Special request to receive confirmation during covid19

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clas7

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We are unexpectedly moving out of state due my husband’s job and current economy. My son was scheduled, as many were, to receive his Confirmation prior to our move date. We now have less than 45 days and are desperately asking for special consideration to be taken that will allow my son to receive his Confirmation before we leave. Could this be something the Bishop could consider? It’s seem so harsh for our Diocese not to help us.
 
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Welcome to CAF.

Have you spoken to anyone at your parish about this yet? That is where you need to ask.
 
The bishop could consider it, but based on the little you’ve posted I don’t know that he would see simply moving out of state as a compelling reason.

We have people who have had to cancel weddings during current lock downs. My diaconal ordination was supposed to be in 4 weeks and is now delayed indefinitely. Pretty much the only sacraments being offered to the people in my diocese right now are confession, private baptism and last rites for those who are dying. If your diocese is the same way then I don’t expect that moving would be enough to have the bishop do a one off confirmation.
 
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Usige said:
The bishop could consider it, but based on the little you’ve posted I don’t know that he would see simply moving out of state as a compelling reason.

We have people who have had to cancel weddings during current lock downs. My diaconal ordination was supposed to be in 4 weeks and is now delayed indefinitely. Pretty much the only sacraments being offered to the people in my diocese right now are confession, private baptism and last rites for those who are dying. If your diocese is the same way then I don’t expect that moving would be enough to have the bishop do a one off confirmation.
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He might consider granting their Pastor the faculty to confer Confirmation. Our bishop did that twice in one year, once for a young person whose parents had booked and paid for a family vacation to the UK before the date for Confirmation was set, and then for a member of a military family whose posting date was a week or two before before Confirmation.
 
The parish office is closed due to covid19. I sent a letter to the pastor and he just provided me a script that everything is postponed. It’s like he didn’t understand or simply doesn’t care. I get weddings are canceled and others have to wait but we are not even going to be here to be able to wait.
 
I would send a response stating that you understand all is canceled and are asking what should your son do to be confirmed since you will no longer be living there when everything “goes back to normal.”
Ask if your parish would be willing to provide documentation to your next parish that your son has completed everything he needed to do to be confirmed once it is allowed again.

I don’t know how far away you are moving, but would it be possible for you and your son to return whenever your current parish has confirmation?
 
My guess, only if there were danger of death, however, it depends on your Bishop.

Confirmation can take place after the Bishops make their decisions, there will be many Confirmations at that time.
 
Your pastor is following the instructions of his Bishop. He cares, and because he cares your Pastor is not going to risk the health of his sheep.
 
clas7 said:
I get weddings are canceled and others have to wait but we are not even going to be here to be able to wait.
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So are you moving somewhere that does not have a Bishop? Why must he be confirmed before you move rather than waiting to be confirmed in the diocese you are moving to? Unless your son is ill and cannot wait (my prayers if this is the case), I do not see a compelling reason why he should get special treatment.

I am trying to be charitable, but there are hundreds of millions of people who are not able to receive many of the sacraments. To say marriages can wait, but your son’s confirmation is too important that he cannot wait to be confirmed in your new location seems a little crass.
 
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No, it’s not possible for us to return, we are going five states over. Yes, going to my new Diocese would be my next option but working between Dioceses I have learned through experience is very difficult.

See the unfortunate part of all of this is my son should have received it three years ago, but being new to this diocese that we’re in now they made his run through hoops and wait until he was in six grade to enroll into faith formation while being enrolled in a Catholic school. To go through that and now be told no again.
 
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Well, all you can do is pray for the best and perhaps contact your next parish now and talk to them so you will know what they can do, and what they will require.
 
clas7 said:
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Usige:
So are you moving somewhere that does not have a Bishop?
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Thank you for your time sincerely but Sarcasm isn’t needed here.
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I am not trying to be sarcastic. You provided no information on why it is imperative that a special exception be made for your family. You are dismissive of the difficulties others face so I was trying to understand why you could not work with the new diocese.

If you had shared information about how he had already been delayed before it would have given better context on why you believe you are a special case.
 
While that might be the case it is something that needs to be worked out without treating it like the bishop has a duty to accede to one families demands. It is not the Bishop’s fault that they are moving during a pandemic, nor that they moved before when he was scheduled to receive.

One option might be to ask the current bishop to send a letter to the new diocese asking that the new bishop accept him as a confirmandi. Showing a willingness to work with the bishops in turbulent times is a better option than putting oneself as an exception.
 
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Usige said:
You are dismissive of the difficulties others face
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I am not dismissive to the others, I made it very clear that this would be a special circumstance that would set my son apart from the others in our Diocese. I know the faithful would be supported in this type special circumstance for my family and not envious. If I knew of a family in my situation I would be supportive. Moving a family of young children is not easy and to receive this sacrament for my son is the strength he needs to proclaim our faith in his new environment.
 
Contact your diocese and then accept what they tell you.

Confirmation is one of the sacraments of initiation and therefore holds a special place among the sacraments. But if the diocese says no, that needs to be the end of it for now.

Discussing it endlessly here on CAF accomplishes exactly nothing.

God bless you and your family during with these challenging times.
 
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The point of discussing was to learn if special circumstances have been granted and clearly they have been granted.

I am not demanding it, I’m not asking them to change Canon law and I’m asking out of love for a special circumstance to be granted.

We are an extremely faithful family and will always remain hopeful in God’s will.
 
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Ding Ding Ding, we have a winner.

We have people move in to our parish from out of State often. All we need is to speak to the Confirmation prep from the prior parish and then the person slips right into our parish. We are already planning the Confirmation for when it opens up again, it will be a large celebration with several parishes coming together (helps the Bishop be able to still get to everyone).

Just contact your new parish now.
 
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