Bishop Wester confirms St. Olaf teens

Intermountain Catholic

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Bishop Wester (right) asks the confirmandi to name the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, and how they can use those gifts to bring about greater unity in their lives either at home, school, or in their parish. IC photo by Christine Young

BOUNTIFUL — "I thank you for taking this important step and we welcome you fully into the church," said Bishop John Wester of the Diocese of Salt Lake City to the eighth-graders at St. Olaf Parish March 22.

"This is my first confirmation in the diocese, so I will remember you all very well," said Bishop Wester. "I remember the first confirmation I did in September of 1998, so you will all be very special to me.

"Usually now I would welcome all of you, but since I am new, you are all welcoming me," said Bishop Wester. "I thank you for your warm welcome."

Bishop Wester said he would like to see the confirmandi throughout the diocese take away from their experience a real sense that they are fully initiated into the church now. They are fully participating members and that with the gifts of the Holy Spirit they can use those gifts to serve the church and the wider community. He would like to see them draw closer to Christ and be instruments of unity in what can be a very fragmented world.

In his meeting with the confirmandi before Mass, Bishop Wester told them confirmation is a sacrament of initiation into adulthood. He said the Holy Spirit is constantly bringing us together.

"Christ came to teach us to be one, and the Holy Spirit enables us to do that," he said. "The Holy Spirit is a gift."

Bishop Wester quizzed the confirmandi about the seven gifts of the spirit and asked them to name the gifts. One-by-one they said wisdom, understanding, courage, knowledge, fear of God, piety, and fortitude. He gave the class an example of how he could get angry and shake his fist at someone who cut in front of him in rush-hour traffic, which could lead to a fight, or, he could use the Spirit’s gift of understanding, and let the situation go peacefully.

In his homily, Bishop Wester asked the confirmandi how someone their age could use one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit to bring about greater unity in their lives either at home, school, or in their parish.

He brought up the example of a how the confirmandi would react to a friend being criticized. Sara Calicchia said it would take courage to stand up for your friend.

Bishop Wester then asked them to name some of the fears they may have. When no one answered, he said public speaking seems to be one of them. He said the fear of death and the fear of failure are some examples.

"The common thread in all of our fears is being isolated, being alone, or being forgotten," said Bishop Wester. "In death we are separated from our loved ones and left behind. In public speaking, we are singled out and somehow separated.

"We human beings have it deep within us that we want to be united," said Bishop Wester. "At your age, you know about peer pressure, and how it would be to show up at a party or an event and be completely dressed inappropriately, and be singled out."

Bishop Wester said we are created in the image of God and we cannot speak about that without speaking of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

"When we talk about the Trinity, we talk about the unity of persons," said Bishop Wester. "God by his very nature is unity. Three persons, but one God. Jesus came to us so we might be once again made one with God. We lost that union through original sin, and so Jesus came to restore the union we lost. Ultimately Jesus died on the cross so that we could be one with God forever. Jesus conquered sin and death. Not even sin, death, or any fear can separate us from the love of God."

Alexandra Welninski said being confirmed was a great experience and she liked learning about the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit.

Ian Laverty said now that he is confirmed, he feels closer to God.

Sara Calicchia said being confirmed means the Holy Spirit will be with her throughout her life to help lead her.