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Bishop Alan Hopes spoke of the triumph over death as he baptised and confirmed new church members during the Easter Vigil at St John’s Cathedral.
Family and sponsors joined catechumens and candidates from around the diocese as they made their final steps towards becoming full members of the Catholic Church.
After the congregation had gathered outside the Cathedral around the new Easter fire, Bishop Alan lit the Easter candle to celebrate the risen Christ and members of the congregation processed in and passed the flame around the building as they lit each other’s candles.
“The Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is the unique event on which the whole of human history turns,” said Bishop Alan in his homily. “Our story can never be the same again.
“God’s love has triumphed over human sin and all the powers that lead the human race to self-destruction. God’s love has triumphed over death itself.
“We are drawn into the experience of the women and the disciples on that first Easter morning. The unexpectedness of the discovery, the fear and the mental confusion, the haste and the excitement, the questioning and the eventual belief that Jesus Christ is truly risen.
“The risen Christ steps into the darkness of our world, shedding the light of his risen glory…On this sacred night we will all be sprinkled with the newly blessed baptismal waters. All God’s people are thus reminded that we too are part of God’s new creation and that we have died to sin in order to live a new life with Christ.
We have no need to and look at the empty tomb. We know that the Lord is risen. He is risen indeed. Alleluia.”
Pictured above is Bishop Alan confirming new members of the Church.
To see a Flickr gallery of the Easter Vigil you can click on the link or the picture below.
