Confirmation is a sacrament in which a baptised person receives the Holy Spirit to strengthen their faith and deepen their commitment to Christ. It is typically administered by a bishop through the anointing of chrism (sacred oil), symbolising the sealing of the Holy Spirit. The individual is given gifts of the Holy Spirit: Wisdom, Understanding, Right Judgement (Counsel), Courage (Fortitude), Knowledge, Reverence (Piety), and Wonder and Awe in God’s Presence (Fear of The Lord). It completes the process of initiation into the Church, following Baptism, and the reception of the Eucharist, and prepares the person to take on a more active role in the life of the Church and in sharing the Gospel.
Preparation for Confirmation in Ashbourne
Confirmation marks the taking on of faith for oneself. It takes place for children each year in Ashbourne Church on a Saturday during the month of March or April. Each September after the Bishop has announced the date of Confirmation the priests of our parish meet the children of confirmation age. Our priests then organise a meeting for parents in Ashbourne Church. At this meeting the preparatory journey is outlined. The parents present at the meeting receive a Request Form and Registration Form to be filled in. On completion they return these forms to the Parish Office.
‘Confirming our Children’ is the name of the preparation programme for confirmation children and parents in Ashbourne Parish. Our program seeks to foster in a positive way the home, school and parish working together to pass on a living faith. Parents have a vital role in preparing a child for Confirmation. Going to Mass regularly with your child, praying at home, and sharing your Christian values are important in nurturing your child’s faith. You can also help by discussing what is happening with confirmation at school and in the parish, share positive religious memories, pray as a family, make a sacred space in your home and go to confession as a family.
The children registered for confirmation preparation come to Ashbourne Church for four catechesis encounters with our priests. This happens on four Wednesday mornings at 10.45am for those attending one of Ashbourne’s three catholic schools. For those enrolled on the parish sacramental after school programme this happens on four Wednesday afternoons during class time. At this catechesis the children meet the priests of the parish in their church and are introduced to aspects of the faith and prayers to learn and reflect upon that month. The four catechesis encounters are linked to four preparatory ‘Confirming our Children weekends in our parish. At the first ‘Confirming our Children’ Mass in October the children and parents requesting the sacrament are enrolled and the children bring to Mass a letter in reply to our bishop saying why they want to receive the sacrament. For the second Mass the children have learnt about the link between baptism and confirmation. For this ‘Confirming our Children’ weekend the candidates have learnt about the Baptismal Promises that they will make on their Confirmation Day. For the third ‘Confirming our Children’ Mass the children have completed a project on their saint’s name that they are taking. At this Mass the children also inform the parish of the person that they have chosen as their confirmation sponsor. The final ‘Confirming our Children’ Mass celebrates the Gifts and Fruits of the Holy Spirit. The Mass is offered for the children and celebrates the importance of the Holy Spirit in a Christians life.
Confirmation Ceremony
Once parents, teachers and priests have prepared the children our Parish Priest makes the recommendation to the bishop that the children be confirmed.
There are two ceremonies on confirmation day in Ashbourne Church. One happens in the morning and the second in the early afternoon. These ceremonies for the children prepared through the three parish schools and the After School Program rotate each year. Due to the large number of children receiving the sacrament and the size of Ashbourne church each candidate and three other people attend the ceremony in the main body of the church. Seats are allocated on a first come nearest the altar basis. A small number of seats in the altar area accessed through the Old Church door are allocated by ticket with application through the Parish Office two weeks prior to the ceremony.
A lot of work is put into the Confirmation ceremonies. ‘Confirmandi’ and all attending with them are encouraged to answer the prayers aloud and to join in the singing of the Hymns.
As the Opening Hymn is sung, everyone stands and the bishop with the priests of the parish process up the main aisle. After the blessing and opening words, the Penitential Rite takes place followed by the Opening Prayer.
The Liturgy of the Words follows with readings chosen by the bishop and his diocesan advisors. After the proclamation of the gospel the parish priest welcomes the bishop to the parish and speaks about the ‘confirmandi’s’ preparation for the sacrament. He then invites the teachers to call out the names of the candidates receiving the sacrament.
In the Catholic tradition, the ordinary minister of Confirmation is the bishop because it is considered a sacrament of the fullness of the Holy Spirit, symbolising the bishop’s role as a successor of the apostles, who have the authority to confer this sacrament.
After the bishop speaks to all gathered in his homily, with arms outstretched the bishop calls down the Holy Spirit in an ancient gesture known as the ‘Laying on of Hands’.
At the moment of confirmation itself the child comes forward with their sponsor. Candidates are asked to follow the direction of the teacher-stewards and priests. The sponsor holds the name card of the child in their left hand and holds it visible for the bishop to read. Once the child has knelt before the bishop the sponsor places their right hand on the right shoulder of the candidate. The bishop calls the candidate by their confirmation name and anoints them on the forehead with the sacred oil of chrism saying, ‘Be Sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit’ to which the child responds ‘Amen’. An exchange of the Sign of Peace takes place with the bishop saying, ‘Peace be with you’ and the candidate responding, ‘And with your spirit’. The Prayer of the Faithful is then led by some of the teachers involved in the parish preparation.
As part of confirmation ceremony in our diocese the children have the option to take a pledge abstaining from alcohol, drugs and addictive substances until 18 years of age. After the taking of the pledge our bishop concludes the ceremony with the Final Blessing and Dismissal. Families are welcome to take photographs with the bishop before their departure from Ashbourne Church campus.
