Confirmation without Bishop

[juststoppingby]

Thank you all for your replies, much appreciated.

I guess now that this is all happened, I look at things a bit more critically, and it seems to me that regardless of how old one is or by which means they come to the faith, they should be treated the same. I don’t know if others feel this way, but meeting the Bishop seems like a special privilege to me. After all, there is a reason Bishops are held in such high esteem. I can’t think of a situation that would arise in the future that would allow me to to meet/be blessed by a Bishop, as the only person I know who needs a sponsor for confirmation is my sister who is in the same situation I am, and I doubt he’d show up to hers either, and that’d be her moment anyway, so I don’t think I’d like to intrude.

I guess all I can do is accept that this won’t happen for me. I was given the option to attend a ceremony the next town over that the Bishop would be attending last year, but it would involve me being confirmed with a bunch of kids and that’d feel weird.

But thank you all again. I don’t know how I’ll proceed. This isn’t enough to shake me from believing in God or anything, but considering my Parish is full of rude people anyway and I didn’t particularly like it there, I think I might begin looking into other options for myself. Thank you and God bless.

 

[Zekariya]

Thank you all for your replies, much appreciated.

I guess now that this is all happened, I look at things a bit more critically, and it seems to me that regardless of how old one is or by which means they come to the faith, they should be treated the same. I don’t know if others feel this way, but meeting the Bishop seems like a special privilege to me. After all, there is a reason Bishops are held in such high esteem. I can’t think of a situation that would arise in the future that would allow me to to meet/be blessed by a Bishop, as the only person I know who needs a sponsor for confirmation is my sister who is in the same situation I am, and I doubt he’d show up to hers either, and that’d be her moment anyway, so I don’t think I’d like to intrude.

I guess all I can do is accept that this won’t happen for me. I was given the option to attend a ceremony the next town over that the Bishop would be attending last year, but it would involve me being confirmed with a bunch of kids and that’d feel weird.

But thank you all again. I don’t know how I’ll proceed. This isn’t enough to shake me from believing in God or anything, but considering my Parish is full of rude people anyway and I didn’t particularly like it there, I think I might begin looking into other options for myself. Thank you and God bless.

FWIW, everyone in my Melkite Catholic parish is confirmed by the priest. This is how things have always been done in the Eastern Churches. The West has started to practice this later. Your confirmation is just as legit coming from a priest as it is coming by a bishop. I understand that you feel like the odd one out at your parish but, remember that Christ loves you and you have received the seal of the Gift of the Holy Spirit.

 

[CradleJourney]

Thank you all for your replies, much appreciated.

After all, there is a reason Bishops are held in such high esteem. I can’t think of a situation that would arise in the future that would allow me to to meet/be blessed by a Bishop, as the only person I know who needs a sponsor for confirmation is my sister who is in the same situation I am, and I doubt he’d show up to hers either, and that’d be her moment anyway, so I don’t think I’d like to intrude.

Oh, don’t sell God short! He’s an expert at making the impossible, possible - and the unexpected happen.

My mother is quite fond of recalling the time she danced with our bishop, and another time she ate a meal with him! How did that happen? Well, the dance was a formal sponsored by the KofC in celebration/fundraising of something (I forget exactly, I was quite young), but mom was so excited because it was her first formal ever (age 50 something). You see, she never went to prom in high school - was waiting on my dad who was serving in the Navy - so just getting the dress was a BIG deal, and she had NO IDEA the bishop was going to be in attendance as well - but he was, and apparently he decided my vertically challenged mom was just the right height for an obligatory spin around the dance floor.
(So one - she would have firmly believed six months before that she would never have the chance to meet a bishop or number two, attend a formal dance.)

On another occasion, as a member of a parish committee she and dad were invited along with members of the same committee from all over the diocese to a special dinner. She sat down at a spot somewhere to the side - and surprise, the bishop (different one) just appeared and ask if the spot next to her was taken, which she assured him it wasn’t. (The seat on her other side was for my dad - who endless teased her about how she was always ‘chasing the bishops’).

My point is this - my parents, lower-middle class average people, would have never expected to meet any bishop, but ended up meeting two of them over the course of several years through their involvement with various church affiliated activities. So if you’re not happy with your parish, please, go ahead and find one more suited to you. Be joyful and active in your faith … and you never know what God has in store for you - I hear Pope Francis is a nice guy, maybe God has plans for you to meet him instead?

 

[Truthseeker76]

I can completely understand wanting this special event to go just the way you are wanting. But please consider that maybe it is the devil planting doubts and disappointments into your heart/mind so you will stray from the church. I’ve read it is not uncommon for things to go wrong on church event days like yours and that it is likely the devils work.

Also remember this, a hard lesson for me to learn and remember at times, we do not attend church for our pleasure. We attend church to worship God. To help our brothers and sisters. I use to church hop looking for that perfect church that would care about me and suit my needs. Then I prayed and was answered, it is not so much what I get from the church as it is what I bring to the church.

I too am awaiting confirmation as a 36 yr old adult. Also going through the process of a marriage anullment and marriage validation and my husband coming into the Catholic faith. I was told that he could be confirmed by the priest when we validate marriage but I would have to wait for the bishop. I was so disappointed. I want to be confirmed, don’t care by who! I just want to finish the puzzle so I can begin my journey as a complete Catholic! To be honest though, in my situation I am not allowed to receive the Holy Eucharist till my marriage situation is holy. That is what I desire most. That is what is MOST important to me, receiving the Holy Eucharist.

I hope you can pray about this and receive peace and clarity on what is most important about being Catholic. I’m sorry you are going through this and know in your heart that God wants you in his church receiving Jesus and praising God!