Confirmation - By our own Paulo Leal

I had no idea what to think when our confirmation mass was approaching. This was the first sacrament that I was going to receive because of me, because I was intentional about my faith. All the other sacraments I received because my parents told me to. So, this was a different feeling.
I had heard of different people having different experiences at confirmation. Some people said they had a powerful life changing experience during the mass, while others said they didn’t feel any different. All I knew for certain was that I was ready to be confirmed. I was in love with my Catholic faith and I just had a thirst and a longing to deepen my faith and have a better understanding of what it means to be Catholic. By no means did I have all the answers or know everything about Catholicism, but I had that thirst and that love for the faith that I had gotten to understand in a better way that past year in the Den.

When that Thursday rolled around, I was beyond excited (even though I was a tiny bit late). The class of 2017 was j chillin’ in the family room while we were waiting for Cardinal Dinardo to come give us his pregame speech. Somehow my buddy Michael Meneghetti and I found ourselves sitting in the front of the church with our sponsors, which was pretty sketch because I felt like everyone was staring into my soul, including Jesus.. Anyways, God being the awesome God that he is decided to mix a little foreshadowing into the mix. Eileen and I were asked to deliver the gifts during the mass (which is where usually a family takes up the bread and the wine to the alter before it becomes the body and blood of Christ- but yall should already know that because Kathleen covered it in the class over the Mass ;) )  As I was walking up to the Cardinal to be confirmed I had never felt more at home, this is where I was meant to be. I stood in front of the Cardinal Dinardo with my sponsor’s hand on my shoulder as I became a fully initiated Catholic.

Like I said I didn’t know what to expect. It wasn’t really a big conversion moment for me. That’s probably because confirmation to me was more of a yearlong process. A lot happened in that year from Steubenville to the Den and it all came together that day as I was sealed with the Holy Spirit. I like to think of confirmation as one huge, important “Amen”. It’s a “yes I believe” to being Catholic. You’ve been taught for a long time about being Catholic and what that entails, now it’s up to YOU not anyone else to say “Amen” to your faith. Confirmation has been one of my favorite sacraments and I am very excited to see yall get confirmed.

A little side story for those of you who made it this far lol. After the mass at the reception, I was chillin’ with my pops eating my confirmation cake with a smile on my face after getting that signature pic with Cardinal Dinardo. I see my mom approach us with something in her hand. In a hushed voice and in Spanish she hands me a napkin and tells me “Paulo, your forehead is so oily! Wipe it really well with this napkin”. My dad and I kind of stood there speechless staring at my mom who saw the Cardinal put the oil on my forehead with her own eyes. I had to take a moment and walk away as my dad explained to my mom why my forehead was so oily lol. Anyways I thought that was funny.

Peace out!
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Paulo “the Real” Leal

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