Confirmation Essay
-Michael Sullivan
Confirmation student, Nina Fardella, wrote about the Confirmation process for an assignment. Nina has been active in the Confirmation class and has done 30 hours of Community service as part of the Confirmation requirements. Her service included visiting Grace Park with me and six other students to bring joy to the residents there. Our experience at Grace Park reminded us of the words of Christ “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned and revealed them to little children.” Luke 10:21
On May 5th, Nina overcame her fear of public speaking and read a prayer for the Virgin Mother Mary during the Crowning of Mary. We have watched Nina grow and learn during her service to the Church. She has been taught the tenets of the Church by her Confirmation teachers, Ana Rivera and JoAnne Tahaney and will join the rest of her class in being Confirmed on May 18th by Father Michael Quinnan.
The Church of Saint Luke and the entire Catholic Church looks forward to the Confirmation of the youth on Pentecost. In our Church, we have many people that have dedicated their time to the important task of Catechizing our youth.
Students like Nina are valued by the entire Church of Saint Luke, and we pray that the Holy Spirit will be received into each one of their hearts on Confirmation. We also pray that the children who will be confirmed on May 18th will remain active in the Church, by going to mass, and continuing to be active members of the Youth Group.
-Nina V Fardella
What is confirmation? Confirmation is one of the 7 sacraments in the Holy Catholic Church. Confirmation is also the sacrament of service. In order to get your confirmation, you have to do service to the community and church to show God you are ready for your confirmation. Confirmation lets you choose what's your next move in your faith.
Also for your confirmation you get to choose a sponsor. It cannot be your mom or dad. A sponsor is meant to provide spiritual help to who the confirmation student is, like a role model but for your journey with Christ. At the Church of Saint Luke confirmation is taking place May eighteenth, but before that the confirmation students will turn in their service hours, since confirmation is the sacrament of service.
The confirmation students had a retreat with their sponsors. The retreat helped the confirmation students to learn more about Christ and have fun. The confirmation students also made confession with Father Quinnan to confess their sins before confirmation. The retreat had food, music, prayer and so much fun. It was a great experience for the confirmation students to learn about what confirmation is as well as their sponsors learning how to support the confirmation students in their journey.
Confirmation also allows you to receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit which are wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the lord. The gifts of the Holy Spirit help us live according to God's plans. When it is time for your Confirmation you confirm the promises that were made when you were baptized. When you get confirmed you also are anointed with oil, the oil which seals you with the Holy Spirit. The anointing oil is also called Chrism.
Confirmation is also one of the three sacraments of initiation into the Catholic Church along with Baptism and Communion. Sometimes Confirmation is done by the bishop but sometimes by the priest. It depends on what Catholic Church you go to.
Lastly, Confirmation is your journey of faith; no one else's, don't let people get in the way of your relationship with our Lord.