Community spirit affirmed at joint Confirmation
STAFF WRITER
Nearly a thousand friends and relatives crowded into the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Albany recently to witness an unusual service: more than 70 young people from nine separate parishes were confirmed together.
The celebration is one of many methods the Albany Diocese is developing so that parishes with small faith formation programs can have the kind of Confirmation ceremony found at larger churches.
"Everyone wants the Bishop to come to their parish," said Jeanne Schrempf, director of the diocesan Office of Evangelization and Catechesis. But that isn't always possible for smaller churches.
Said David Stagliano, pastoral associate for youth ministry at St. Vincent de Paul parish in Cobleskill, "it doesn't make sense to have your own service when you only have two candidates."
Combo class
At another of the Schoharie cluster parishes, St. Catherine's in Middleburgh, the Confirmation class consisted of two people. Similarly, two Cohoes parishes -- St. Bernard's and Holy Trinity -- had fewer than ten confirmands each.
In the past, parishes in that situation could have a joint or deanery-wide ceremony. This year, they had a new option: going to the Cathedral, which is marking its 150th anniversary this year.
"We know how busy the Bishop is," Mr. Stagliano said. "This gave our people a chance to go to Albany and see the Cathedral. Some of them have never seen it. Being so far away, this might be the only opportunity they get go up there."
Joining the parishes already named were St. Francis de Sales in Loudonville, St. Joseph's in Schoharie, Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Watervliet, St. Mary's in Sharon Springs and LaSalle School in Albany.
United
While some parishes participated in the joint Confirmation because of practical issues, others cited spiritual reasons as a motivating factor.
For example, Denise Miller, religious education coordinator at Holy Trinity, hoped that her three candidates captured a "sense of extended community" when they came together with other teenagers from around the Diocese.
"We are one Diocese, and the more people realize that beyond each parish is one Church, the better," she said.
Community-building is an important thing for rural parishes to pursue, Mr. Stagliano said, adding: "We like to gather everyone together into one large community. Being a rural area, it's more important to share resources."
'Positive'
Mrs. Schrempf called the Cathedral Confirmation "a very positive celebration for small parishes that would be clustering with somebody anyway."
She called the many pluses of the ceremony -- the atmosphere of the Cathedral, and involvement of the candidates in lectoring, ministering the Eucharist and saying the Prayer of the Faithful -- "beautiful."