On a recent Sunday, I sat in St. Mary's Church with my confirmation class at their Rite of Acceptance. Our third child, and our only daughter, Veronica, is about to be confirmed. I have taught her class along with Celia, the most loving and wonderful co-teacher anyone could ask for.

I looked at our class --- these teens, who in spite of their incessant talking and trying to text during class, have managed to work their way into our hearts these past two years --- and I wonder if they have any idea of the incredible journey of faith they are about to begin.

My own confirmation came at a time in my life when I could not fully appreciate the sanctity and importance of the Sacrament. As an eighth grader, I was far more concerned with how my hair looked than with the seriousness of the step I took that day. The thought of the Holy Spirit coming to me was fairly awesome, but very hard to comprehend.

I was confirmed by Bishop Juan Arzube. I remember sitting in the pews at St. Finbar Church in Burbank and thinking, "Am I going to feel any different after I am confirmed?"

The bishop spoke to us directly regarding that "feeling" in his homily. He said that when we receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, we may or may not feel the power of that gift right away. But he said that one day we would. It might happen in a week or a month or perhaps, many years later.

He assured us by saying, "At some point in your lives, you will be aware of this powerful gift you were given today. And trust me, you won't know what hit you!"

I pretty much lived my life as a "good Catholic girl." I got married in the Church to Tony, a wonderful Catholic man. We are both educators and found ourselves devoting our careers to Catholic education, myself as an elementary school teacher, and Tony as a high school counselor. We baptized our children and enrolled them in Catholic schools.

As time went on, we found our oldest son, Matthew, ready for confirmation. We signed up to be teachers of his class and took on the two-year commitment of guiding 14 teens in their faith. Three years later, we signed up to teach our son, Andrew's class.

From time to time I recalled the words of Bishop Arzube on my confirmation day. I loved my faith, I knew it gave me strength each day, but I still wondered if at some point in my life I would understand that powerful gift of the Holy Spirit that Bishop Arzube spoke of.

Then one day, I did understand. It was the summer in the midst of Andrew's confirmation program. I was told by my oncologist that there was cancer present in my cerebral spinal fluid. A mass had formed near my brain stem and the only treatment was cranial radiation.

I thought I could handle anything, but as I listened to the list of possible side effects --- brain swelling, paralysis, memory loss, death --- the terror only grew within me. In my two-year battle with cancer I had turned to God in prayer with each new "hurdle," but now I found myself lost in despair. I could not even find the words to pray. To say I was frightened would be a huge understatement. I was paralyzed by fear.

Then something happened that changed everything. A friend of ours, Father John Love, offered to anoint me. I had been anointed before, and my reaction to his offer was that it "couldn't hurt." What I underestimated was the incredible power of the Holy Spirit in the sacrament.

My husband and I met Father John for dinner at a restaurant near the beach. After dinner we took a walk and stopped in a little alcove to pray and for him to anoint me. I don't remember very much about the anointing itself --- not the prayers nor the Scripture reading nor the words spoken. I only know that as Father made the sign of the cross on my forehead with the oil, my mind went back to the time the same cross was signed on my forehead at my Confirmation.

And the words of Bishop Arzube came back to me: At some point in your lives, you will be aware of this powerful gift you were given today. And trust me, you won't know what hit you!

The bishop was right. I didn't know what hit me. So completely overwhelmed, I broke down and wept. And instantly all of my fears were replaced with the most incredible peace I have ever experienced. There are truly no words to explain it. But I know the Holy Spirit came to me that day, and I have never felt the same since.

As I sat at our Confirmation Rite, I looked at my class who I have witnessed grow in wisdom and grace over the past two years. On May 9, they will take this awesome step to be confirmed. I don't know if they can possibly understand the power of the gift they are about to receive. I pray that one day they will know just how important this day was to them. I pray that they will know that being Catholic isn't something we do for an hour on Sundays, nor is it something we do when it's convenient Being Catholic is who we are, all the time. I pray they will have the courage and the strength to live their faith.

Because being Catholic opens our lives to the most powerful gifts Christ has to offer us through His Sacraments. Does it guarantee an easy life? No way. But it does guarantee that the Holy Spirit will be with them today and always.

To my class --- Veronica, Jessica, Kelly, Victor, Jose, Fatima, Samuel, Sarah, Pamela, Jasmine, Daina and Ruta --- and to all those being confirmed this year, I pray that you will know this incredible gift you are about to receive. I hope your life will be easy, although I doubt it will be. But don't forget that the Holy Spirit is with you to give you strength and courage each day.

Above all else, I pray that you will always remember: "You are sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit." And from this day forward, that gift is yours.

Therese Corsaro teaches at St. Mary School, Palmdale.