Sacrament of Confirmation vs Reality of Apostasy

A Fictional Story

An early Sunday afternoon and the parish of St. Andrew welcomes the local Bishop for a Confirmation included within a Holy Mass. The confirmands and their sponsors are ready along with many parishioners as well. There is a sense of joy as they all are waiting for this sacrament to take place in their small but very active and evangelistic Church. Everyone stands as the bishop and the rest of the entrance procession begins as they all sing, “Come Holy Ghost…”

Just several feet away on a lower ball field there also is a crowd of adults watching the final game between the two top teams, playing the final game of the series which has come to the final inning to determine which will walk away with the trophy of Best Team in the community.

This game has come to the bottom of the ninth inning with the home team up to bat. Standing in the batter’s box is a student that should be in Church with his classmates for his confirmation. On the pitcher’s mound is another student who also belongs to the same church and should be in church for his confirmation, as well. Their absence is no surprise since both have missed all of the CCD sessions that were preparation for this sacrament. After school classes for confirmation were in conflict with the practice for the ball game that occurs today.

One group of adults at the ball game are the parents and family members who do not care if the classes for Confirmation took place as the practice for ball players must come first if they hope to win their games.

Back in the Church the bishop has arrived into the Sanctuary and begins Mass with the “Collect.” The congregation listen intently to the words that will open their minds and hearts to what will proceed for the Mass and the Sacrament of Confirmation.

On the field the home-team has two outs, the batter has 3 balls and 2 strikes, and they have runners on 2nd and 3rd bases. The score is home team 0 and the visiting team has one run. A strikeout means the visitors win and become the community champions. A base hit into the short out field will be enough to bring these to base runners home and the home-team will become the community champions. The batter stands ready waiting for this last pitch. The pitcher winds up and lets go a fast-ball clocked at 95 mph aiming at the batter.

At St. Andrews the students lineup to stand before the bishop as he anoints each one with Chrism on the forehead as he says, “Receive the Gift of the Holy Spirit.” Chrism is so essential. We receive it at baptism on the crown, in Confirmation on their foreheads, and priests are anointed with this special oil at their ordination. The people are intrigued as their children are now what used to be called soldiers of Christ at Conformation. The people will greet the bishop and stay for pictures at the end of Holy Mass. The confirmands have become closer to Christ through the Sacrament of Confirmation.

O Yes, the game has ended and one team went home with a victory while the other team just went home. These students have become pawns of an evil called Apostasy and no one on that field have any regrets since the adults do not attend Mass, care very little about God, and the mockery of removing God and Church somewhere in the past, and are sending a mixed message to their children regarding Church Sacraments and the future of their souls. This is a

Fictional story but in actuality it is the truth of what is happening to the Church and God?

Ralph B. Hathaway