Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Catholic News

Home

Home
Catholic
Religion News
A young woman’s confirmation gift: reading at Pope’s Mass

A young woman’s confirmation gift: reading at Pope’s Mass

Last updated on: June 12, 2014 at 10:03 am by CNA Daily News

A young woman’s confirmation gift: reading at Pope’s Mass 2014-06-12T10:03:00+00:00 CNA Daily News

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Vatican City, Jun 12, 2014 / 04:03 am (CNA/EWTN News).- After three years of waiting to be confirmed, Clemence Figeac was asked to read an intention of the faithful during Pope Francis' Pentecost Mass, just two days after receiving the sacrament.

“It was very beautiful,” Figeac told CNA June 9, “especially because first there was a little rehearsal the day before, and the person in charge of the liturgy said that our reading had to be a prayer.”

The liturgy director had stressed to Figeac that “we had to feel all words and pray because we are in prayer and we could help people pray. There is a communication in our way of pronouncing or speaking,” she said, “and this is beautiful because it says there is a desire to pray.”

“One feels really moved in this prayer and in this Mass in a certain different way,” Figeac noted, explaining that while she read she prayed to the Holy Spirit to inspire those that heard her.

Hailing from the small town of Lille in northern France, 28-year-old Figeac grew up Catholic but had been distant from the Church, only discovering the importance of the Sacrament of Confirmation four years ago.

Figeac said she felt the desire to receive her confirmation and “participate in the second living element in the Church” two years ago, so she moved to Rome in order to study. While there she met a priest from her hometown, Fr. Fabien Lambert, who serves as the chaplain for the Centro San Lorenzo, an international center for youth founded in 1983 by Pope Saint John Paul II.

“We met by chance and the encounter was very beautiful, like a city from heaven” she said. “I immediately told him about my desire to be confirmed, and he really accompanied me and helped me, although he would always wait for a sign on my part.”

Figeac said she finally made the decision after receiving a message from Fr. Lambert one day asking if she had found a priest and a parish where she could arrange it.

“So I did my Confirmation at the Centro San Lorenzo with this priest that prepared me” she said, noting that she was confirmed by Cardinal Stanislaw Rylko, president of the Pontifical Council of the Laity just last Friday.

“It was a beautiful moment because you can see that he is a man of faith," she said of Cardinal Rylko, "So this Mass had so much meaning.”

Figeac said “before I didn’t know the Church, I didn’t value the importance of the Church, I didn’t see the meaning of the Church.” But when she finally “met the Holy Spirit,” she said she “had the will to discern the faith more, understand my faith” and “I really became Catholic.”

“I believe that this sacrament carries you toward a second element: to participate in creating the Church. It allows you to live your faith. It gives you the strength to live your Christian life” she said.

So “as a gift, they proposed that I read an intention of the faithful in the Holy Father’s Pentecost Mass.”

Pentecost is a Greek term referring to the day when the Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles after Jesus’ ascension into heaven. The Sacrament of confirmation is a re-living of this descent into the heart of the one who receives it.

Figeac revealed that another great motivation to receiver her confirmation is her work, because “I would like to work for the Church and give myself in service.”

“So the fact that the Holy Spirit helps you to have a role in the Church, I see it more in the role of my work.”

“I would like to be an element, to try to do something placing myself at the service” of the Church, she explained, adding that “everyone tries to do that, without doing big things, but at least the minimum.”

Figeac plans to move back to France in just under two weeks where she and her fiancée will plan their wedding.

Vatican

Previous Post

June 12, 2014

Catholic high school's first graduates celebrate in Rome

Next Post

June 12, 2014 May the World Cup be a 'feast of solidarity,' Pope exhorts

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Americas Asia - Pacific Europe Middle East - Africa Uncategorized US Vatican

Select a Month November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Who walked on water with Jesus before losing faith and sinking?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Thomas James Peter Philip