LINCOLN (SNR) – Bishop James Conley’s latest pastoral letter was released Jan. 12, “Confirmed for Mission.”
The letter is intended to highlight the missionary and evangelical dimension of the sacrament of Confirmation.
While Bishop Conley is currently on medical leave, the release of the letter, written months ago, remained on schedule as a testament to the bishop’s commitment to that goal. The release date, the feast of the Baptism of the Lord, was specifically chosen, as it is the day on which God anointed Jesus with the Holy Spirit and power for his public ministry.
Father Andrew Heaslip, director of religious education, said the idea for the pastoral letter was a collaborative effort between Bishop Conley, director of youth ministry Jeff Schinstock, and himself. The three were discussing a cover letter for the “Confirmed for Mission” curriculum and the conversation developed into why a short pastoral letter on Confirmation would be the most effective.
“I’d like to offer this pastoral letter on Confirmation,” the bishop writes, “in order to highlight the evangelical dimension of this sacrament and to offer a word of exhortation on the vital importance of continuing in the mission of the Church after Confirmation.”
Confirmation is “the special outpouring of the Holy Spirit as once granted to the apostles on the day of Pentecost,” according to the Catechism of the Catholic Church (paragraph 1302).
Without Confirmation, Father Heaslip explained, “our Christian initiation is incomplete and we are not fully incorporated into Christ’s mystical body, the Church.
“Since the Church exists to evangelize and is missionary by her very nature,” he continued, “we need the anointing of the Holy Spirit that is given in Confirmation to fully live out our evangelical mission.”
The Office of Religious Education in dialogue with Bishop Conley and in collaboration with the Offices of Education, Youth Ministry, and Evangelization has been dedicating its energy toward a renewal of Confirmation.
The Lincoln Diocese is carrying out this renewal of Confirmation with a new Confirmation curriculum for the diocesan Catholic schools and CCD programs, a digital textbook based on the curriculum, annual Confirmation retreats, and a “Little Catechism on Confirmation.”
“In this sacrament,” Father Heaslip said, “the Holy Spirit comes to the confirmed in a new way and empowers them to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ boldly. By reflecting on the work of the Holy Spirit in the mission of Jesus Christ and the Early Church, we can grasp the missionary character of Confirmation, and through the grace this sacrament gives, have the power to proclaim the Gospel, witness to Jesus, and engage in prayer with others.”
The bishop’s pastoral letter is short and easy to read; intended for distribution to all Confirmation programs in the Lincoln Diocese. It will also serve as the introductory cover letter for the curriculum and Little Catechism.
“The bishop’s letter is an incredible catechesis on what the sacrament of confirmation actually is,” Schinstock said. “It is aimed to aid parents in their role as primary educators in equipping their children to live a full Christian life.
“The whole project is aimed at helping all of us recognize our dignity and duty as Christians sealed with the Holy Spirit,” he continued. “The graces of this sacrament truly give us the ability to go about the great commission.
The Office of Religious Education formally released the new Confirmed for Mission curriculum Jan. 12. It will be implemented in the 2020-21 school year.
“Several Confirmation teachers are generously piloting the curriculum in order to make their lessons available to all CCD and Catholic school teachers,” Father Heaslip said. For a video introduction to the Confirmation curriculum or to view a draft of it, visit: www.lincolndiocese.org/curriculum-requirements/confirmation-5th-7th-grade. The digital textbook will be written to grade level, available in print, and for use by CCD and Catholic school teachers in the classroom.
The Little Catechism on Confirmation for all ages will mirror and complement the new curriculum. Copies will be available this spring. The Diocese of Lincoln also has a Little Catechism on the Holy Eucharist and a Little Catechism on Confession.
The first diocesan Confirmation retreat was held in September, and the registrations filled so quickly, Father Heaslip said, they scheduled a second retreat. Now that the second retreat has more than 230 participants, he’s scheduled a third. They will be held Feb. 8 at North American Martyrs Parish in Lincoln, from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and March 28 at the Cathedral of the Risen Christ in Lincoln, from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Father Heaslip and Schinstock will present, as will Matt Simmons, director of the Office of Evangelization and Spiritual Formation; Father Joseph Bernardo, chaplain at Pius X High School in Lincoln; and Rose Walsh, a fifth-grade teacher at Cathedral of the Risen Christ School. The cost is $15 per person and registration is available at www.lincolndiocese.org/catechist-resources/confirmation-retreat.
The retreats emphasize the evangelical nature of Confirmation, Christian mission, and the power of parents’ prayer with their children.
The retreats are intended for those children planning to be confirmed and their parents. Confirmation sponsors are also welcomed – there needs to be one adult present with the child, especially for the parents’ prayer with their children.
