Last Sunday afternoon, here in Saint Peter’s Church, it was my privilege to be the Priest Celebrant of the Sacrament of Confirmation for three young people and their families:
Grace Rose Arnold
Mason Alan Consigli
Philip Thomas Heney
In light of the significant precautions and the slate of cancellations of celebrations usually presided over by Bishop McManus, the Bishop delegated the pastors who would have presented Confirmandi to him this spring to celebrate it with them in the month of June.
I want to thank all of the members of our parish community who shared in the ministry of helping these young people to know and to reflect in their lives the faith we hold dear, especially in times such as our current times so affected by Covid19.
These are the times in which these most newly Confirmed join us in discovering what we have received in this and all the Sacraments, and that to which we have committed ourselves, especially in this Sacrament. “Be sealed with the Gift of the Holy Spirit. Peace be with you.” Following the elevation of my hands in prayer for the descent of the Holy Spirit, these words accompanied the anointing of each with the Sacred Chrism, the sacred oil blessed by Bishop McManus during Holy Week. The oil, the embodiment of the living action of our Great High Priest, Jesus Christ, sanctifies them and us for LIFE. May their lives of faith and ours be RICH!