Two hundred twenty-two people from 30 parishes across the eight-county Diocese of Cleveland were confirmed in two liturgies on April 19 and 26 in the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist.
Bishop Edward Malesic presided at the first liturgy, confirming 132 people from 13 parishes. Auxiliary Bishop Michael Woost confirmed 90 people from 17 parishes at the second liturgy.
“You will be sent out as evangelists,” Bishop Malesic told the confirmandi. “You are to be missionaries to make him (Jesus) known, loved and served … You are receiving the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit today.”
(See above for a combined photo gallery from the two confirmation liturgies.)
Bishop Woost reminded those being confirmed that “Today is not a graduation from faith formation, it continues throughout your life … We’ll all encounter the Spirit today and we should all walk out of here changed.”
He said our parish communities are not isolated. Rather, they are part of something much bigger: the Body of Christ.
Both bishops noted that the confirmandi were chosen and they have a mission to help spread the good news of salvation and God’s abundant love.
“Confirmation is a strengthening of your baptismal call,” Bishop Woost said at the April 26 liturgy. “Think about how God is calling you to your baptismal call.”
Bishop Malesic had this advice for the confirmandi: “Trust in Jesus and he will see you through anything.”
Now that they have received the gifts of the Holy Spirit – wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety and fear of the Lord – Bishop Woost urged the newly confirmed to use those gifts in their lives.
“Peter said, ‘Repent, be baptized and filled with the Holy Spirit.’ That promise, made 2,000 years ago, is happening again this afternoon. Jesus has come to give us life more abundantly, to give us what we need the most,” he said.
Bishop Malesic offered this advice to the newly confirmed: “Young people: Don’t let anyone take or steal away your faith.”
There were multiple concelebrants, including pastors or parochial vicars from the parishes of the confirmandi, at each liturgy.
The diocesan confirmation Masses included parishes with smaller numbers of confirmandi and those who were unable to attend their parish’s scheduled confirmation liturgy.