Adding Things to the Mass - Confirmation

[PeteZaHut]

I’m 16 and going through the Confirmation process. I think most of it is a complete waste of time, not because I don’t want to be Confirmed, but because I want to be properly prepared for Confirmation, and this process is doing anything but that. I consider myself to take my religion very seriously.

This weekend, I was on a retreat as part of the Confirmation process. The reatreat was a combination of multiple parishes, and it was run by a parish other than my own. We had Mass Saturday night at 11:30 PM in an auditorium. It went kind of unusually. The priest said some things in places that I had never heard them said before, but I didn’t think too much of this. Then, we had communion. Immediately after communion, the priest cleared the altar (which was covered with a childish cloth with a flame design to fit the theme “feed the flame”). Since we were in an auditorium, they pulled down a screen and showed us a slideshow of pictures from throughout the retreat. This went on for at least 15 minutes. Then the priest came back up and did the Concluding Rite. I was disgusted and offended. To top that, they then announced that they needed volunteers to consume extra communion hosts.

I learned in Theology class that the first commandment forbids any false worship, which would include excessive worship (adding inappropriate things to the Mass - slideshow). I was told by a woman who helps run the retreat that it was okay to have a slideshow in the Mass. She also told me that anyone could consume hosts after Mass. Another woman told me that it was only Eucharistic Ministers who had consumed hosts. I had thought that only the priest could do that anyway. What is the ruling on that? Do you agree with me about the slideshow, because I am considering taking serious action with my Church.

Also, the deacon who runs my Confirmation program told us that if we did not attend this retreat, we would have to attend another reatreat later to make up for it, or we would not be confirmed. Keep in mind this retreat went from Friday at 6:30 to Sunday at noon. Plus, it is a waste of time, and I came away from it not closer to God, but angry at the people who ran it. Can my deacon do this? Is there any way he could keep us from being confirmed? Does the Church have regulations for the process of preparing for Confirmation?

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

I’m 16 and going through the Confirmation process. I think most of it is a complete waste of time, not because I don’t want to be Confirmed, but because I want to be properly prepared for Confirmation, and this process is doing anything but that. I consider myself to take my religion very seriously.

This weekend, I was on a retreat as part of the Confirmation process. The reatreat was a combination of multiple parishes, and it was run by a parish other than my own. We had Mass Saturday night at 11:30 PM in an auditorium. It went kind of unusually. The priest said some things in places that I had never heard them said before, but I didn’t think too much of this. Then, we had communion. Immediately after communion, the priest cleared the altar (which was covered with a childish cloth with a flame design to fit the theme “feed the flame”). Since we were in an auditorium, they pulled down a screen and showed us a slideshow of pictures from throughout the retreat. This went on for at least 15 minutes. Then the priest came back up and did the Concluding Rite. I was disgusted and offended. To top that, they then announced that they needed volunteers to consume extra communion hosts.

I learned in Theology class that the first commandment forbids any false worship, which would include excessive worship (adding inappropriate things to the Mass - slideshow). I was told by a woman who helps run the retreat that it was okay to have a slideshow in the Mass. She also told me that anyone could consume hosts after Mass. Another woman told me that it was only Eucharistic Ministers who had consumed hosts. I had thought that only the priest could do that anyway. What is the ruling on that? Do you agree with me about the slideshow, because I am considering taking serious action with my Church.

Also, the deacon who runs my Confirmation program told us that if we did not attend this retreat, we would have to attend another reatreat later to make up for it, or we would not be confirmed. Keep in mind this retreat went from Friday at 6:30 to Sunday at noon. Plus, it is a waste of time, and I came away from it not closer to God, but angry at the people who ran it. Can my deacon do this? Is there any way he could keep us from being confirmed? Does the Church have regulations for the process of preparing for Confirmation?

A Mass can be celebrated on Saturday evening for a special Group or purpose or intention. The readings most likely were not the readings from this Sunday. After Communion after the remaining Host are taken away and the remaining Blood of Christ is consumed there may be announcements before the final Blessing. The slide show maybe pushed this a bit. but understanding what the Mass was for I can see this.

Any priest, deacon or EMHC could consume the remaining Hosts. I assume that was required because there was no tabernacle available.

