Pastor’s Piece – May 16

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Congratulations to the newly Confirmed at St. Stephen the Martyr and St. Katharine Drexel!

St. Katharine Drexel Mission:

  • Daniel Breton
  • Mary Anna Caufman
  • Molly Douglas
  • Avery Fetner
  • Joseph Gioffre
  • Evan Hatch
  • Karsten Hill
  • Zoey Kerns
  • Jacob Lail
  • Vivienne Lynch
  • Sam Michel
  • Jacob Roach
  • Samantha Roth
  • Jack Ryan
  • Abigail Skiba
  • Maksim Spahic
  • Taylor Strotheide
  • Peter Surabian
  • Emma Tirrell
  • Kaitlyn Torrey
  • Lydia Wiggins
  • Kenzie Alex
  • Ryan Canton
  • John Carney
  • Oliver Daniel
  • Michael Dalton
  • Emily Dunk
  • Matthew Gentile
  • Elle Gutermuth
  • Ethan Johnson
  • Layla Maglich
  • James Mangiaracina
  • Luca Masci
  • Brooklyn McGinley
  • Vincenzo Misuraca
  • Declan Morrison
  • Quinn Moynihan
  • Tomas Munoz
  • Julia Nazzaro
  • Landon Ray
  • Samuel Severino
  • Noah Szczypinski

Thank you to all our catechists. This year, as you know, had its special challenges. Nevertheless, I thought that it was important to have in-person learning for the Confirmandi and these volunteers rose to the challenge. I am very grateful to Nicole & Nathan Lynch, Monica Artieda, Colleen Batsakis and Kendall Parker facilitating my desire and being there for these children.

I don’t know if they are prepared for the challenges that they will face in living the faith in which they have been
confirmed. They will confront obstacles to living faithfully like never before, without the support of a culture regarding the basic understanding of male and female, marriage, right and wrong, and even objective truth. It seems like a quaint time when the issues that historically have set us Catholics apart were the Seven Sacraments, the perpetual virginity of the Blessed Mother, the Real Presence, or papal infallibility. I don’t know if they are prepared for the task they will face, but I do know that without a doubt, they are equipped. They have the fullness of the initiation into Christ’s Church. The one institution promised to endure till the end. They are equipped with Faith, Hope and Charity, the Bread of Angels and recourse to the Sacrament of Penance. Additionally, they have the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit: Wisdom, Understanding, Knowledge, Counsel, Piety, Courage, and Fear of the Lord. Along with the knowledge that Divine Omniscience has seen fit to place them here, and in this moment, with these challenges, they should give all of us confidence. It is an exciting time.

In Christ’s Peace,

Fr. Murphy