My dear St. Philip parishioners, The Sacrament of Confirmation comprises a two year journey of prayer, discernment, learning, and service which begins with the Sacrament of Baptism, the first of the three Sacraments of Initiation.
Do you remember receiving the Sacrament of Baptism? Perhaps not. This is the sacrament our parents and guardians sought on our behalf when we were very young, probably infants. Parents confer on each child a name, hopefully a saint’s name. They choose their child’s baptismal godparents. They hold their child and pray for him or her during the Sacrament of Baptism. The presiding priest confers baptism invoking the signs of water, the laying-on of hands and the names of the most holy Trinity. In this three-fold action, God’s Spirit removes the stain of original sin from the person being baptized. This is how you and I were born into God’s family. We die like Christ and rise again not from earth but from water.
Our Lord Jesus, through his holy Word and by instituting the Eucharist at the Last Supper before he died, makes possible the Church’s recognition of those of her members receiving Holy Communion for the first time. The Eucharist is the second of the three initiation sacraments. First Holy Communion refers to a specially designated Mass when little children are invited to immerse themselves fully and joyfully in the Christian life by receiving the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ. Receiving the Body and Blood of the Lord is a great milestone in the life of Catholic children who have reached the “age of reason”.
The great importance of the Sacrament of Reconciliation needs to be emphasized. During their sacramental preparation year, most often the second grade, children are catechized by their parents and teachers to love and appreciate God’s revealed truth, their Christian patrimony and what it means to be good and moral persons. Children at the “age of reason” are capable of learning how to be holy and how to live out the Commandments meaningfully. Boys and girls are taught how to seek forgiveness and grace from God through Confession and penance in the Church when they have sinned.
Confirmation is the third and final Sacrament of Initiation. This is the sacrament that acknowledges the Confirmandi as full spiritual members of our Catholic faith. In a sense, Confirmation is the sacrament of “discipleship”, for having received the fullness of the Holy Spirit, young people are empowered to go forth into the world to spread the good news, serve others and be examples of spiritual integrity to everyone.
Having discerned God’s call, young people freely choose to receive the seven great gifts of the Holy Spirit through the ministry of the bishop presiding at the Confirmation Mass: wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety and fear of the Lord. By invoking the Holy Spirit’s power and signing each young person with the Sacred Chrism, the bishop asks our Confirmandi to accept these heavenly gifts with an open heart and an ardent love for Jesus. These seven gifts literally are the spiritual tools of our faith and help us to incarnate the corporal and spiritual “Works of Mercy” in our Catholic lives.
Along the spiritual way, our young people participate in parish life by serving in ministries and performing service projects benefiting those in need. Whether praying the Rosary for the sake of human life or visiting a nursing home at Christmas to share songs and faith, our Confirmandi discover that being a Christian is a “hands on” lifetime commitment.
St. Philip currently has 19 confirmandi preparing for the sacrament. They are the future of our Catholic Church. Each young person is talented, faith-filled and unique. Our Confirmation teaching team is strong and committed to seeing each of our confirmandi reach full potential as adult Catholics. Do you remember professing your faith before the bishop when you were confirmed? Are you fulfilling the promises you made to Christ?
I ask you pray for every one of our confirmandi as they continue to discern, study and grow in the knowledge of God and the moral life. Reach out to them and let them know that you are praying for them. Show that you appreciate their dedication to our Catholic faith and to each other. Sincerely in the hearts of Jesus and Mary. Your pastor, Reverend Richard Barker.
My dear St. Philip parishioners, The Sacrament of Confirmation comprises a two year journey of prayer, discernment, learning, and service which begins with the Sacrament of Baptism, the first of the three Sacraments of Initiation.