By Rich Leonardi, Crisis Magazine - The bishop provides a vital apostolic connection to the Sacrament of Confirmation because he serves as a successor to the Apostles - so why don't some not even show up?... For over a quarter century, since our oldest child was baptized in 1996, my wife and I have marked the passage of time by our children’s sacraments. They’ve also proved a great way to keep the house clean. The spring often meant yard work to get ready for a First Communion, and the fall meant one last trimming of the hedges for Confirmation.