Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1910-11-21
BISHOP OCONNOR
CONFIRMS CLASS
OF TOO CHILDREN
st. Joseph's and st. Antoninus's
Churches Receive Large Addi=
lions to Membership.

The Ri. Rev. Bishop John j. O'Con-
nor administered the sacrament of
confirmation yesterday afternoon to
about 700 children and forty adults in
two children in this city-St. Joseph's,
on Wallace place, and st. Antoninus's,
at South Orange avenue and Ninth
street.
In zach instance the number Of chill
dren was about the same-350. In st.
Joseph's there were twenty-five adults,
a majority of whom were converts.
The same applied to the sixten adults
confirmed in st. Antoninus's. Bishop
O'Connor In each instance delivered a
sermon Immediately preceding the ad-
ministering of h sacrament, which
the bishop off1ciated.
After explaining at length the his
tory of the institution of the sacra-
ment of confirmation, and Its impor-
lance in strengthening the faith of
those who receive it and making them,
In the language of the. sacrament, true
soldiers of Jesus Christ" Bishop O'Con-
nor commended the pastors and their
6SS1SldHlS, llCtuulhS LhO 9ioHSAC ~
Charity, for their zeal in repairing
such large classes.
Next year, the bishop said, all con-
f1rrnation classes would be larger than
heretofore, because of a recent edict
from the Holy See making eligible to
receive the sacrament of confirmation
all children, otherwise qualified, who
have arrived at the age of Z years.
Age Limit Reduced.
IJu to the present time no matter
how proficient a child might be in his
or her knowledge of. the doctrines OF
the church they we're not permitted,
except in rare instances, to receive the
sacrament of confirmation before they
had arrived at the G of 10 years.
The ceremonies attending the admin
istering of his sacrament are among
the most impressive in the Catholic
Church. The bishop o~fficiates in full
robes, attended by the chancellor of
the diocese and other clergymen, while
a mar and woman selected from the
congregation act as sponsors for each
child in about the same way In which
that duty is performed at baptism.
AS was the case yesterday, the chill
dren are all attired alike, the girls m
white with wells and wreaths of smilax,
and the boys clothed in blue suits as
near uniform as possible, with a bow
of white ribbon attached to the left
arm. All of those confirmed yesterday
had been receiving instructions for sew
eral weeks, and during the last three
days of last week they were on VIVA
Is termed a retreat.
On those days they attended mass at
8 o'clock each morning and remained
in church until IL o'clock. They re-
at 1 o'clock in the afternoon
and after benediction of the blessed
sacrament remained until 8 o'clock.
Yesterday morning first communion
was administered in both churches to
those members of the class who had
not received it before.
In st. Joseph's Church all those con-
frn1ed, except the adults, we're menu
bers of the parochial school of that
parish. In st. Antoninus, which is con-
Quoted by the Dominican Fathers, the
class included beside the adults, their
own school pupils, children from public
schools whose parents reside in or are
affiliated with the parish and the pupils
from st. vincent's Academy, which is
now cared for spiritually by the Do
minicars. .,.-.