Flocknote

St. Michael the Archangel Pastorate

Sacred Heart, Remington

Sts. Peter & Paul, Goodland

St. Augustine, Rensselaer

Friday Flocknote - August 12th, 2022

Father Joshua Bennett, Missionary Pastor fr.jbennett@dol-in.org

Marie Oliver, Director of Operations marieoliver@parish.dol-in.org

Kris Dobson, Coordinator of Continuing Formation and Evangelization kdobson@parish.dol-in.org

Sarah Hall, Coordinator of Youth Religious Education shall@parish.dol-in.org

Natalia Brady, Administrative Assistant for the Pastorate nbrady@parish.dol-in.org

Nancy Goodwin, Bookkeeper for Sacred Heart & Sts. Peter and Paul ngoodwin@parish.dol-in.org

“I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing!” Luke 12:49

This week we celebrated the Sacrament of Confirmation here in our pastorate with our youth. These young men and women spent the past year in our religious Faith formation classes, learning more about themselves and their relationship with Christ. They also participated in a 5-day retreat in South Bend in June, really diving into theology of Confirmation and the mysteries of our Faith. Finally, together with their sponsors, they completed a workbook, talking through and discussing with their sponsors various aspects of their faith and how together as a team, they could successfully reach the goal of our Faith: Salvation.

One of the best parts of this preparation is the two essays I have each confirmation student prepare. One is about their Confirmation/Patron Saint. Every year I read these essays and see how seriously our youth take this responsibility of choosing a saint to bear their name upon Confirmation. Every year, there is always an essay or two that relates how the student, because of the essay, learned so much more than they thought they knew, by doing some research and really deepening their connection to this holy soul in heaven.

The second and final essay is an essay that I send to the bishop in the final preparation for their Confirmation: “Why I want be Confirmed.” This is not only important because it is a good exercise for the young man or woman to put into words their desire, but it is also critical to the validity of the Sacrament, that they do intend to receive the Sacrament. I send these letters to Bishop Doherty, as he is the minister of this Sacrament, and in this way, they have a unique opportunity to communicate to him why this is important to them and what spiritual graces they hope to achieve.

These young people who were confirmed this year did a wonderful job of participating in all of these various aspects of formation and on Wednesday evening were indeed set ablaze by the Fire of the Holy Spirit! For, indeed, when Christ says in our Gospel today, “I have come to set the earth on fire,” He is speaking of that zeal that transforms the world!

As I mentioned to our Confirmation students and as I have and will say until I don’t have air in my lungs: Confirmation is not the end of anything, this is just the beginning! Sadly, there are people who have come to interpret the Sacrament of Confirmation as a rite of passage or graduation from religious education and religious Faith formation. This could not be any more false! Confirmation, in our diocese, is the third of the three sacraments of initiation! By the reception of Confirmation, the newly confirmed is fully initiated in the Church for the beginning of a new life of grace with the assistance of the Seven-Fold gifts of the Holy Spirit. This life of grace is constantly nourished by continued study of the Sacred Scriptures, continued growth and development in the prayer life, and the continued willingness to reach out and serve one’s neighbor. This also includes a faithful adherence to the practice of the faith, which includes weekly Sunday Mass, regular confession, tithing of time, talent and treasure and fulfilling all the precepts of the Faith.

Last Sunday Jesus said, “Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more.” (Luke 12:48) All of us who have been received into the Church and especially those of us who have been fully initiated, meaning having been baptized, confirmed and received Holy Communion, have been given much – literally everything by Christ – His FLESH! As a result, much is expected us. If we receive the sacraments then abandon His Body, the Church, and the teachings that define our Faith, we are reneging on the Profession of Faith we made at our Confirmation and telling God we are unwilling to give in proportion to what we have received.

The call to discipleship is hard! That is why Christ gave us the Sacrament of Confirmation! Like a soldier after boot camp is commissioned to go off to battle, with the skills, armor and weapons necessary to be successful; so, we too, as has long been understood, who have been confirmed, are Christian Soldiers, armed with God’s Grace to win the battle over evil and to triumph in the Love of Christ! As St Paul writes to the Ephesians of this reality:
“Therefore, put on the armor of God, that you may be able to resist on the evil day and, having done everything, to hold your ground. So stand fast with your loins girded in truth, clothed with righteousness as a breastplate, and your feet shod in readiness for the gospel of peace. In all circumstances, hold faith as a shield, to quench all [the] flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” (Eph 6:13-17)

Congratulations to all our newly confirmed and to all of us who have been confirmed, perhaps this is a great reminder of the gift we have and the responsibility we have to live out this great calling from God to greatness!

God Bless,
Fr. Bennett
Most Sacred Heart of Jesus – Have Mercy On Us!
Immaculate Heart of Mary – Pray For Us
Sts. Joseph, Michael, Peter, Paul and Augustine – Pray For Us

Youth Ministry Grades K-12

August 17th St. Augustine Catechist Meeting
@ 6:30pm CT St. Augustine Basement
August 31st Sacred Heart & Sts. Peter & Paul
Catechist Meeting @ 6:00pm ET Fulcher Center
August 31st St. Augustine Peer Minister meeting
@ 6:30pm CT St. Augustine Basement
September 7th St. Augustine Faith Formation Kick-off Grades K-12 @ 6:30-7:30pm CT in the St. Augustine Gym
September 11th Sacred Heart & Sts. Peter & Paul
Faith Formation Kick-Off Grades K-12
@ 9:45-10:45am ET Fulcher Center