By Fran Perritano | Contributing Writer
The Rev. Thomas R. Servatius, pastor of Historic Old St. John’s Church in Utica, said if there is one thing for the young adults who were confirmed recently in his church to remember it is “that God is nuts about them.”
“God loves them incredibly,” Servatius said. “And that they need to remember that and believe that and remind each other that God is nuts about them. God deeply, deeply loves them unconditionally. They walk away with that and carry it through the rest of their lives, that’s a wonderful thing.”
Fifty-five young adults received the Holy Spirit in the Sacrament of Confirmation on Thursday, May 19, at Historic Old St. John’s. The teenagers were from five parishes in the city: St. John’s, St. Mary of Mount Carmel / Blessed Sacrament, St. Anthony-St. Agnes, St. Joseph & St. Patrick and St. Mark’s. Bishop-emeritus Robert J. Cunningham presided over the ceremony.
Bishop Cunningham administered the sacrament in front of a packed assembly. He spoke to the young people about “voices,” which he said might sound like a strange topic.
The bishop said there are many voices teenagers are exposed to daily, and he challenged them to make sure they listen to the right ones.
And there is one voice he said to which they always should listen: “Our Lord Jesus Christ.”
