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OCIA candidate from Sacred Heart Parish, shares her faith journey Elizabeth Welchel and her daughter Sophia at Sacred Heart Parish in Boise. (ICR Photo/Phil Janquart) By Philip A. Janquart ICR Assistant Editor It never occurred to her that she could become Catholic. Yet, on Thursday, March 27, Elizabeth Whelchel, 66, was among hundreds at the West Central Deanery Rite of Election held at Holy Apostles Church in Meridian. Catechumens and Candidates from Sacred Heart, St. Mark’s, and Holy Apostles gathered for a service marking the next step in their respective journeys toward full initiation into the Catholic Church. They entered the stage of preparation that directly precedes the reception of the Easter sacraments, known as the period of “Purification and Enlightenment.” Now a member of the “Elect,” Whelchel looks forward to being confirmed on Holy Saturday night at the Easter Vigil. Her five-year-old daughter, Sophia, will be baptized at the same Easter liturgy. The Rite of Election at Holy Apostles is one of six Bishop Peter F. Christensen conducts in each of the Diocese’s deaneries during the Lenten season. “The season of Lent; that’s when we do this,” the Bishop explained. “It’s kind of an interesting season to welcome people into the Church. It’s a season, as you know, of choices, so it fits. It’s also a season of sacrifices as we strive to grow closer to our Lord.” During the Rite of Election, parish catechists present the Book of the Elect to the bishop, who signs the page under the signatures of all the catechumens who will enter the Church that year. The symbolism is closely related to the Biblical idea of having one’s name written in the Book of Life (see Revelation 3:5, 20:12, 21:27, and Philippians 4:3). “Soon, you will be living the gifts God intends for you to receive: Baptism, Confirmation and the Eucharist,” he told the catechumens and candidates. “I always ask people, ‘What happened in your life that brought you here today?’ I trust your journeys have been interesting.” Bishop Peter F. Christensen signs the Sacred Heart Parish Book of the Elect at the Rite of Election on March 27 at Holy Apostles Parish in Meridian. (ICR Photo/Vero Gutiérrez) The Journey Little did she know at the time, but Whelchel’s particular journey to the Catholic faith began years earlier when she was a member of the Church of Christ. “I had a very profound experience,” she explained. “I don’t know if you’ve ever had this experience where you feel like your heart is going to blow up with love because the Holy Spirit comes into you. I had that experience, and it was pretty overwhelming. I realized I wanted Christ to be my savior. I was baptized after that.” She continued as a member of the Church of Christ for a time but left when she realized something was missing. She gave the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints a try but left not long after joining. “They were all good people, wonderful people, but there were so many things that didn’t feel quite right,” she said. Meanwhile, Whelchel struggled with two separate relationships that left her heartbroken. Elle Kaster from Sacred Heart Parish in Boise greets Bishop Peter at the Rite of Election on March 27. (ICR Photo/Vero Gutiérrez) The Struggle “I fell in love with a man after he had chased me for some time, but he left to be with someone else,” she said. “He was 28, and I was 25.” She later met someone else, but the relationship fell apart. Once the dust settled, she was left to fend for herself. With only three aging members of her immediate family still alive, she felt herself becoming more and more heartbroken and alone. “By this time, I was probably too old to have kids,” said Whelchel, who was 61 at the time. “Those two relationships really hurt me, and I thought I would try in vitro fertilization (IVF), which is not approved by the Church. That was before I knew anything about the Catholic Church.” To her surprise, the procedure worked, and she became pregnant, but the baby was premature and was delivered via Cesarean section. Whelchel almost died in the process. “When you come that close to death, it makes you think about whether you are living the kind of life God wants you to live, you know? Am I the kind of person I was born to be?” she explained. “I needed to make sure I was living the kind of life God wanted me to live because now I had a child,” she said. “I was never ‘bad,’ but I don’t think I was necessarily walking in step with God.” Whelchel explained that Sophia is her whole life now, and she views her as a special blessing from God, given the rarity and danger of having a child after the age of 60. “Everything started moving pretty fast after that.” A record number of Candidates and Catechumens throughout Idaho attended the Rite of Election this year. The Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist was full on March 25. (ICR Photo/Emily Woodham) A Simple Call Whelchel still needed to find a church to call home. She took her first active step toward Catholicism when she visited a hair salon. “It all actually started because I was looking for a hairdresser,” she said. “At the time, I wanted a style that was feathered back, and I didn’t think anybody could still do a ‘70s or ‘80s hairstyle.” That’s when she walked into The Bushwhacker Salon in Boise, where she met stylist Gene Sanchez. “He is older and used to do the hair for the cheerleaders at Boise State (University),” Whelchel explained. “I