Meanwhile at Fort Knox, 10 Catholics are confirmed

 

Catholic auxiliary bishop presides over special Fort Knox confirmation ceremony during Advent mass

By Eric PilgrimNovember 28, 2022

FORT KNOX, Ky. — Under the glow of a single Advent candle Nov. 27, several member candidates from Fort Knox received the sacrament of confirmation into the Roman Catholic Church from Auxiliary Bishop F. Richard Spencer.

Part of Spencer’s duties as vicar for the eastern half of the U.S. Vicariate of the Archdiocese for Military Services includes confirming new members into the Church. Spencer also led the congregation in a special Advent mass, which celebrates the birth of Christ Jesus.

The 10 candidates followed a slow procession to the front of Prichard Place Chapel at the beginning of the service. After the first of five Advent candles was lit, Spencer led the candidates through the confirmation process, which included a series of questions to confirm their commitment.

“That’s what we’ve come here to do — reach out and touch the Holy and allow the Holy to touch us,” said Spencer. “So, my friends, today we’re asking for a sacrament.”

Spencer asked if they knew how many sacraments there are, and what the first of those is. He also asked how many formal gifts of the Holy Spirit there are. He then brought two young candidates up for a visual demonstration meant to highlight the truth of their belief in Christ compared with “fake news” about it.

Spencer gave the young man an empty clear bowl and the young woman some coins. He then blindfolded the young man.

“Our objective today is, how do we ascertain what is truth?” asked Spencer. “The basic question is, is there any water in the bowl?”

He shook his head no.

Spencer asked him to feel inside the bowl to experience whether water was in the bowl as a first test. He then asked the young woman to drop her coins in the bowl to allow the young man to use his senses to determine if the bowl had any water in it.

“Young man, if there was water in the bowl, I think I would have heard a different sound,” said Spencer. “For you, based upon your hearing, is there any water in the bowl?”

Again, he shook his head no.

As a final test, Spencer said eyewitnesses are called on for proof of Christianity’s truth.

“Scientists tell us over 85% of what we know is true comes to us by eyewitness accounts,” said Spencer, who called on the young woman to tell them if she sees any water in the bowl.

She shook her head no.

“Now we have an eyewitness report,” said Spencer — no water in the bowl.”

After sharing the application with the congregation, Spencer encouraged the candidates to remember those three tests as they continue to walk through their life of faith.

“We experience the presence of God in so many beautiful ways,” said Spencer, “especially in the presence of each other because God dwells within each of us.”

Candidates and congregants witnessed one testimony of faith at the end of the mass when local member Bridgette Gallagher was honored for “outstanding service” to the church with a medal and certificate from Spencer.

During the confirmation sacrament, Spencer called on the candidates to renew their baptismal promises. He then prayed over them and brought each forward, with their sponsor standing in support, and used oil to mark their foreheads with the sign of the cross as they declared their particular saint’s name. He also charged them to reach out to others in their faith.

“It is you and I that have the eyes to see the poor, and to respond. You and I have the ears to hear the cry of those who are disheartened,” said Spencer. “For those of you receiving confirmation today, you will receive also a special gift of prophesy.

“Today, you are commissioned to become a prophet: to speak the Word of God to others, especially those who have not heard yet the good news.”