"This is the best Easter season yet."
Those are the words 15-year-old Gabriel Corporan shared with his mother, Colleen Corporan, after she received the sacraments during Saturday's Easter Vigil Mass. Corporan, a parishioner at St. Paul Parish in Cranston, joins adults from 34 other parishes throughout the diocese who have completed their journey into full communion with the church through the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults, commonly called "RCIA."
As the first official celebration of the Resurrection, the Easter Vigil Mass is unique. During the Vigil, catechumans are baptized in the presence of the entire congregation. Both they and candidates are sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit through confirmation, and during the liturgy of the Eucharist they receive their first Communion.
Corporan recounts her baptism. St. Paul's pastor, Fr. Francis Santilli, performed the rite at font at the front of the Church. " I really felt like it was me and God," she said.
Corporan's family was "right there in the front row. When I came down from the fountain I remember I got to hug everyone," she said. Her joy was contagious. "Everyone was saying that I was just glowing," she added.
The most memorable part of the Vigil for Corporan was her first communion. When she attended Mass with her neighbor as a child, she had always been touched by holiness of the Eucharist. "When I was about to take it for the first time, I started to cry," she said. "My son looked over at me and took my hand."
Will Blais, a parishioner at St. Jude Parish in Lincoln, also received the Sacraments for the first time this past Saturday. He could hardly find words to describe what it felt like to finally become a member of the Church. "I felt satisfied," he said. A year and a half ago I went to my first Mass, and I've been looking forward to it."
Blais, a senior at Roger Williams University, and his girlfriend Jenna are looking forward to sharing their faith with each other. They were able to attend Mass together on Easter Sunday. "I was able to go up to Communion for the first time at a regular Mass," said Blais. "That was really cool."
Corporan is also excited about sharing her faith with her friends and family. Gabriel, who will be confirmed next year, wants his mother to be his sponsor.
"It's nice to think that he would think that highly of me," said Corporan.
Another relationship that has developed in Corporan's life is her friendship with her sponsor, Mary Kay Pompetti. The two women met through the RCIA program, and have become great friends since then. "For me this is a relationship that's going to last. I'm so glad I met her. She's just who God had in mind for me," said Corporan. Corporan and Pompetti met for the 9:30 a.m. Mass at St. Paul on Easter Sunday, and hope to continue attending Mass with one another. Thinking about the friendship, Colleen added, "I really now know that I'm part of a community."
Now that they are Catholic, both Corporan and Blais are ready to dive right in. "I'm looking forward to going to confession every week," said Blais. It will also be a challenge "to look back at the things that I did or should have done," he added.
Corporan also recognizes the challenges that all Catholics face. "The most challenging thing is just trying to be in tune with was God has planned for you," she said. Through prayer and the welcoming embrace of her Church community, Corporan knows that she will have all the guidance she needs to follow God's plan.
For both Corporan and Blais, the Easter Vigil was a Mass to remember. Their reception into the Church brought with it much joy and fulfillment. "It was probably the happiest day of my life," said Corporan.
(This article originally appeared in The Providence Visitor)
