Sunday evenings, the Abbey Church dispenses two sacraments, but once a year, that number doubles to four as catechumens receive the Sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation on top of the regularly scheduled Reconciliation and Holy Eucharist. This special event, globally celebrated on Holy Saturday, is delayed so that Anselmian catechumens might enter into the college’s faith community while surrounded by friends.

This past Sunday, ten students entered into the Catholic Church, with two of their number being baptized, during a Mass celebrated by Manchester Bishop, The Most Reverend Peter A. Libasci.

Over the preceding months, the ten students went through the Order of Christian Initiation for Adults (OCIA), formerly known as RCIA:

Gabriella Mastro

Michael Knop

Edward Rudolph

Christina Tsoukalas

Quinn Wall

Kendra Sabotka

Seamus Boots

Emma LaRiviere

Christopher Wittman

Katy Donovan

Starting in the fall, these students met with Fr. Celestine prior to the 11:00 AM Mass in the conference room across from the Lower Church to prepare themselves to receive Holy Sacraments/.

The catechumens came from diverse religious upbringings. Gabriella Mastro, an elementary education major from the Class of 2027, was baptized into the Church, but was not raised religiously. Micheal Knop, a business administration major from the Class of 2026, was raised in a Unitarian Universalist Church and thus needed to be Baptized. The “baptisms” provided by Unitarian Universalists are invalid because they follow a non-trinitarian formula.

Knop and the other student being Baptized were not required to receive the sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession) because Baptism washes away sin. The eight other catechumens were returned to the state of grace present at Baptism through the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

Prior to the Mass, Mastro reported feeling “both excited and nervous. This is a really big step, and it’s a little bit nerve-wracking trying to understand the full weight and significance of what I am choosing to do.”

Computer science and theology major Seamus Boots ’27 emphasized that he was “incredibly optimistic on receiving the Sacraments.”

The ten sat with their sponsors and families, packing the front rows of the Abbey Church. Confirmation sponsors must be practicing Catholic adults—they are usually fellow students for SAC confirmations.

The Sacraments of Christian Initiation consist specifically of Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist. They were performed by Bishop Libasci in that order. Baptism, “the door which gives access to the other Sacraments,” was followed by Confirmation. The catechumens stood at the front of the Church with their sponsors and were anointed by Bishop Libasci, who announced each catechumen’s confirmation saint. Following Confirmation, the ten received Holy Communion for the first time.

After Mass, the ten gathered for photos with Bishop Libasci before heading to a reception with family.