The outpouring of sacraments in this season of Easter continues as we celebrate Confirmation this weekend with our young people. At the Mass, they will renew the vows of their baptism. They will profess their belief in God and renounce Satan and all his empty show. 

As we grow from childhood, we learn to recognize “empty show.” We realize how gullible we are to believe that if we step on a crack, we will break our mother’s back. Or that if we touch a toad, we will get warts. As we grow in the Holy Spirit, we realize how gullible we are to believe that sin can bring us happiness or that any of sin’s pleasures are worth it – or will not lead to greater misery.  

How much empty pomp we still fall for! There is a lot of ballyhoo and ostentatious fuss all around us seeking to lure and deceive us. Come Holy Spirit!

This is the second year in a row that, because of the response to COVID, we will not celebrate Confirmation at the Basilica with a Bishop. We are blessed to confer the sacrament right here at St. Vincent de Paul. Pray for our young people! They are great signs of hope among us. 

Fr. Dennis Zehren
Pastor

Information on the return to public Mass.