St. Bridget Parish Welcomes Several Into Catholic Church
By Amanda Hudson, News Editor
August 13, 2020
LOVES PARK—Father Sean Grismer spoke about Peter’s attempt to walk on water as he addressed the candidates and catechumens at St. Bridget Church on Sunday afternoon, Aug. 9.
A fisherman belongs on his boat, he said, paraphrasing for that future apostle: “Because I believe that it’s you, (Jesus) call me out of the thing I am comfortable in ... Call me because I can’t do this alone.”
That future apostle’s journey, Father Grismer said, “is no different than the journey that you have chosen to make in the last several months — and that has been elongated ... (and) you have chosen to continue through.
“Brothers and sisters, you are on an incredible journey of faith, and there are moments where the wind will seem too much. But you have already proven that you can overcome the obstacles and the difficulties ... because you are here.
“You’ve chosen that through the storms to listen to the voice of Christ, which means that as you receive these sacraments ... the voice of Christ only grows louder within us, and yet becomes more silent.
As you receive these sacraments today ... the power of Christ begins to live in a new way within you.”
Men and women who completed the parish’s Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) program and others who completed their instruction in the faith through one of the parish priests all had originally been scheduled to be fully received into the Catholic faith as usual at the Easter Vigil last April 11. As with so many things, COVID-19 disrupted those plans.
Candidate Kayla Anderson’s fiancé is Catholic.
“After going to Mass a few times,” she said in a little biography shared with the parish, “I decided I would like to know more about the Catholic faith ... I have truly enjoyed my journey with a great group of people and learning more and growing closer to God.”
That August day before the Mass began, she said she was “very honored and blessed to join the Church.”
Candidate Callum Watts said his completion of the sacraments he missed when his Irish family moved to Loves Park when he was 12 years old was “a long time coming.” He added that he was both “excited and nervous” about his final step.
Two women, Jayda Cruz and Leslie Geske, received the sacrament of baptism as Father Grismer gently poured water three times over their heads.
Geske’s parents wanted her to choose her own faith, she said in her parish note. She attended different churches with friends, but said, “I didn’t know where I belonged.” Her children attend St. Bridget School, so she began to attend Mass with them, and said she felt “pulled to join the Church and finally be baptized.”
“I have learned so much through RCIA,” she concluded, “that I feel I am ready to deepen my relationship with God.
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