It is such a joyful celebration for Resurrection Parish as 85 young women and men choose to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation on October 26^th!

They spent the past several years learning and growing in faith, and their dedicated catechists have patiently nurtured the seed of faith that was planted in them long ago (big shout out to Mark Gesk, Marlene Kish, Dawn Madden, Windelin Rickard, and Bernie Stock). 

These young men and women were asked to write a letter to Fr. Mike, our pastor, explaining why they wish to be confirmed, how they are preparing for celebrating the Sacrament of Confirmation, and how they can use the gifts of the Holy Spirit and live as a disciple of Christ as they enter their full initiation. I did not read these letters, but Fr. Mike responded to them by writing to each Candidate to affirm and encourage them to commit to living out their Catholic faith.

We asked our Candidates to prayerfully chose a sponsor whom they look up to, someone they view as a living witness to their Catholic faith, and someone who would support them throughout their lives, not just on their journey to full initiation. They wrote a letter to give to their sponsor to express their gratitude for their guidance, love and support.

They were asked to reflect on choosing a name to be confirmed by. They each wrote a Saint Report on their Confirmation saint. I enjoy reading these reports to learn more about each of our Candidates, and their connection to their Confirmation saint, as well as their reflections on how they hope to imitate their saint’s virtues in their own lives. It is touching to read their connections to the saints they choose, saints who often have a deep relationship within their families. We asked them at their Confirmation Retreat to write a letter to their future selves on how they see themselves living their lives as a person of faith after Confirmation. We will mail these to them in the future. I hope these letters will encourage them to persevere as faithful witnesses!

After they reflected on their unique God-given gifts and talents, these awesome young women and men shared their time and talent to help others in many wonderful ways: as a participant in the parish’s Appalachia Mission trip, as an assistant at summer sports camps, as a volunteer at SummerFest, as an athlete buddy for Miracle League, as a volunteer at the Red Door, SHIM, and in many other ways that reach out to the poor and needy. It is a privilege to read how their service experiences changed them and gave them a better appreciation for all the many blessings they have.

I am humbled to stand with our wonderful Candidates on their Confirmation Day as they renew their Baptismal Promises and say “yes!” to becoming a fully initiated Catholic. My prayer is for their hearts to be open to God’s gifts and grace, that they may feel a deeper connection to God and a deeper sense of belonging to the Church. May our faith community continue to support them by our prayers and witness and encourage them to live out their Catholic faith in a world that desperately needs their participation in the building of the Kingdom of God!
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Denise DeCapria,
Director of Religious Education