Our Second Confirmand

Subtitled: Two Down, Five to Go! 

(The goal being a big ol’ reunion in heaven.)

Son Number Two was confirmed on Saturday. Yes, there was snow on the ground on this sunny April morning, but there wasn’t pouring rain and high winds like last time, so we’ll take it.

I love sacramental Masses. I despise getting everyone out the door, but I truly love these sacramental Masses.

Hey, everyone, I’d like you to meet Son Number Two!

Otherwise known as a Soldier of Christ.

Otherwise known as Pio.

Isn’t he handsome?

(My son, not my friend Ruth Ann’s husband. That would be inappropriate.)

 Having spilled the beans that Bishop Piché’s “in the family,” (not really, but I like to pretend), can I share with you a very sweet story? On our way to our reserved family pew, Jem and I crossed paths with the Bishop. I re-introduced ourselves and mentioned (naturally) (you know me) the fact that Jem’s godmother was the Bishop’s sister.

“Oh!” he responded, then, “Is she here?”

He said this with such earnest simplicity that I was reminded, truly, of Saints Benedict and Scholastica. I don’t imagine that they see each other that often–not nearly enough, anyway, but when they do? What joy.

His sermon was, as always, true to form: simple, funny, anecdotal, profound. He has a way of speaking to his audience that reminds me of Our Lord and His parables. In this case, the Bishop spoke to the teens of technology–of iPods and iPhones and his own (the Bishop’s) hilarious exchange with a technician.

The Bishop’s iTunes wouldn’t synch with his computer. He called “some guy in Sri Lanka” who advised,”You need to delete your account and re-install it.” The Bishop didn’t want to delete all his songs, understandably, but the technician assured him, “Trust me.”

Can you see where this is going? One of the readings was from Ezekiel:

And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove your heart of stone  and give you a heart of flesh.

Do we trust Our Lord enough to give Him our heart and all its longings? Do we trust Him enough to give Him the good and the gunk?

Moving on…

The group from our parish was ENORMOUS. Here’s a shot of the kids on the left:

And here’s a shot of the kids on the right:

You’ll note that I’ve conveniently labeled my son.

So now we’re done with new sacraments for another couple years, which means One) a great big sigh of relief and Two) a need to make the most of where we’re at in the meantime.

In our case, “where we’re at” is crazy.

Praise God and pass the sunshine.

Do you have any kids that were confirmed this year? Who were the saints that became their new patrons?