April 23, 2023
From the Pastor:
Congratulations also to our eighth graders who last Sunday received the sacrament of Confirmation from Bishop Thomas! It was a wonderful celebration in St. Peter’s church, made possible by all three of our parishes working together with lecturing, serving, singing, etc. Bishop Thomas also commented on how beautiful it was to see the unity and mutual appreciation among the different parishes present.
Bishop Thomas also commented on how well the students were prepared for the sacrament. Much thanks go to both their catechists and their parents for helping our young people know and love the Faith Jesus has given us. The students have studied the gifts of the Holy Spirit and learned how they help them become mature Christians. They learned they received these gifts at Baptism and how each is strengthened through Confirmation. The purpose is for them to truly live the Catholic Faith as the Saints did!
The eighth graders devoted this past year to preparing for the sacrament. They came to understand that receiving this sacrament does not make them “an adult of the Church” nor is it them “making the Faith their own”. These statements are said by well-meaning people who do not understand the purpose of Confirmation. The word “Con-firm-ation” tells us something about its purpose. If you know any Spanish, which has similarities to Latin, then you probably know that “con” means “with”. From this we begin to understand that the sacrament is meant to help us be “firm” (strong) in living the Faith of the Church.
The reason why Confirmation is not about “making the Faith their own” is that they have been doing this and will (hopefully) continue to do this their entire life. Receiving the sacrament of Confirmation gives them the necessary grace to live more and more according to all that God has taught us. Those who do so are growing in Christian maturity, which is a requirement for entering into heaven, as we read in the New Testament.
Maturity is not measured by age but instead by the qualities and characteristics of a person. As a result, Confirmation does not make a person an adult of the Church but gives them the grace to become fully mature. God’s help is always near! In my conversations with the students, we talked about how a mature Christian is someone who prays daily and keeps holy the Lord’s Day each Sunday, which includes going to Mass. A mature Christian does not use God’s name in vain and does not use vulgar language. We talked about how some words that are common today would never come from a mature Christian’s mouth.
We also discussed how a mature Christian does not lie, cheat, or steal. The mature Christian is charitable to other people and tries to lead them closer to God. Such a person forgives others and even prays for those who are uncharitable to him or her. The mature Christian does not follow the trends of society but instead the will of God. That person treats sexuality as sacred, does not give in to sinful sexual desires, and respects life at every stage.
Easter blessings to you!
Fr. Miller