At the Easter Vigil on March 30, 2024 in churches across The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington, about 1,350 people entered into full Communion with the Catholic Church, including the elect, those who were not been baptized and were preparing to receive at Easter all three of the Catholic Church’s sacraments of initiation: Baptism, Confirmation and Holy Eucharist. Also becoming full members of the Catholic Church at the Easter Vigil were candidates, those who were already baptized in the Catholic faith or who were baptized in another Christian faith and who were preparing to receive the sacraments of Confirmation and Holy Eucharist. Some people who became members of the Catholic Church at the Easter Vigil in the archdiocese shared the stories of their journeys of faith in this series of articles.
Lisa Bianco, a Colorado native who works in government relations and has lived in Washington, D.C., for many years, became Catholic during the March 30, 2024 Easter Vigil at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle in the nation’s capital, receiving the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist.
Reflecting on her journey of faith, Bianco noted that she started taking Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults classes at the cathedral more than a year ago, and in that process, she was inspired as she learned about “Jesus and joy. It really stuck with me about how a healthy spiritual life and understanding is the foundation for everything. It gave me a structure and the words to guide my daily practices, making me a kinder, better, more empathetic person. It led me to deepen my understanding and ultimately want to be a part of the Catholic Church.”
When asked how her life would be different after becoming Catholic and receiving the sacraments for the first time at the Easter Vigil, Bianco said, “My hope is to stay an active part of St. Matthew’s and the church community as a whole. I’ve incorporated Catholic teachings into my own daily life, but I recognize that being part of this faith means being part of a community – not just the fun parts like coffee and donuts after Mass, but helping our neighbors here in D.C., in other parts of the country and in other parts of the world. We are all the Church. So my hope is to live that in thought and practice.”
