We’re getting busy with sacraments around here!
Middle Sister and I attended the mandatory “student and parent” Confirmation retreat on Tuesday. Despite the fact that her class had made a Confirmation retreat in December, the DRE required this one as well. There was a Mass (nice!) and then a craft project. May I rant? What a waste of time! They had to compose a prayer, as a group, then make it into a banner. OK, prayers are good. Let each student compose one. We don’t need markers, glue and foam stickers on felt banners. The kids felt like this was for little kids, not for them.
Sometime between now and February 8, she has to decorate a candle as well. Why is it that some people believe that you can’t have a sacrament without an accompanying art project?
More importantly, is she ready for the sacrament? Who knows? Certainly nothing at the retreat indicated whether anyone was or was not ready. She’s curious–but not committed. And one of her friends is not being confirmed; she is Baptist. Middle Sister wanted to know if this friend would be confirmed, and I replied that I thought she wouldn’t have something called “Confirmation” but instead would have to publicly accept Jesus as her Lord and Savior. “Do we do that?” Middle Sister wondered.
“Every time we go to Communion,” I informed her.
Meanwhile, Little Brother is having his “practice confession” today in preparation for Saturday’s First Reconciliation. It should be interesting to hear what he has to say about today’s events.
