On 22 February 2026, RCIA groups from around the Palmerston North Diocese gathered at the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit in Palmerston North for the Rite of Election and Enrolment of Names.
There were 25 Catechumens and Candidates from the parishes of Hastings, Feilding, Eketahuna and Cathedral of the Holy Spirit.
Bishop John gave special permission for Fr Simon Story to perform the Rite of Election on the same day in New Plymouth due to the length of time it takes to travel to Palmerston North – 16 people from Taranaki are preparing to receive the Sacraments there.
Something that was immediately obvious was the range of ages and ethnicities, accentuating that the Roman Catholic faith is appealing to people everywhere.
The service, conducted by Bishop John Adams, was welcoming, simple and flowed beautifully with everyone present learning from Bishop John’s homily. One important point he made was that the Elect and Candidates would now be able to have a Roman Catholic funeral, should this unfortunately be needed, because of their decision to join the church.
Sponsors and Catechists felt pride and joy as the Elect and Candidates placed their names in the Book of the Elect.
Those people attending, who had not seen the Cathedral before, were in awe of the beauty of the stained glass windows.
It was a lovely day and one that will be remembered by the Elect, Candidates, Sponsors and Catechists for a long time.
Words and photos by Lee Russell
RCIA Coordinator for the Catholic Parish of Hastings
