confirmation prep QUESTION from Lori nettles March 17, 2000 QMy daughter is fully prepared to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation, however, our parish is now requiring a coed overnight trip as a mandate. They are going out of the country to Canada and visiting Parliment. They have also given us a 3 page release(from Any liability) form which is legal binding. Failure to make the trip could make her ineligible to receive her Confirmation. She is not going. What recourse do I have?
ANSWER by John-Paul Ignatius, O.L.S.M. on March 23, 2000 Dear Mrs. Nettles:
Going on a field trip, particularly to see Parliament which has NOTHING to do with confirmation, CANNOT be made into a requirement.
Somebody has a screw loose.
If they try to deny confirmation to your daughter because she didn't go on this trip, I would make direct appeal to the Bishop.
The Bishop, not the parish priest, is the minister of Confirmation. Appeal directly to him.
If for some outlandish and twilight zone reason the bishop refuses to confirm your child then I would contact the St. Joseph Foundation (a group of Canon Lawyers) who can help you to prepare a case to submit to Rome.
If it comes to that, email me and I will send you the address and phone number of the St. Joseph Foundation.
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