Auxiliary Bishop Mark Bartosic presided at a Rite of Election liturgy at Holy Name Cathedral on Feb. 28, 2021. The liturgy is for those preparing to receive the sacraments of Baptism, Eucharist and Confirmation during the Easter Vigil (Holy Saturday) services in their local parishes. During this liturgy, those who have not been baptized were asked to stand, where the bishop elects them for the Easter sacraments.
On Easter, pope asks Christ to 'roll away' the stones of war worldwide Just as Jesus removed the stone that sealed his tomb on the morning of the Resurrection, on Easter Christ alone "has the power to roll away the stones that block the path to life" and which trap humanity in war and injustice, Pope Francis said.
Pope prays people will experience, share Easter joy Like the women disciples who discovered Jesus had risen from the dead and ran to tell the others, Christians should be filled with such joy at Easter that they cannot help sharing it with others, Pope Francis said.
Pope prays that Easter joy would break through gloom of sin, war, strife On a bright spring morning, Pope Francis prayed that Christians would experience the joy of Easter and allow Christ's resurrection to be "the light that illumines the darkness and the gloom in which, all too often, our world finds itself enveloped."