One of my favorite bishop activities is the celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation.
I find great inspiration and energy in the fact that so many young people in our diocese step forward every year, seeking the anointing of the Holy Spirit and the fullness of initiation into the life of the Church.
Hearing them renew their Baptismal promises, anointing them with Sacred Chrism, and talking briefly about the meaning of this graced moment always moves me.
Despite all of the confusion, noise, darkness, and sin of our culture, they have heard the gentle, urgent, and loving voice of the Lord repeating, “Come follow Me.” Their Christian commitment stirs us to renew our own.
I ask every Confirmation candidate to write to me, articulating why they want to be confirmed in the Church. I read every letter with care, learning a little bit about their activities and interests, what saint they chose as their patron, who their sponsor is, and how God is present and active in their lives.
While the length, depth, and insight of the letters vary, every single one expresses a desire to draw closer to the Lord and to live the faith with generosity and conviction.
The youth are united through the Church
Here are some important things I have learned about our young people after reading thousands of Confirmation letters.
1. Young Catholics are seeking to make the faith their own.
They readily recognize that they need to appropriate religious belief into the circumstances of their lives; their faith practice cannot just be the fulfillment of their parents’ expectations.
Consequently, they rightfully grapple with many questions: Why does God allow suffering and death? How do we know that Catholic teaching is true? What does it mean to be a good person? Does God have a plan for my life? Questions and doubts can be a good springboard for maturing into the faith, as long as we keep seeking the answers in the Lord.
2. Young people experience and suffer a lot.
We may erroneously think that a teenager’s life is easy and uncomplicated, based on surface perceptions. Such is not the case. Many have suffered the death of a loved one, the pain of divorce, debilitating anxiety, the suicide of someone close to them, the rejection of friends, or pressure to perform academically and athletically. Such pain and trial naturally leads them to turn to God for answers and healing, but also raises questions about how sorrow and death fit into God’s plans and purposes. Their resilience and perseverance consistently inspire me.
3. Young Catholics are generous and idealistic.
Many write movingly about their volunteer experiences, helping those in need, as they serve in meal programs, help with parish social events, catechize younger children, or rake leaves or shovel snow for an elderly neighbor.
These encounters of charity in action are moments of transcendence for our Confirmation candidates, as they discover within themselves St. John Paul’s Law of the Gift, i.e., the paradox written on the human heart by God Himself that we can only discover and realize our truest self by making a gift of ourselves in love to another person.
We are made to love and be loved. Our young people intuitively grasp this truth and want to make the world a better place.
4. I have also come to see that many of our young Catholic brothers and sisters, as do many older members of the Church, struggle to build a living relationship with Christ, stay committed to Sunday Mass and regular prayer, and see the necessary connection between Jesus and the Church.
God can seem nebulous, Jesus can appear a distant figure, the Church viewed as just some big institution.
Keep growing
The challenge for all of us is to grow in our understanding of the Catholic faith, to persevere in the Sacraments and in prayer, so that God’s grace purifies our hearts and enlightens our understanding.
When we come to know the personal love of God, the presence of Jesus in our souls and the tenderness of the Church as our Mother, then faith becomes real for us and our active participation in the life of our parish and diocese gives us life and purpose.
I ask you to pray for all of our young people; they are all fighting a hard battle. Pray that the Holy Spirit strengthens, enlightens, and blesses them, so that they will know the overwhelming love of Christ, their own identity as beloved children of the Father, and their vocation in both the Church and the world.
I have been privileged to meet, know, and confirm thousands of very special young people.
I ask the Lord to protect them and keep them always faithful to their commitment as disciples of Jesus and His holy Gospel!