noticed a Sacred Heart Parish calendar on the wall of his salon, and I asked if he was Catholic. We started talking about it, and he said I should check it out sometime. I called Sacred Heart, and Debbie Fisher answered the phone. I filled out the paperwork, and she enrolled me in the Order of Christian Initiation for Adults (OCIA), and I started classes. “That’s how it all happened—by walking into a hair salon and seeing that calendar. It never occurred to me that I could become Catholic,” she recalled. Whelchel worked as a secretary for the Idaho National Guard at Gowen Field for 34 years and retired in 2019, the year she gave birth to Sophia. She says converting to Catholicism is one of the best moves she ever made, for both herself and her daughter. “It was the right choice because I’ve studied for six months, and I’ve learned a lot of things I didn’t learn anyplace else, plus there are so many Catholic resources,” she said, adding she particularly loves the Church’s teaching on the Holy Trinity, the Eucharist and Mary’s role within the Church. After signing the Book of the Elect, Bishop Peter shakes hands with Debbie Fischer, coordinator of Faith Formation for Adults and Children at Sacred Heart Parish in Boise. (ICR Photo/Vero Gutiérrez) Whelchel said a big part of the reason she is becoming Catholic is the Church’s 2,000-year history. “I like the part of Bishop Peter’s homily where he was talking about when the various churches were formed,” she noted. “They all broke off from Jesus’ Church, the Church He founded.” Whelchel said Jesus has been gently nudging her toward Catholicism for many years. “I’ve been through a lot, and I think God is getting me ready for the next stage in my life,” she said. “I wanted a place for Sophia that is biblically accurate, and God led me here. He wants to make sure my daughter is in the right place, and He wants me in the right place. I know this because He called me. “It’s as if my life has been leading up to this point,” Whelchel said. “I don’t know how much time I have left; nobody does, but He wants to get me to the point where I’m ready for whatever comes.” More people entering the Church at Easter At the Rite of Election at Holy Apostles, Bishop Christensen stated that the number of people entering the Church this Easter has significantly increased over his 10-year tenure as Idaho’s bishop. “Every year since I’ve been here, about a thousand people have come into the Church at Easter,” he said. “This year, there is more than that. I may be exaggerating, but I think it’s approaching 2,000. Something is going on. You feel it; I see it.”

Program helps participants gain control of their finances By Philip A. Janquart ICR Assistant Editor “Money will never make you happy, but financial stability will give you room to breathe so you can gain confidence in many other areas of life,” CCI Executive Director Eddie Trask told the Idaho Catholic Register ( ICR ). Catholic Charities of Idaho (CCI) will offer a well-known and successful program designed to help individuals and families take control of their finances. The nine-session financial literacy series, titled “Financial Peace University” (FPU),” implements Dave Ramsey’s acclaimed personal finance education model. The series is offered at a discounted rate, but enrollment is limited, so be sure to sign up now. The course begins Thursday, April 24, from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at St. Mark’s Catholic Church, located at 7960 W. Northview St. in Boise. To register, call CCI’s Shea Symons at (208) 350-7480 or email ssymons@ccidaho.org .   Changing perspective Ramsey Solutions research revealed that 40% of Americans reported experiencing sleep loss in the past month due to their financial situation, said Trask, who will be teaching the series. The CCI director shared that he was part of that 40% years ago and that it resulted in a degree of instability in his personal life. That was before he participated in a course similar to the one he is launching. Many people have more debt than income, a situation Dave Ramsey experienced himself, which became the inspiration for his business and financial literacy course. “I took the course, and it dramatically shifted how we viewed money,” said Trask. “I realized that I didn’t know how to budget; I didn’t know anything, and that’s how we got into debt.” “The final session felt like a celebration,” he recalled. “The instructor said, ‘Does anyone want to share their testimony?’ and I just ran to the front of the room and said, ‘This is so amazing; I’m going to teach this class,’ and then I thought, ‘Why did I just say that?’ The instructor laughed and said, ‘Well, you just volunteered yourself.’” Trask explained that financial instability can have negative consequences, even in our spiritual lives. “Financial stability improves our relationships and takes away a distraction,” Trask said. “When we have lots of debt, we become preoccupied with it and we can feel like we are drowning because of the worry, fear and insecurity. We sink further within ourselves. We start to pity ourselves, and when we’re in that state, we’re often not looking up to God; instead, we’re looking elsewhere due to this distraction.”   