At last night's 7:00 pm Mass Holy Cross Parish formally sent 31 candidates to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation at Sacred Heart Cathedral Monday evening.
Among these young men and women was one whose sponsor was listed as Fr. Frank Fusare. According to a Holy Cross staffer, at last report it was still uncertain as to whether Fr. Fusare's schedule would allow him to be in Rochester Monday.
It was also unknown whether Fr. Fusare would be concelebrating, should he be able to attend.
8 comments:
Sponsor? Yes.
Concelebrate? No.
Time has not healed those wounds.
Would it be customary for any priest who was a Confirmation sponsor to concelebrate with the bishop? Is it common for clergy to be sponsors? I never heard of it. I really don't know. Does anyone here know of an example?
Aside from the controversy between the bishop and the priest I can see how it could be a problem to let every visiting priest join the bishop on the altar at such a event. Also, since there is a history of the priest basically saying that the bishop condones sin I think it would be unfair to the candidates and take away from the sacramental nature of the mass to have him concelebrate. He and the bishop would become the center of attention instead of the mass and the candidates. Even in reconciliation it would be inappropriate to focus attention on them.
"Is it common for clergy to be sponsors?"
Not common, but this is not the first time I have seen it happen.
I await Fr. Fusare's triumphant return to Rochester.
~Dr. K
Anon. & Dr. K.,
I recently heard Fr. Mitch Pacwa comment on this topic on EWTN radio. He said that nothing prevents priests from being sponsors but that few accept these requests. The only exceptions of which he was aware involved family members.
And that happens to be the case here. Fr. Fusare is the child's maternal uncle.
BTW, knowing Fr. Fusare's history with DOR, the thought of him concelebrating never crossed my mind. It was the HC staffer who first mentioned the topic by saying that it was unknown whether he would be concelebrating, should he be able to attend.
FWIW, my most recent child, a nine-month-old boy, has a priest for a godfather.
Rich,
I can't believe the baby is 9 months old already!
I could be wrong on this, but I think you can be sponsor by proxy. So Father Fusare wouldn't necessarily have to be at the ceremony. If I am wrong, let me know straightaway.
Choir,
Proxies can be used for both Baptism and Confirmation. I've seen both happen.
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