I went to a confirmation yesterday - not something that comes my way much. We had the Bishop to preside. He didn't inspire. The children to be confirmed (from the same family) were sitting with their god-parents-to-be, and he peered out and said, "would each of the children and their family come forward?" He did a fill-in-the-blanks ceremony, and didn't say anything individual about either of them - but I guess it was very clear that he didn't know them (or their parents, or their parish) from a bar of soap. He did a homily that was pointedly addressed to the Vicar who's a member of the Forward In Faith movement, which he doesn't approve of. It was full of the need to balance spirituality and love of God with some actual engagement with the world. Said like that, it sounds fine. It was more the tone and the way the phrases were placed that made it clear some tit-for-tat was going on. The two intending confirmatees just looked mildly frightened, and one of them refused to take the Bishop's hand at the end.

Now I understand that he has a political job to do, but that was all just bad manners. Reading a confirmation service? There are about 4 shortish prayers in it. If you've been a Bishop for a few years, and have to do all the Confirmations in your See, then it behoves you to learn the words. Otherwise, it gives the distinct impression that not many confirmations come your way - or that you take it tall totally for granted. Either way, bad manners - and bad marketing for heaven's sake!

( More rant about manners )

And yes, I realise all this makes me sound like the most bourgeoise moocow in the world, but still. And yes, it's official, I'm old. Except that I'm not complaining about people younger than me - these were people my age or older who simply ought to know better.