Cut up the cards Part of Dave Ramsey’s financial philosophy is to avoid carrying too much plastic in your wallet. Credit cards are primarily responsible for burying people in debt. Ramsey said that today he only has four cards in his wallet: a personal debit card, a business debit card, a driver’s license and a concealed-carry permit. About half (48%) of those with credit cards don’t pay their statement balance in full every month, according to ramseysolutions.com . The average credit card interest rate reached an all-time high of 20.4% in 2021, with banks generating $106.7 billion in credit card interest and fees. “I got to see people come forward and cut up credit cards after they paid them off,” Trask said of his own educational experience. Not solely for Catholics The Dave Ramsey model, he said, is arguably the best course for gaining financial stability. “There are Catholic programs, but they are not like this,” he said. “In my experience, it works exceptionally well, and it gets people on the right track, encouraging them like you wouldn’t believe.” Participants do not need to be Catholic, Trask explained. However, his presentation of Ramsey’s material will be “relatable, understandable, and accessible to Catholics.”   Additional resources The course also provides other resources to supplement and strengthen the likeliness of success. “The goal is also for you to uncover things that may require additional inspection,” Trask said. “We all need examinations of conscience. As you go through these exercises, you can pinpoint what caused you to fall into debt. “What was the motivator?’” he added. “There are always different factors underlying financial issues, and we want to help people find additional support if they need it, which is to say that this is not just a financial class— it’s about the whole person. Catholic Charities want to support you.” Eddie and Ashley Trask with their kids Arlo, Eviana, Zion, Eila and Taavi. (Courtesy Photo/Eddie Trask)   Improving relationships Trask highly recommends that married couples take the course together. “When the wife is working hard to create savings and the husband goes out and spends a thousand dollars on his latest hobby, that’s ‘financial infidelity,’” said ICR  Editor Deacon Scott Pearhill during the interview with Trask. “But when the two partners work together … they deepen in unity and harmony.” Jay Wonacott, director of Marriage and Family Life for the Diocese of Boise, noted that “Studies have shown there is a significant link between financial disagreements and divorce. Couples who frequently argue about money are more likely to divorce than those who do not. Financial incompatibility, such as differing spending habits and levels of consumer debt, can lead to increased marital stress.” Wonacott added that communication plays a significant role in achieving financial stability, including regular discussions about finances in which spouses actively listen to each other. “Set time aside to talk about your financial situation, goals and concerns; transparency is key,” Wonacott said. “Also ensure both partners feel heard and understood. This helps in finding common ground and solutions.” Trask pointed out that other steps may include collaborating to create a budget that reflects both partners’ priorities and needs, as well as setting both short-term and long-term goals, such as saving for a home, retirement, or their children’s education. Deacon Pearhill said a big part of the equation is responsibly using what God gives us. “You want to get out of financial ‘purgatory,’ or ‘Dante’s Inferno of Finances!’ You want to get to ‘Paradiso,’” Pearhill said. “That doesn’t mean you have to become wealthy so that you never have to think about money again. It means you are responsibly managing the gifts God has given you, that you are a good steward, and finances no longer oppress you,” he added. “You don’t have to be a millionaire; you just don’t want to be a slave to money anymore,” Pearhill concluded.

The Exsultet proclaims the story of salvation on the ‘mother of all holy vigils’ The Easter Vigil begins with a new fire (above) that is blessed by the bishop or priest. The Paschal Candle is lit from the new fire. Tapers held by the assembly are lit from the Paschal Candle during the Service of Light (Lucernarium) that proceeds the singing of the Exsultet. (ICR Photos) By Emily Woodham Staff Writer The Exsultet is sung at no other Mass except the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday night. Those who have never participated in the Easter Vigil, which begins after sundown on the night before Easter Sunday, may be unaware of the significance of the “Easter Proclamation,” as it is also known. The Exsultet, Latin for “Give praise” (or more literally, “Let (it) praise”), proclaims the history of salvation and its fulfillment in the mystery of Easter. Whenever possible, the Exsultet is sung by a deacon. If no deacon in the church can sing it, then a priest may sing it. However, if none of the parish clergy can sing the ancient chant, then a lay cantor may do so. A portion of the Exsultet must be omitted if it is sung by laity. “These rubrics are meant to be taken very seriously,” said Tish O’Hagan, director of the Office of Worship for the Diocese of Boise. The Exsultet is part of the Vigil’s introductory rites. It follows the “Lucernarium” or “Service of Light.” According to the Roman Missal and documents from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), the Vigil must be celebrated at night so the symbolism of a “blazing fire” outside the church (or suitable substitute as circumstances demand) is not diminished. The ritual of preparing and lighting the Paschal candle from a new fire blessed by the priest as the liturgy begins, which