BOSTON — Eleven adults from St. Anthony Shrine joined with more that 20 other area adults to be sealed with the Holy Spirit at an evening Mass on March 21, presided by Bishop Robert Hennessey at the regional confirmation held atSt. Brigid Church of South Boston.
These adults chose to be confirmed — to learn more about their Catholic faith, and to grow in their understanding and knowledge of what it means to be a committed Catholic Christian. It was the culmination to the adult confirmation program, offered on Saturdays during Lent by St. Anthony Shrine and Ministry Center.
For the past five years, the shrine has prepared candidates for confirmation. Candidates are baptized adults, age 20 or older, who have made their first Communion in the Catholic Church and who participate in Sunday Mass and the sacraments.
The five-week program is intensive, requiring preparatory readings at home, a class presentation — which complements the material in the readings, small group discussion and large group sharing of insights and questions.
The next session of adult confirmation preparation, which vicar John Maganzini, OFM, calls a “powerful ministry,” will begin in February 2011. Information is available by contacting the shrine at 617-542-6440.
In the photo are Gene Pistacchio, OFM, and members of the 2010 confirmation preparation class.
— Dr. Jacqueline Stewart, standing next to Gene in the above photo, is the shrine’s director of evangelization and coordinator of the adult confirmation program, which is co-facilitated by Gene, Maureen Connell, Justin Quattrini and Andria Baleztena.