Another sacrament celebrated—Praise God!

We celebrated Aidan's Confirmation last Wednesday! Aidan chose St Michael as his patron for Confirmation. Bishop Gregory John Hartmayer came to our parish and confirmed over forty people, and we knew from last year that he likes to have a little "chat" with each confirmand as he anoints him or her. We were sitting a little nervously while he questioned each person about his saint, or his sponsor, or some aspect of the faith that he is to have learned. We have studied our faith and go over the basics many times over as the children go through the years, but our bishop admitted he likes to try and "catch" them. He asked Aidan about—not St Michael, because there were at least two other Michaels before him—but who the other archangels were and what they did. Fortunately, Aidan sailed through his questions.

(Incidentally, having participated in, and witnessed, the process of Confirmation preparation and surrounding life factors for two different teenage children in back-to-back years has made me a proponent of celebrating Confirmation at an earlier age, as some dioceses do. Already having those sacramental graces while completing the ninth grade can only help!)

Before the anointing part of the Mass, the bishop gave a homily in which he said that the gift of the Holy Spirit he thought they would need most at this point in their lives is courage. Serendipitously, his sponsors (his grandparents) had chosen this as a Confirmation gift. 

They gave it to him at the reception, so we shared with the bishop. 

He appreciated the coincidence. 

Congratulations, my dear, sweet son! 

Come, Holy Spirit!