Sealed with the Holy Spirit: a diocesan celebration of Confirmation
By Allison Mosier06/03/2025
This spring, the Diocese of Erie’s Office of Communications launched a meaningful initiative to highlight one of the Catholic Church’s most powerful and joy-filled sacraments: Confirmation. With gratitude and purpose, the team set out to follow Bishop Lawrence Persico across all 13 counties of the diocese as he celebrated this important sacrament of initiation with our youth. From March through June, 19 Confirmation Masses were celebrated, with Bishop Persico presiding at all but two. In total, more than 645 young Catholics were confirmed. Each celebration was a testimony to the vibrancy of our parishes and the enduring movement of the Holy Spirit in northwest Pennsylvania.
In parishes large and small - from the city of Erie to the rural hills of Elk County - each celebration stood as a public witness to the faith of our young people and the families, catechists and clergy who have nurtured them. Through each reading, each profession of faith and each anointing with sacred chrism, those being confirmed were sealed with the Gift of the Holy Spirit, fully initiated into the life of the church as new disciples of Christ. Strengthened by the Spirit’s gifts, they are now empowered to carry out the mission of the Gospel with courage, conviction and joy.
At the center of each Confirmation liturgy was Bishop Persico, whose homilies carried a consistent and heartfelt message: “You are not alone.” In a world that often distracts and divides, the bishop reminded every young person that they are deeply loved by God and supported by a community that believes in them. He also spoke candidly about what it means to grow in a relationship with Christ: “How do you get to know your friends?” he would ask. “You spend time with them. It’s the same with Jesus.” He urged the newly confirmed to pray daily and to participate in the Eucharist every Sunday, reminding them that Jesus is most truly encountered in the Blessed Sacrament. These practices, he emphasized, are not just for a season - they are the foundation of a lifelong friendship with Christ.
Equally important was the bishop’s call to adults - parents, sponsors and the wider parish community - to lead by example. “Young people watch us,” he said. “If we want them to take their faith seriously, they must see us doing the same.” The Confirmation season became not only a celebration of youth stepping forward in faith, but a renewed challenge to the entire church to live that faith visibly and consistently.
Preparation for this moment began long before the bishop arrived. Those being confirmed spent months in prayer, formation and service. Parishes across the diocese worked diligently to form hearts ready to receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Last November, many of this year’s confirmed took part in a diocesan-wide Confirmation retreat - an annual event open to all 9th-grade students preparing for the sacrament. That day was filled with music, witness talks, Eucharistic Adoration and time for reflection - planting seeds of faith that bore fruit in the spring liturgies.
Through photos, social media posts and parish features, the Diocese of Erie invited the faithful to witness and celebrate these moments of grace. The initiative was more than just coverage; it was a way to unite the diocese in joy and prayer for our young people. By sharing the faces and stories of faith from every corner of our region, the broader Catholic community was reminded that the church is alive, growing and full of promise.
As this year’s Confirmation season comes to a close, the diocese offers its heartfelt congratulations to every newly confirmed Catholic. May they go forth filled with courage, compassion and the fire of the Holy Spirit. And may we, as a church, continue to walk with them, pray for them and lead them by example as they begin this next chapter of their faith journey.
The journey continues this fall: all 9th-grade students preparing for Confirmation are invited to attend the 2025 diocesan Confirmation Retreat, to be held at Gannon University on Saturday, November 8. Details and registration can be found at bit.ly/4jVV9N1. To view the photos from the Confirmations across the diocese, visit dioceseoferie.smugmug.com/2025-Moments/Confirmations.