The Church has very complicated rules for Confirmation preparation. It says that those seeking the Sacrament of Confirmation must be properly prepared to receive it.

Yup, that’s it. Now, however each Bishop will establish policies and processes to insure this. The Bishop determines who will and who will not be Confirmed. However that does not mean that others cannot cause problems for you.

 

[StephanieC]

Pete, your post could have been written by me–20 years ago, though–excepting that you sound like you’ve gotten a lot more solid catechesis under your belt than I had at your age. That is a HUGE gift from God in your favor.

Please don’t let this retreat experience, and the whole lousy prep. for Confirmation harden your heart about the Catholic Church, God or the gift of faith you’ve been given. Don’t let other humans’ weaknesses sidetrack you from your own journey for 15 years like I did…just forgive them, keep on seeking & following God and his teachings & the examples of the saints. Charity and humility…charity and humility…

It’s also a mistake (I’m not saying you’re making it) to think of Confirmation as the end of the road in one’s classes, or a “graduation” from formal faith instruction for which you must be precisely prepared. Study the Sacrament of Confirmation in your Catechism; I’ll bet you’re ready.

There’s another poster here called “Andruschak” who’s an older guy in the RCIA program & isn’t too impressed with it, but is on fire for the faith & eager to be welcomed in at Easter. The search function is disabled right now, but when you get a chance, read some of the posts he’s started & see how he’s come around to “offering up” the excruciating frustration of sitting through his poorly taught classes. Also, I think he found an online catechism class of sorts that you might find helpful. Anyway, I admire his spunk & bet you might too.

I’ll say an extra pray for you tonight–God bless!

 

[vince2paul]

Erm… actually I don’t see the problem here or may be I’m just unaware of what is wrong. Hope someone could clear this up.

 

[jbuck919]

Well, the official place for “announcements” is after communion and before the closing (in the old days it was during sermon time, which was an ofiicial interruption of worship in the first place). However, I think I understand your feelings and sympathize completely, even if I am 52 and you are 16.

Personally, I don’t like combining anything with Mass (I even hate nuptial Masses which as an organist I have had more than my share of exposure to, but the church allows these so I’m not going to belabor the point). For years I taught at a Catholic high school and graduation, a secular ceremony, was incorporated into Mass. This was at the cathedral of the Archdiocese of blah-blah, with the Cardinal fully approving, but that didn’t mean that it made much sense.

What bothers me a bit more is that you had to undergo the
“retreat treatment,” a hefty dose of Mickey Mouse touchy-feely, completely irrelevant to Catholicism or even Christianity, that is administered to modern adolescents in the hope that it will make the church “meaningful” in their lives. That was already a nascent phenomenon when I was your age, and it stunk as much then as it stinks now. Good luck, and best wishes.

 

[Titus]

Well now, I’m officialy worried. I am going through confirmation, and there is a retreat in May! I hope it’s not as bad as Pete’s!

 

[BlestOne]

I am so sorry you are going through this! My dd is going through confirmation prep now too. She has had mandatory classes, 100 questions that have to be typed (the answers that is), a test on the questions, a retreat that requires her to miss school (on a Friday during school) and 40 hours of community service hours. They tried to make the youth group a mandatory requirement but I fought them on that since she attends Catholic School and the only thing the youth group does is sing at mass and eat… neither of which she is interested in. She is shy, and I don’t think it is a good idea to force someone to sing as a requirement for confirmation. Other than the Youth Group thing, I had no problems with our requirements for confirmation. Perhaps your parents should ask about the requirements and discuss them with your DRE, it worked for me.

 

[PeteZaHut]

Well now, I’m officialy worried. I am going through confirmation, and there is a retreat in May! I hope it’s not as bad as Pete’s!

I think it all depends on who is running the retreat. My church is fairly conservative. I had a shorter retreat run by them earlier in the year, and it was still a waste of time, but it was much less offensive to me. The one that I recently went to was run by really contemporary Catholics. It pretty much made me feel Protestant. It was even held at a Methodist Retreat Center. Contemporary music was incorporated into everything. Confession was held in a gym while music was being played. I thought that was awful. Luckily, I had been to Confession recently, so I didn’t go. I was surprised these people didn’t try to force me into it!