Rite of Welcoming

She knocks hard on the door, and it echos. Father Paul's voice calls out behind it, bidding us to enter.
We enter single file. Eliot's hand is warm on my shoulder and my stomach quiets, a little. Father Paul asks each of us, "What is your name, and what do want of the Church?" I was too nervous to say more than, "Alyssa Michie," and "To become a catholic" but what I really wanted to say was, "To become a part of God's universal family."
We line up in front of the congregation, our sponcers facing us. Eliot, makes the sign of the cross on my forhead, on my ears, mouth, eyes, heart, shoulders, hands and feet. Its not until they get to the shoulders that I remember to pay attention to Father Paul's words. I can't remember them now though. I just remember feeling sealed like a letter.
The other Catechumens and I verbally agree to our belief in the Gospel and the church. At a question from Father Paul, our sponcers say "Yes," they have found us to be genuinely seeking the truth. And then the congregation verbally agrees to help the rest of the chatechumens and I on our spiritual journeys. It was a little like a marriage ceremony, that part.
So, I am not fully, in writing, Catholic now. I am technically called a "Catechumin." But if I died tommarow I would get a Catholic burial.
It feels good. I'm not sure what else to say. All the glam and revelation happened before this and led me to this, so comparitively its not that exciting, but it leaves me feeling happy, and accepted. Like a strong sunny golden day. Simple and good.
I love my new family!