By Bishop David Ricken
One of the things I enjoy most about being a bishop is celebrating the sacrament of confirmation. Confirmations give me an opportunity to travel around our beautiful diocese to various parish communities. It is not unusual that 35 confirmations are celebrated each year. I really enjoy getting to meet with our people and their families at each confirmation.
It brings me great joy to anoint and confer the Holy Spirit upon each of them under the patronage of their confirmation saint’s name. Another meaningful and encouraging aspect of each confirmation is the reading of the confirmands’ letters to me, asking for confirmation and sharing with me how well disposed they are to receiving the sacrament.
Confirmation celebrations allow me to connect with the pastors, the catechists and the parishes that come together. A few years ago, I was celebrating over 50 confirmations annually. Recently we made the good decision to consolidate our confirmations, which brings together local parishes and provides the confirmands with a more uplifting experience and fuller expression of the church (rather than a half-filled church). I am so happy that parish leaders and volunteers collaborate and prepare together in each parish cluster to ensure that students and the sacrament are well prepared.
I am deeply grateful to my Norbertine brothers, Abbot Dane Radecki and Abbot Gary Neville, who assist me in celebrating a few confirmations each year. I am blessed to be assisted by my capable master of ceremonies (and driver), Fr. Mark Mleziva, the Vocation director, who also instructs the candidates on vocations before Mass begins.
In my confirmation homily, I enjoy highlighting the life of a saint and how their life relates to the youth, such as Blessed Carlo Acutis, who died only a few years ago at the age of 15 and will be canonized in April of 2025. Last year, I preached about how St. Francis of Assisi is a model of holiness and radical discipleship and, this year, St. Teresa of Kolkata (Mother Teresa of Calcutta) is my subject and model. Each one of these saints has cooperated with Christ to an exemplary degree and are role models for all of us. The Lord raises up saints in each generation to help us and calls us to be saints in our world.
If you are baptized and confirmed, you have the very same calling from God. Every one of us is called to be a saint. Let me encourage you, as I do the students being confirmed, to come to know Jesus personally, walk with him every day and dedicate your lives to loving and serving him through prayer and acts of service to your neighbor.
I love confirmations. The celebrations remind me that we are all on the journey to heaven together. And with the power and gifts of the Holy Spirit provided by the sacrament, we can say “yes” to Jesus in every decision we make.
It is such a privilege to meet young people seeking our Lord in the sacrament of confirmation and to give them gifts that will last a lifetime!