Confirmation marks a significant milestone in the journey of young Catholics. With Baptism and the Eucharist, the sacrament of Confirmation completes the process of becoming full members of the Church. In our Pastoral Area, young people are normally confirmed when they have reached at least Year 9 at school.
St Joseph’s Parish supports parents in preparing their child to receive the sacrament. This church-home partnership recognises that parents/carers are the first teachers of their child in the ways of our faith and they play the most crucial role in ensuring their child truly understands that by our Baptism, we are all called to be disciples of Christ in our world, sustained by the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit.
The Christian home is the place where children receive the first proclamation of the faith. For this reason, the family home is rightly called ‘the domestic church’, a community of grace and prayer, a school of human virtues and of Christian charity.
Catechism of the Catholic Church 1666
Our 2025 programme will be led by Fr Jerome Ituah OCD from the Carmelite Community, supported by a small team of Catechists. Catholic children in Year 9 or above are invited to participate if parents discern this is the right time for them to receive the sacrament. There will be an Open Meeting for Parents on Tuesday 8 October at 7:30pm in the First Committee Room at St Joseph’s Church. At the meeting, Fr Jerome will outline the plans and expectations for our 2025 programme.
Preparation sessions will begin mid-November and run fortnightly on Saturday afternoons (at St Joseph’s Church) during term time until mid-July. Online registration will open AFTER 3PM on Wednesday 9 October and close on Wednesday 23 October for those who wish to enrol their child in this programme. This gives us time to order the resources for the start of the sessions.
Our programme includes five Parents Sessions to make our catechesis more encompassing, as some of us have not had time to reflect on our faith since our own First Communion or Confirmation. Parents need to be actively involved in the preparation activities and are expected to engage in discussions about the material being studied and sharing their own understanding and perspective with their child. These sessions are designed to help parents do just that, as well as renew and strengthen their own faith so they can serve as a role model for their family.
Do we truly care whether our children, our young people, receive confirmation? This is important, it is important! And if you have children or adolescents at home who have not yet received it and are at the age to do so, do everything possible to ensure that they complete their Christian initiation and receive the power of the Holy Spirit. It is important!
Pope Francis
Priority will be given to those who enrol in the programme during the registration window, thereafter available spaces will be allocated on a first come, first served basis. Families who worship and/or live outside of St Joseph’s Parish should contact their own parish in the first instance.
A copy of the child’s Baptism Certificate (or Baptism details if baptised in St Joseph’s Parish) will be requested at Registration and must be provided by the time the sessions start mid-November.
The fee is £50 for each child. This includes all books, materials and supplies as well as the BLAZE Retreat and Confirmation Day itself. No one will be disadvantaged if they are unable to contribute in full, please speak privately with Fr Jerome if this is a concern.
When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them.
Acts 2:1-3
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