INNISFAIL – The town’s Catholic community welcomed Edmonton’s Archbishop Richard W. Smith to officiate this year’s Celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation for 15 young parish members.
The hour-long confirmation mass, usually held every second year in Innisfail, was held June 8 at Our Lady of Peace Catholic Church.
“We understand the sacrament of confirmation as one of the seven sacraments of the church, and it is the outpouring of the Holy Spirit,” said Father Curtis Berube, who assisted the archbishop during the mass. “It's a celebration of our young people as they receive the gift of the Holy Spirit in this particular way, and for them it's their response in their own faith journey to what they want to receive from God.”
In the archbishop’s address to the congregation during the confirmation ceremony he began by noting the excitement around the Edmonton Oilers being in the Stanley Cup final, and that worry and fear were mixed in with that excitement, along with hope.
However, he asked his audience to keep in mind what was heard from the Word of God as scripture passages are all about "another contest, another struggle.
“Obviously, it’s a far greater consequence than any Stanley Cup final,” said Smith, noting scripture readings are also between “good and evil, between life and death.
“With the Stanley Cup final right now we’re not sure who the victor is going to be,” said the archbishop. “But in terms of this more important battle between God and evil, the victory has already been won.”
In a later interview with the Albertan Smith said the “key issue” in this spiritual battle is faith.
“By the act of faith, and then by the sacraments, that power of His death and resurrection comes into us when we look at our own difficulties in our own lives; when we look at what's going on in the world,” said the archbishop. “And then, above all to pray that the power of the death and resurrection of the Lord will also find its way into the hearts and minds of people everywhere.
“That's the only hope for the way forward.”
The archbishop’s confirmation mission to Innisfail was his second visit this year. He came to town earlier in 2024 for a weekend parish visit.
He was also in Innisfail last November for a two-day pastoral visit to honour the local congregation as a model for others by bravely persevering through a devastating church fire in 2018 before facing COVID-19 pandemic challenges head-on.
“I just find every time I come here I'm so encouraged. I'm so edified. There's a depth of faith here and also a deep concern to care for one another,” Smith told the Albertan. “Because it is a small area the people know one another, and that's going to give rise to a certain desire to look out for one another, and care for one another.
“At the centre of it all is the faith of the people. They come here, and when I'm at the altar I can look out at the congregation I can see a depth of faith and of real participation in the mass,” he added.
“Every time I'm here (Innisfail) it just gives me real sense of encouragement and hope.”
