Sacraments of initiation

The Holy Spirit was much in evidence here last Sunday. The Confirmation mass was a splendid celebration. All the catechists and Fr Michael deserve much praise and gratitude for the imagination and relevance of the preparation course. A priest from Poland asked: How long was the preparation? And was astonished at its brevity. He thought it should be two years. I would not dream of matching his expectation. But it did jolt me to think how seriously we should take the sacrament, its meaning and all it involves.

Then on Monday the children in St Antony’s school who had received their communion at various masses through May came resplendent in their communion dress for a lovely mass in school. Communion is a family event. It was important that they all celebrated together. A banquet followed in Becket, provided by the parents who will engage in the Communion program of 2020. Lucky children; lucky families; lucky parish.