Introductory Rites
Entrance Song (Veni Creator)
Bishop enters while all read or sing:|
Veni Creator Spiritus, Mentes tuorum visita, Imple superna gratia, Quae tu creasti, pectora. |
Come, Holy Ghost, Creator, come. From thy bright heavenly throne! Come, take possession of our souls, And make them all Thine Own! |
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Qui diceris Paraclitus, Altissimi donum Dei, Fons vivus, ignis, caritas, Et spiritalis unctio. |
Thou who art called the Paraclete, Best gift of God above, The Living Spring, The Living Fire, Sweet Unction, and True Love! |
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Tu septiformis munere, Digitus Paternae dexterae, Tu rite promissum Patris, Sermone ditans guttura. |
Thou who are sevenfold in Thy grace, Finger of God's right hand, His Promise, teaching little ones To speak and understand! |
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Accende lumen sensibus, Infunde amorem cordibus, Infirma nostri corpis Virtute firmans perpeti. |
O guide our minds with thy blest light, With love our hearts inflame, And with thy strength, which ne'er decays, Confirm our mortal frame. |
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Hostem repellas longius, Pacemque dones protinus; Ductoresic te praevio, Vitemus omne noxium. |
Far from us drive our hellish foe, True peace unto us bring, And through all perils guide us safe Beneath thy sacred wing. |
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Per te sciamus da Patrem Noscamus atque Filium; Teque utrius que Spiritum Credamus omni tempore. |
Through Thee may we the Father know, Through Thee the Eternal Son, And Thee the Spirit of them both --- Thrice blessed Three in One. |
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Deo Patri sit gloria, Et Filio, qui a mortuis Surrexit, ac Paraclito In sacculorum saecula. |
Now to the Father, and the Son Who rose from death, be glory given, With Thee, O holy Comforter, Henceforth by all in earth and heaven. |
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Amen. |
Amen. |
Greeting
Bishop. Peace be with youPeople: And also with you.
Opening Prayer
Bishop. Let us pray:Lord, please fulfill the promise by your Son and send the Holy Spirit to enlighten our minds in Wisdom and our hearts in Compassion and lead us to know in experience who we are in truth. Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
People:Amen.
Liturgy of the Word
Old Testament Reading (Is 61, 1-3, 6, 8-9)The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me,
because the LORD has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners,
to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor
and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn,
and provide for those who grieve in Zion
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness
instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
a planting of the LORD
for the display of his splendor.
And you will be called priests of the LORD,
you will be named ministers of our God.
You will feed on the wealth of nations,
and in their riches you will boast.
"For I, the LORD, love justice;
I hate robbery and iniquity.
In my faithfulness I will reward them
and make an everlasting covenant with them.
Their descendants will be known among the nations
and their offspring among the peoples.
All who see them will acknowledge
that they are a people the LORD has blessed."
This is the Word of the Lord.
/ People: Thanks be to God.
New Testament Reading (1 Cor 12, 4-13)
There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all people.
Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues.All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.
The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.
This is the Word of the Lord.
People: Thanks be to God.
Gospel (Mt 5, 1-12)
Bishop: May the Lord be with you.
People: And with your spirit.
Bishop: A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew.
People: Glory be to you, O Lord.
Bishop:Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them saying:
"Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called sons of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
"Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you."
This is the Gospel of the Lord.
Everyone: Praise be to you Lord Jesus Christ
Sacrament of Confirmation
Presentation of the Candidate(s)Each Sponsor says:
Reverend Father, May I now call N. as a candidate to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation.
Bishop: By the grace of God, please let us proceed.
After the candidate's name is said, the candidate respond:
Present.
Bishop addresses those to be confirmed: My dear friend(s) born again in Christ by baptism, you have become members of Christ and his holy people. Now you are to share in the outpouring of the Holy Spirit among us. The Spirit was sent by the Lord upon his apostles at Pentecost and was given by them and their successors to the baptized. On the day of Pentecost the apostles received the Holy Spirit as the Lord has promised. They also received the power of giving the Holy Spirit to others and so completing the work of baptism. This we read in the Acts of the Apostles. When Saint Paul placed his hands on those who had been baptized, the Holy Spirit came upon them and they began to speak in other languages and in prophetic words.
