Bishop LaValley administers Confirmation at St. Regis Church, Akwesasne

Most Reverend Terry R. LaValley, Bishop of Ogdensburg confirmed twenty-five members of the Church of St. John Francis Regis at Akwesasne at the 10 A.M. Mass on Sunday, January 15, 2012.  The Bishop was welcomed by the new priest of St. Regis Church, Reverend Jerome Pastores, a diocesan priest of the Diocese of Bayombang, the Philippines, who has been on a sabbatical loan to the Diocese of Valleyfield, Quebec. Bishop LaValley was the homilist and main celebrant of the Liturgy. Father Jerome  Pastores was concelebrant.

Under the direction of their Religious Education instructor, Mr. Irving Papineau, the Confirmandi participated fully in the Eucharistic Liturgy. Turner Lafrance, Celeste Phillips, Nidia DeArmajero, Jennifer DeJung, and Kearin Adams offered the Four Directions Prayer with incense in thanksgiving to the Creator God.  The Readings were done by Tia Mitchell, Emmalie Papineau, and Collin Jacobs.  Blayke Gibson offered the Prayer of the Faithful and Quintana Hart, the prayer for the Canonization of Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha.  Mara Lazore,  Celeste Phillips, and Aliana Hart carried the Offertory gifts to the altar.

The parish organist, Mrs. Minerva White, provided the music for the liturgy. Mrs. Vickie Phillips, Mrs. Debbie Thomas,  Ms. Donna Arbour, and Mr. Irving Papineau of the St. Regis Religious Education Committee planned the liturgy and the reception that followed at the Kateri Hall in Hogansburg.    Sister Mary Christine, SSJ served as Eucharistic Minister and  Noel Norahan, Cole Phillips,  Carson Phillips, Amanda Rourke, and Thomas Terrance, as altar servers.  Members of the Knights of Columbus served as honor guard.

The Confirmandi were as follows:  Kearin Adams, Kobryn Chaussi, Nidia DeArmajero, Jennifer DeJung, Tekaritha George, Blayke Gibson, Jerry Gibson, Aliana Hart, Colton Hart, Quintana Hart, Collin Jacobs, Nathaniel Jacobs, Teka Jacobs,  Elden King, Hailey King, Carly Lafrance, Tatum Lafrance, Turner Lafrance, Mara Lazore, Delia McDonald, Teessha Mitchell, Tia Mitchell, Emmalie Papineau, Celeste Phillips, and Kiana Thompson.  In gratitude, they presented a finely crafted Mohawk basket to Bishop LaValley.