Smoky Mountains Sunrise

Friday, March 6, 2009

Newt Gingrich Conversion Details, Documentary on Pope John Paul II


The American Papist reports today that Newt Gingrich will be received into the Catholic Church on Sunday, March 29, in Washington, D.C.

He has also been working with his wife, Callista, on a documentary entitled "Nine Days That Changed The World." According to the film's website, the documentary will present Pope John Paul II's trip to Poland in June 1979 "as the cataclysmic event that changed a nation and changed the world." The film, expected to be released this Fall, "is meant to inspire and educate those who view it to understand the nature of freedom, to live in the truth, and to recognize that there is evil in the world that, with God’s help, must and can be defeated."


2 comments:

Anonymous said...

how, im catholic and always learned you have to wait until the easter vigil, you can't become catholic during lent i dont think

Daniel J. Cassidy said...

While Lent is a time of penance and preparation, nothing prevents baptism, First Communion or Confirmation during Lent. In the case of babies, the Church always recommends that baptism occur as soon as possible, regardless of the liturgical season. In the case of adults, it is a pastoral matter to be determined by the pastor.

The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults states:

"26. The entire rite of Christian initiation is normally arranged so that the sacraments will be celebrated during the Easter Vigil. Because of unusual circumstances and pastoral needs, however, the rite of election and the rites belonging to the period of purification and enlightenment may be held outside Lent and the sacraments of initiation may be celebrated at a time other than the Easter Vigil or Easter Sunday." (The Rites Volume One, Liturgical Press, 1990, ISBN: 0-8146-6015-0, page 43).