Bishops are successors of the apostles and have this power of giving the Holy Spirit to the baptized, either personally or through priests they appoint.
In our day the coming of the Holy Spirit in confirmation is no longer marked by the gift of tongues, but we know his coming by faith. He fills our hearts with the love of God, brings us closer together in one faith but in different vocations, and works within us to make the Church one and holy.
The promised strength of the Holy Spirit, which you are to receive, will make you more like Christ and help you to be witnesses to his compassion for the suffering. It will strengthen you to be active members of the Church and to build up the body of Christ in faith, love and compassion. Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit give your lives completely in the service of all, as did Christ, who came not to be served but to serve.
So now, before you receive the Spirit, I ask you to renew the profession of faith you made in baptism or your parents and godparents made in union with the whole Church.
Renewal of Baptismal Promises
Candidate(s) stand(s) and the bishop questions them:
Do you reject delusions, false beliefs, remembering instead your own true nature as a child of God?
Candidate(s): I do.
Bishop: Do you reject illusions, false perceptions, remembering instead that you are the creator of your own perceptions being a child of God?
Candidate(s): I do.
Bishop: Do you reject allusion, false stories about yourself, remembering instead the absolute reality of your natural love and compassion as a child of God?
Candidate(s): I do.
Laying on of Hands
The Bishop standing, facing family and friends, says with hands folded:
My dear friends, let us pray to God our Father, that he will pour out the Holy Spirit on (this person) these people to strengthen (him/her) them with his gifts and anoint them to be more like Christ the Son of God, that (he,she,they) too may be Sons (Daughters) of God in his Light as well.
Brief Silent Prayer
Bishop standing lays hands upon those to be confirmed saying:
All-powerful God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, by water and the Holy Spirit you freed your sons and daughters from the delusions, illusions, and allusions of life. Send your Holy Spirit upon (him/her/them) to be (his/her/their) helper and guide. Give (him/her/them) the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of right judgment and courage, the spirit of knowledge and reverence. Fill (him/her/them) with the spirit of wonder and awe in your presence in compassion. We ask this through Christ our Lord.
People: Amen.
Anointing with Chrism
Candidate goes to bishop and kneels. Sponsor places h/h right hand on the candidate's right shoulder, giving the candidate's name to the bishop. (If two sponsors, sponsor on right gives name, repeated by sponsor on the left whose right hand on candidate's left shoulder.)
Bishop dips his right thumb in the chrism and makes the sign of the cross on the forehead of the person being confirmed, saying:
N. be sealed with the Gift of the Holy Spirit.
Confirmed: Amen.
Bishop: Peace be with you.
Confirmed: And also with you
General Intercessions:
Bishop: My dear friends, let us be one in prayer to God our Father as we are one in faith, hope, love and compassion his Spirit gives.
For the newly confirmed, who have received the fullness of God's Spirit, that standing at the altar of the Lord they may share the banquet of Christ's compassion, calling God their Father in the midst of the Church, let us pray to the Lord:
People: Lord, hear our prayer.
Bishop: For the holy Church of God, the Patriarchs of Alexandria, Antioch, Constantinople, Jerusalem and Rome, our Bishop N., and all the bishops together with the clergy and all people of Good Will that the Holy Spirit may help us awaken to who we each essentially are being one in The Spirit as Christ prayed: Father, may they be one, as you and I are one, that they may be one is us, let us prayer to the Lord:
People: Lord, hear our prayer.
Bishop: God our Father, you sent your Holy Spirit upon the apostles, and through them and their successors you give the Spirit to your people. May his work begun at Pentecost continue to grow of all compassionate people. We ask this through Christ our Lord.
People: Amen.
Lord's Prayer
Bishop: Let us pray together as the Lord Jesus Christ has taught"
People: Our Father,....
Concluding Rite
Bishop: Please bow your heads and pray for God's blessing.Bishop with hands extended over the people says:
Bishop:God our Father, complete the world you have begun and keep the gifts of your Holy Spirit active in the hearts of your people. Make them ready to live the Gospel of Compassion and eager to do you will. May they all be one.
People:Amen.
Bishop:And may the blessing of almighty God, +the Father, and +the Son, and +the nHoly Spirit come upon you and remain with you for ever.
People: Amen.
Bishop:Please, let us depart in Peace. This ceremony is now complete.
People: Thanks be to God.
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