is then used to light tapers held by the faithful, manifests through these symbols the movement of the people of God from darkness to light. After the candlelight procession into the church and the placing of the Paschal Candle by the altar, the lights in the church are turned on while the faithful continue to hold their burning tapers. Only the altar candles remain unlit. The priest blesses incense, and the deacon who will chant the Exsultet incenses the missal and the Paschal Candle. Then he sings. (If a layperson is singing, the incensing of the candle and book are omitted.) The congregation continues to stand with their lighted tapers as the deacon chants. It is not until after the end of the Exsultet that the congregation extinguishes their candles and sits for the Liturgy of the Word. (The altar candles are not lit until the Gloria.) For centuries, the Exsultet has served as a liturgical jewel of unsurpassed beauty on this, the “mother of all holy vigils,” as St. Augustine aptly described the Easter Vigil. As the Exsultet exhorts us, ‘Be glad, let earth be glad, as glory floods her, ablaze with light from her eternal King, let all corners of the earth be glad, knowing an end to gloom and darkness’ (“Christ Our Light,” usccb.org ). There were various forms of the Exsultet by the ninth century. The one used today by the Catholic Church is believed to be from a text by St. Ambrose. It begins with an exhortation to praise, then leads into a history of salvation from Adam to Christ, and ends with an entreaty for blessings for the Paschal Candle so that its flame will continue through the night. For centuries, an extended portion of the Exsultet was dedicated to the praise of bees because they contributed wax for the Paschal Candle. The bees were also esteemed in the text as symbols of the Church and, in particular, the chaste fruitfulness of the Blessed Virgin Mary. In 1570, the portion about the bees was omitted. In 2011, in the new English translation of the Latin promulgated by Pope St. John Paul II, the praises of the bees and their work were readmitted, but only in two lines. The Exsultet is challenging for singers for many reasons. Cathryn Gardner, music director at Our Lady of the Rosary Parish in Boise, suggests that singers prepare well before the Easter Vigil. “The Exsultet is physically challenging because Easter Vigil Mass is so late. People are already tired from two days of celebrating the Triduum,” she said. “Another physical aspect is how long the Exsultet is. Sustaining singing for that long can be taxing on the voice, especially when you have been talking or singing already that day.” It is also mentally demanding because singers are so exposed, she added. “You are standing at the ambo in front of the entire congregation, often singing completely by yourself, with all eyes on you. It is taxing even for the most experienced singers, and the length mentioned earlier does not help. You are essentially singing the story of Easter and praises to God while everyone listens to only you.” It’s because of these difficulties that there is flexibility to have a trained musician, a cantor, sing instead of someone from the clergy, she explained. Although it is ideally sung a cappella, there is no prohibition against it being sung with an instrumental accompaniment. However, the accompaniment must be kept simple so that it does not detract from the message of the chant. For those preparing to sing the Exsultet, Gardner recommends a vocal care regimen that includes sufficient sleep, hydration and vocal warm-up before singing. “You don’t want to strain your voice from overuse or poor use. Some singers use tea, hot water with lemon, or a specific brand of cough drops to help their voice recover and last longer. Use this time we have before Easter to find a process that works for you so your voice stays healthy despite all the use it will get during Holy Week. Also, make sure to rest in between Triduum liturgies.” Cantors should consider the spiritual aspect of chanting the Exsultet. “I would highly encourage anyone preparing to sing this to really meditate on the words and allow them to speak to your heart as you prepare. Some themes present in the text are redemption, joy and hope. Use these themes to guide you and prepare your heart,” said Gardner. She noted that attending the entire Triduum helps a cantor better understand the Exsultet. “Observing all of Holy Week can help one gain a deeper understanding of each specific day, as you see them all linked together.” When it comes time to sing, she suggests that cantors be present in the moment and sing with joy. “The Easter Vigil is a joyous celebration of hope and renewal!”     "Be glad, let earth be glad, as glory floods her, ablaze with light from her eternal King, let all corners of the earth be glad, knowing an end to gloom and darkness.”                                                  — the Exsultet Cathryn Garnder, Director of Music, Our Lady of the Rosary, Boise.

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Explore the Idaho Catholic Register's Photo Album, capturing the essence of our community through vibrant event photographs. Experience the unity and spirit of Idaho's Catholic gatherings in this visual journey. Idaho Catholic Register Photo Album Explore the Idaho Catholic Register's Photo Album, capturing the essence of our community through vibrant event photographs. Experience the unity and spirit of Idaho's Catholic gatherings in this visual journey.