To know and love the lord

Father Tom Fallati

This past month marked the beginning of a new school year and, with it, another step in my priestly ministry. With the new school year I have had the opportunity to work with Confirmation candidates and students on their faith journeys from grade-school through college. 

This fall, in short, has been a time to fulfill the promise I made at my priestly ordination “to carry out the ministry of the word” both in preaching and teaching. As a priest, I can now share what I have gained through years of study with young people in the various stages of their faith journey. It has been a challenge and a joy.

I have had the joy of working with my first Confirmation class as a priest. We are blessed with several dozen candidates preparing for the sacrament within the coming weeks. I am blessed, too, with being the sponsor for one of our candidates. 

Confirmation marks a special step on the path of discipleship. As I was able to share with the candidates in a reflection, their parents received a candle at their baptism as a symbol of the call to help their children walk in the light of Christ. Now, it is time for the candidates to take the candle, as it were, bearing the responsibility of bringing Christ’s light to the world. This is a time for them to step forward, and it is likewise a time to ask questions and understand better their faith.

I have also spent time with grade-school students in our parish school and faith formation program, who often ask simple but tough questions. At the same time, I have been joining with Catholic students at Union College, my alma mater. It has been an opportunity to reflect on Scripture with them and to hear about their own journeys of faith as they progress through the college years and look forward to living out their faith in the world.

We are also preparing for our upcoming Journey retreat, where high school students can encounter the Lord through a series of talks and reflections. Perhaps it is no coincidence that I have been asked to speak on the topic of “study,” emphasizing the importance of the study of Scripture in growing in friendship with Christ.

Sharing the Faith

That is what makes sharing the faith so rewarding. No doubt concepts like the Incarnation and Redemption can sound abstract. Yet behind them stands Christ himself, the reality that Christ entered into our history to gain friendship with us in our earthly journey and to share in his love in eternity. As we study Scripture and the truths professed in our Creed, we can begin to encounter Christ more fully.

The same Christ whom we acknowledge by faith is also the Truth. We believe through faith, but we can with the gift of our intellect come to better understand who Christ is, we can come closer to him. And so St. Augustine says, “I believe in order to understand; and I understand the better to believe.” From our faith in Christ, we ask questions to understand better what it is we believe. As we grow in understanding, our faith grows stronger.

I am privileged to be able to share this ministry, to see young people in their various stages of their journey grow in their understanding of the faith and their relationship with Christ. And I am reminded of the prayer at my priestly ordination, “May he be a faithful steward of your mysteries, so that your people may be renewed.”

Father Tom Fallati is parochial vicar at St. Kateri Tekakwitha Parish in Schenectady.