Bishop administers Sacrament of Confirmation at St. Stephen's

WARWICK — On Friday and Saturday, March 24- 25, approximately 120 candidates, divided into three groups, received the Sacrament of Confirmation at the Church of St. Stephen, the First Martyr.
As parents and other relatives looked on, Bishop Dominick Lagonegro, Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of New York and, Episcopal Vicar for the Upper Counties, administered the Sacrament to the young students who had completed a two-year course of study, beginning in Grade 7.
In the Catholic faith, Confirmation is a sacrament by which persons already baptized receive the Holy Spirit in order to make them stronger and more perfect Christians, as once granted to the apostles on the day of Pentecost.
During the service Rev. Jack Arlotta, pastor of St. Stephen's, presented the candidates, introducing each one by name.
Before administering the sacrament, Lagonegro showed the candidates a photograph of a crowd that included his own aunt and uncle who were present on October 1917 for the "Miracle of the Sun," during the last apparition of the Virgin Mary in Fatima, Portugal.
He retold the story of nine-year-old Lúcia Santos and her cousins Jacinta and Francisco Marto who saw the woman now known as, "Our Lady of Fatima," who told the children many of the bad events that would occur in the twentieth century if people did not pray.
"This year we will celebrate the 100th anniversary of Fatima," he said. "The message is we need more prayer and penance. And in Confirmation the Holy Spirit gives us wisdom, understanding and council."
During the rite of Confirmation the entire group renewed their baptismal promises by responding, "I do."
Lagonegro and the concelebrating priests then performed the "Laying on of Hands," an ancient biblical gesture.
Finally, each candidate, accompanied by his or her sponsor, came forward to be anointed and confirmed one by one by the bishop.
Later, the bishop met with parents and candidates and posed for photographs.
- Roger Gavan