness of 136 individuals from 33 parishes in the diocese to enter into this final phase of preparation.

The celebration will feature the accompaniment of the Diocesan Festival Choir, made up of members from across the diocese. Following the service, refreshments will be served at a reception honoring the aspirants.

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Saint Cloud encompasses 16 central Minnesota counties, including 135 parishes with a combined Catholic population of 150,000.

For more information about this specific topic or about the Diocese of Saint Cloud, contact Director of Communications Rebecca Kurowski at (320) 251-0558 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

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