Sacramental Preparation
Understandably it has been a very challenging time for all of us in the Parish (and for all of you too) and there were celebrations and milestones in the lives of our young parishioners that were missed.
The Parish along with the schools of Loreto Girls and St. Mary’s Boys are now beginning the process of planning and celebrating the Sacraments which were missed due to the pandemic.
Confirmation
We plan on starting with the Confirmation classes of 2020 first. Our hope is that we can begin with the classes of 2020 in October and then follow on with the Confirmation classes of 2021 in November.
All parents of children in these classes will receive an email providing more information during the first weeks of September.
Please be aware that all of our preparation for and celebration of the Sacraments will be subject to all relevant Government guidelines and restrictions.
Parish Confirmation Dates 2020
St Mary’s 2020 Confirmations have been postponed and new dates will be announced
Loreto 2020 Confirmations have been postponed and new dates will be announced
Skip down to
- Confirmation; Articles and Links
- Videos about the Sacrament of Confirmation
- Tweeting with God: Videos about Questions of Faith
- RealFaithTV Videos: Young adult discussion (not lame)
Confirmation in faith
Confirmation, like Baptism and the Eucharist is, is one of the three sacraments of initiation of the Catholic Church. As the Holy Spirit descended upon the disciples who were gathered in the upper room at Pentecost, so the Holy Spirit comes to every baptised person for whom the Church requests the gift of the Holy Spirit. It secures and strengthens him to be a living witness to Christ.
Parish Preparation Programme for Children
You Shall Be My Witnesses
This programme has been run in the parish successfully for a number of years. The purpose of the programme is to help parents become actively involved in the preparation for Confirmation and gives an opportunity for all involved to grow in faith. The programme creates a space where candidates for Confirmation can talk and learn about their faith to which they are making a commitment in an informal atmosphere.
For more information on how to register your child for this programme contact the parish team. Children in parish schools (Contact link) will register through the schools.
Who Can Receive?
Any baptised Catholic wishing to advance on the path of developing their faith. For young people, this is usually part of the 5th/6th class primary school programme. For adults who were not confirmed as children, it means taking part in the Rite of the Christian Initiation of Adults (R.C.I.A.)
Sponsor
A sponsor stands behind the candidate for Confirmation at the Confirmation ceremony and places their hand on the shoulder of the candidate as a sign that they will support them in living out their baptismal promises. However, the role of the sponsor is not just for one day. The sponsor undertakes to assist the confirmed person in growing in the fullness of their faith and in their membership of the Catholic Church.
A person qualifies as a sponsor by being a reasonably mature adult, who is at least 16 years old, and has already received the Sacraments of Initiation, (Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist) themselves. The Confirmation sponsor may be one of the people who were a sponsor at Baptism (subject to the notes here).
Choosing a sponsor
(Ref. Code of Canon Law §874) To be admitted to undertake the office of sponsor, a person must: Be appointed by the candidate, or by the parents or whoever stands in their place, or failing these, by the parish priest or the minister; to be appointed the person must be suitable for this role and have the intention of fulfilling it; be not less than sixteen years of age, unless a different age has been stipulated by the diocesan Bishop, or unless the parish priest or the minister considers that there is a just reason for an exception to be made; be a Catholic who has been confirmed and has received the blessed Eucharist, and who lives a life of faith which befits the role to be undertaken; not be either the father or the mother of the candidate.
Name
The tradition of taking a new name at Confirmation emphasises the new identity of a Christian being called to witness to their faith. People are encouraged to take the name of a saint or a person from the Bible who inspires them in some way.
Oil
The oil used is called the Oil of Chrism. It is olive oil mixed with balsam that is blessed by the bishop and priests of the diocese in the Cathedral at the ‘Chrism Mass’ on Holy Thursday. The Sacrament is conferred with the anointing with this ‘Oil of Chrism’ on the forehead as the Bishop says ‘Be sealed with the gifts of the Holy Spirit’.
Questions and Answers (Tweeting with God)
“Tweeting with God” videos
“RealFaithTV” videos
For more information on Confirmation or any of the sacraments go to www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM