Confirmation…

Paul Sposite Catholic, church, Faith, Life, youth, , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

This Sunday the Confirmation class from our youth group will be making their Confirmation. I have two overriding thoughts or feelings about this.

 

First off, I am very excited for these young people, they are about to receive the fullness of the Church, and the gifts of the Holy Spirit. All very exciting, I am sure for most of them, but for some, it’s just a day they have to go to church, dressed all up, and then have a party afterword’s. And I am sure for a few, well most likely most, they are done with their formation (so they think, as we all know our formation does not end at Confirmation, but rather it’s just beginning).

 

That leads me in to my second thought and feeling. This year we have like 28 youth making their confirmation, and I would have to say that maybe less then ½ of them are truly ready. And that saddens me…

 

It is a sad thing, work with the same kid’s for 3 years (our confirmation program [STATIC Youth] is a 3 year program) and seeing that some of them really have not grown in their faith, they have not matured. Yet others we have seen growth and maturity in both their faith life and their over all life.

 

Confirmation is not an age issue, but rather a maturity issue. I have seen 10 year olds who I feel hold a better understanding then some of the current 8th graders that are going to be confirmed this Sunday.

 

But in the end, it is between God and them, and only God truly knows their hearts, so I will pray that each and everyone of them receives the grace of God and that the Holy Spirit will guide them.

 

Ultimately, this is my job as a youth minister, to pray for my youth, to love them and to accept them, and I do all three, with the grace of God and the power of the Holy Spirit.

 

So if I can ask all you my readers and who ever may have stumbled on to this blog, to pray for my youth, that the Holy Spirit may wash over them. Pray that they may grow in to the gifts they receive, and that they use them wisely, pray that they understand the commitment they are making when they respond with a bold YES to the bishop when he asks if they wish to be confirmed.

 

But mostly pray that they will hunger for the truth, hunger for Jesus, seek God, and rely on the Holy Spirit, pray that they seek Gods plans for them and allow the Holy Spirit to guide them. Pray that my youth will always remain safe and in the loving light of God.

 

Paul

5 thoughts on “Confirmation…”

  1. This is atricky matter to be sure… In parts of Latin America, Spain and the Phillipines, Roman Catholic confirm infants and todlers… In the Eastern Catholic Churches we confirm infants at baptism.

    I sometimes wonder if there would not be greater wisdom in turning to that sort of model in the Roman rite today as waaaaaaaaay too many parishes and CCD classes treat confirmation like a graduation ceremony/Catholic bar mitzvah.

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  2. So true, we try hard, or at least I do, to teach them that this is not a get out of church free card….

    All we can do is pray that the Holy Spirit will protect and guide them

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  3. First, it should be said there were 30 students not 28 — which two students did you forget?
    Second, although our program does a better job challenging the families to grow so much still depends on what is or is not happening at home.

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