Confirmation
"In the Sacrament of Confirmation the Holy Spirit comes down and is present in you to give you strength. People who have strength respect themselves and are respected by other people. We badly need in the Church today young people who have that strength. Other people will see in them the kind of person they think Jesus Christ was, because to be a Christian is to try to become more and more like Christ. Just think, how different the world would be if we all behaved like Jesus Christ, did the things he did, reacted as he reacted."
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From “To Be A Pilgrim”
by Cardinal Basil Hume
Sacramental Preparation
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At Baptism we became members of God’s family, sons and daughters of the Father, brothers and sisters of Christ, temples of the Holy Spirit. At Confirmation we take on new responsibilities in the Body of Christ, which is the Church.
Confirmation is the start of your journey to become an adult Christian.
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What is Confirmation?
In Confirmation you are making a personal commitment to the Church and Confirmation has different meanings to different people, for example;
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It’s a confirming of what was done on your behalf at Baptism.
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It’s a sense of belonging to the Christian community.
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It’s a ceremony whereby candidates receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
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It provides a setting for a deeper understanding of Christ.
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It’s a process in which the candidates are made more aware of Christ working in their lives and through the lives of others around them in every aspect of their lives.
Confirmation at St. Thomas’
At what age can I be confirmed?
The Parish invites students registered in the Parish in Year 10 to enroll for Confirmation along with any other member of the Parish who has not been confirmed and is over age of 15.
How do I enroll on the Programme?
Applications are available during the month of October for next year’s programme.
How long is the Programme?
The Programme consists of a series of sessions, usually on a Thursday evening from 7.15pm to 9.00pm, a retreat day and the Rite of Acceptance at Brentwood Cathedral, from February to Pentecost week.
What are the sessions?
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The Enrolment Mass;
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Introduction to the programme
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Overcoming Challenges
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Social Justice;
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Forgiveness;
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Emmaus Walk;
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Faith through Learning;
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Presentation to the Bishop (unless Bishop is visiting the Parish);
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Rehearsal and Confirmation Mass.
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The candidates may also attend the one day retreat which is either on Saturday or Sunday.
What do I have to do?
The candidates will need a sponsor. This should be someone who is Catholic, involved in the life of the candidate and is able to support them on their journey through Confirmation. Parents are not eligible to be sponsors of their own child/children.
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Volunteers
We encourage parents and members of the parish to get involved in the Confirmation by becoming catechists.
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The Confirmation Programme is a very popular and successful programme in our Parish and one we are most proud of.
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"Do Sacraments really make any difference" – article from Fr Austin
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Confirmation 2024
The images below are taken from the Confirmation wall which is located at the back of the church.
This year's theme is:
"Replace your doubts with dreams and set about working to realise your goals" Pope Francis World Youth Day - Lisbon 2023
Isaac Harvey MBE gave an inspiring talk about the power of believing in yourself, the ability to rise above what may be holding you back and in the groups we examined what really defines YOU, your clothes or belongings or the amazing loving and loved person you are who can do great things, no matter what, with God at your side. Here's what the Confirmation Candidates had to say about Isaac
