Photo by Clarisse Meyer on Unsplash

The Sacrament of Confirmation

When I was 10 years old, I attended a retreat with my class to my teacher’s home on the lake.

I remember the steep driveway, the open-concept house with a railing overlooking the living area. It was a beautiful home and the perfect setting for a retreat.

The retreat was to prepare us students for our upcoming Sacrament of Confirmation.

Confirmation is where one receives the gifts of the Holy Spirit and confirms the promises made on our behalf at baptism. The word itself means strengthening or deepening of the relationship with Christ.

At this retreat, I created a “Confirmation Logbook”. In it, I’d written out scriptures, songs, details about my baptism in 1968, the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, and a page dedicated to my mom, whom I picked as my “real spirit person”.

“May 22, My mother is my real spirit person because she is very helpful. She understands all kinds of situations. She prays for people and is always happy and joyful. She cares if anything is wrong. She is loving of everyone and she always talks well about a person.”

I would have been in grade 5 with Mrs. Bruce (my favorite teacher).

My mom is the perfect example of agape love…wanting the best for others.

On my drive to work, I pass by what I believe was Mrs. Bruce’s home on the lake. I’m not sure if she still lives there but seeing her home still brings a smile to my face.

If you like open, humourous, and nostalgic stories like this one then you’ll love this memoir of young life experiences that take you down memory lane. Buy East City Girl: A Memoir of Growing Up Catholic in a Small Town to learn how your childhood experiences affect your adulthood today!