Posts Tagged ‘Confirmation’

Bishops urged not to resume confirmation and first communion ceremonies

Thursday, August 5th, 2021
SkyNews

A diverse group including Ireland’s Health Minister Stephen Donnelly, a clerical abuse survivor and the co-founders of the Association of Catholic Priests (ACP) are urging Catholic bishops not to resume confirmation and first communion ceremonies. “When you’re dealing with a deadly virus, ultimately what you’re doing is putting people’s lives at risk,” Donnelly says. Clerical Read more

Irish Catholic dioceses defy govt’s no baptism, confirmation, communion rule

Monday, August 2nd, 2021
Independent.ie

Several Irish Catholic dioceses are defying a government ban on celebrating sacraments of initiation. They are planning to hold the ceremonies from mid-August. Bishop Kevin Doran of Elphin says after consulting with clergy, baptisms, First Holy Communions and confirmation ceremonies will be held. The regulations for general religious services will be followed. “The mission of Read more

Speedy ceremonies risk reducing sacramental acts to commodities

Thursday, September 24th, 2020
first communion

Parishes risk reducing sacramental acts to commodities when they bow to pressure to rush through First Communion and Confirmation ceremonies. “Some efforts, often well intentioned, run the risk of reducing the administration of sacramental acts almost to the level of a supermarket in which you can drop in and ‘get the sacrament done.’ “This would Read more

Never “go to war” over timing of Confirmation

Monday, June 29th, 2020

The Catholic Church wants to change its way of doing catechesis and its way of looking at catechism. On June 25 The Pontifical Council for Promoting the New Evangelisation released a new Directory for Catechesis. Previously catechesis was the responsibility of the Congregation for the Clergy. The new directory underlines that every baptised person is Read more

Mafia godfathers banned from baptisms

Monday, March 27th, 2017

Mafia godfathers – bosses of the scandalous crime syndicates – have been banned from standing as godparents at baptisms or as sponsors at confirmations. Sicilian Archbishop Michele Pennisi, an outspoken Mafia critic, says he wants to challenge the idea that crime bosses have a paternal side. “The Mafia has always taken the term godfather from Read more

Don’t celebrate Confirmation as the sacrament of leaving the Church

Tuesday, May 17th, 2016

There’s an old joke about two pastors discussing the problem of bats in the attic of their respective churches. “I’ve tried everything,” Father Brown complains to Father Smith. “Exterminators, electric wires, traps, poison—everything—but I just can’t seem to get rid of them.” Father Smith smiles and says, “Don’t worry. I have found the perfect solution. Read more

Confirmation seen as graduation out of the Church

Friday, May 1st, 2015

Honolulu diocese is planning to return to the traditional order of the sacraments of initiation because Confirmation of teens isn’t working well. In a pastoral letter, Bishop Larry Silva said Confirmation is “often experienced more as a graduation from the Church than as a free gift of God’s grace”. He cited Pope Francis’s 2013 description Read more

No Sacrament of Confirmation for son of Mafia boss

Friday, November 28th, 2014

It’s long been accused of adopting an at best ambiguous role in the fight against organised crime in Sicily, but the Catholic Church has now taken a symbolic stand against the Mafia in its Palermo heartland by refusing to give the sacraments to the son of a notorious Cosa Nostra crime lord. Despite protests from Read more

Church cannot shy away from talking about sex

Friday, November 22nd, 2013

A common activity in youth work is to use the day’s newspapers to help start a discussion with young people. I can only imagine the apprehension of any church youth leaders using this activity last Wednesday. The Daily Mail headline, ‘Minister: My fear for boys warped by porn’ could have produced a rather uncomfortable conversation. Read more

Same-sex Facebook post cancels confirmation

Tuesday, November 20th, 2012

A family and their parish in Minnesota are in conflict after a teenage son missed out on the sacrament of confirmation because of his Facebook post in support of same-sex marriage. Lennon Cihak, 17, was on track to be confirmed at Assumption Church, Barnesville — until parish priest Father Gray LaMoine saw the teenager’s photo Read more