Stupid COVID has ruined so much of 2020, hasn't it? One of the biggest blows it dealt was the postponement of the sacraments. I feel so bad for all those who needed Annointing of the Sick, had a baby but couldn't get them baptized, planned a wedding that couldn't happen, prepared for First Holy Communion or Confirmation and then had to wait and see. It was especially hard to swallow when huge gatherings of protestors were allowed, but a gathering in a church - that would be too dangerous! Oy vey. We need to keep important what's truly important, and that is dying in the state of grace in this life to live eternally in the next.
Geesh Colleen, why you gotta be so morbid?
OK, I'll stop. Sorry, so much pent up frustration at current events.
Let's focus instead on the beautiful sacrament of Confirmation that Andrew received.
Andrew missed receiving Confirmation with his class while we were away in Ohio in July, and so our pastor was very accommodating and offered us a private Confirmation Mass. Andrew chose his Uncle Adam to be his sponsor, pictured above...masked in Mass. Andrew had wanted to pick Uncle Adam as his sponsor since he was a little kid, but Adam wasn't Catholic. I told Andrew to pray for his conversion so that he could have him as a sponsor one day (never telling Adam this) and Adam converted to Catholicism last Easter! Just in time for Andrew to start his preparation year for Confirmation. How great is God? So great! How powerful are prayers? So powerful!
John-Paul, Eamon, and Alexander served the Mass and it was beautiful.
Andrew's best friend, Caden, surprised us by showing up with his mom. So sweet!
My cutie patootie parents were there, as well as some other family members not pictured.
Andrew chose the Confirmation name Francis, after St. Francis of Assisi. Andrew was born on October 4th, which is St. Francis of Assisi's feast day...Phil and I attended Franciscan University...our first kiss was in Assisi...we got engaged behind the Port at FUS, which is a replica of St. Francis's chapel...and my parents are 3rd Order Franciscans. So yeah, there's a long Franciscan history in our family, and I'm so glad he chose Francis as his name! It selfishly makes me feel so much less guilty that I didn't just name him Andrew Francis at birth! (We middle-named him after my uncle who died while I was pregnant with him instead).
Haley and her fiance came too! Haley has been such a great support to our family, and an awesome role model for our kids in living the faith with joy.
Good old Mom and Dad were there too :)
Fr. Williams and Andrew look the same age - lucky him!
We went home for dinner, but first Haley and Jonathan had a very important question to ask her godson, Brendan...
Would he be her ring bearer?
...he said yes!
Andrew got a whole bunch of awesome religious gifts, including a Rugged Rosary from his godparents, a personalized Bible from his Nana and Gramps, a St. Francis tshirt, an All For sweatshirt, a St. Francis bracelet, a cross necklace from Haley, and a St. Francis medal from his sponsor. Not to mention a few generous cards! I'm so happy for him to be celebrated big because receiving this sacrament is a big deal! Welcome to the church as an adult, Andrew Pauric FRANCIS Martin. Keep the faith!
My husband loves his Rugged Rosary! So glad he was able to have a Mass not too far behind the rest of the group!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations! What a joy to see your family celebrating this special sacrament.
ReplyDeleteI thought Haley went to the convent! Nice to see her follow her path wherever it leads.
ReplyDeleteCongrats to Andrew!
I was wondering this too. She looks so happy with her new path!
DeleteYes, she entered and then discerned out, and then met her fiance! I should do an interview with her one day about it all :)
DeleteI would LOVE to hear an interview with her about this. It would be so interesting.
Delete"It was especially hard to swallow when huge gatherings of protestors were allowed, but a gathering in a church - that would be too dangerous! Oy vey."
ReplyDeleteI understand your frustration - I really do. I'm also finding it difficult to be denied any kind of gathering, be it a sacred one or just with loved ones.
But people weren't in the streets protesting for fun. George Floyd was killed. Breonna Taylor was killed in her own apartment, while sleeping. They're not the only ones...and if nothing changes, systemically, they won't be the last. That's a terrifying thought.
That's why people have taken to the streets.
Also - the virus can't spread as easily outdoors as indoors. Sure, it's possible, but evidence suggests it's a lot less likely.
So yes, I do share your frustration, but I don't think it's fair to suggest that church services and protesting the killing of black people are in any way comparable.
My point was simply that getherings ARE allowed to happen, with lots of people (lots unmasked and not socially distanced) that are causing spreads in Covid, but if a person needs a funeral mass, or annointing of the sick before death, that was deemed unsafe. People SHOULD be allowed to peacefully protest, but people SHOULD also be allowed to receive the sacraments.
DeleteWhere I live, I am so happy to see the church stepping up and beginning to address the issue of systemic race as a life issue. We have a long way to go but it is a beginning.
ReplyDeleteThe Catholic Church has always taught that racism is an evil. Unfortunately it's made up of humans who sin. I'm glad that our church is able to address these issues too, and start a healing process :)
DeleteI'm so glad you got to have family for the special sacrament. I agree with you about Church. It's a frustration for me that risks can't be assessed at a more local level. And that we are told bodies are more important than souls.
ReplyDelete