Jake Nasta and Albert Smeraldo received the sacrament of confirmation May 18 at St. Matthew Church after completing faith formation instruction through the parish’s Special Religious Development Program, known as SPRED. (Photo provided)CHARLOTTE — “Be sealed with the Gift of the Holy Spirit.”
With these words from the rite of confirmation, Father Peter Ascik administered the sacrament of confirmation May 18 to two young men in the Special Religious Development Program, known as SPRED, at St. Matthew Church.
Jake Nasta, 15, chose St. Rocco, the patron saint for those with contagious diseases, as his patron. He shares the name with his father. Albert Smeraldo, 19, chose St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland credited with bringing Christianity to that country in the fifth century.
These young men were prepared by the SPRED Confirmation Team to receive the sacrament and to enter a stronger relationship with Christ and His Church. They were made aware of the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit which must be cultivated and which inspire us to positive action in our everyday lives. The nurturing of these gifts take place in an atmosphere of acceptance and friendship – which is the basis of the Special Religious Development Program.
A week later, on the sixth Sunday of Easter, Father Ascik noted in his homily another remarkable community called L’Arche, which was begun by Jean Vanier, an accomplished academic from a French-Canadian family. Father Ascik described Vanier as someone who sought something more spiritual in his life after visiting institutions in France for people with developmental disabilities and intellectual challenges. He recognized that they needed something all people need: friendship.
“The thing about friendship is that it always implies some kind of equality, some kind of mutual giving and receiving,” Father Ascik said.
In recognizing this, Vanier established the residential L’Arche communities, where those with and without intellectual challenges live together in friendship.
As in the L’Arche Program, the basis of SPRED is friendship. SPRED catechists are recruited and develop their own spiritual community. They bring this love of God and friendship with each other into sessions with small groups of persons, aged 6 through adulthood, with developmental/intellectual challenges. These groups grow into faith communities where sacraments are celebrated and friendships bloom.
Many of the SPRED catechists and special friends at St. Matthew Church have been part of the SPRED Program since its beginning – a testimonial to the enduring power of friendship and the movement of the Holy Spirit. The Charlotte parish has been very supportive of this program, welcoming people with developmental/intellectual disabilities into the community to walk together on the journey to understand God’s love for us and our participation in that love.
The Special Religious Development Program, established more than 50 years ago in the Archdiocese of Chicago, has been a part of the faith formation program at St. Matthew Church for 16 years. Besides St. Matthew Parish, St. Vincent de Paul Parish in Charlotte, St. Phillip Neri Parish in Fort Mill, S.C., and St. Paul the Apostle Parish in Greensboro all use the SPRED Program.
— Jan Clemens, Special to the Catholic News Herald
Learn more
Learn more about the Special Religious Development Program (SPRED), by contacting Jan Clemens, SPRED Coordinator St. Matthew Church, at 704-246-7102.