Confirmation

At 7.30 on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings this week our young candidates will receive the sacrament. Their preparation has been long and challenging for the candidates and for the large number of adults who have volunteered to be their catechists. The teen years are years for searching and questioning. The peer pressure of a secular society and the airwaves weigh heavily against the commitment of faith. Cynics say that nowadays young people simply give up after confirmation. Maybe some will. Many will not. For the generosity and encouragement of the catechists has been a powerful encouragement this year in the individual and collective search for beauty and goodness. The result will only appear in future years. We know the Holy Spirit is active. Very often we fail to see him at working in ways we do not recognise.

The Journey of faith finished this year’s weekly meetings with the confirmation of four of their number last Sunday. This has been a particularly successful year, rich in sharing, laughter and a build-up of real family spirit. A real warm sharing soon began to show itself early on. Everyone contributed. It was a sense of belonging to a close-knit family. Once more it was the accompaniment of you members of the parish each week that produced this result. So have a good rest now. In September the next contingent of both Journeys will start for the next cohort. Faith is largely caught, not taught. Please persevere.