Confirmation
We run a lively, dynamic Confirmation programme in the parish, open to anyone in school year ten to young adult. (if you are aged 19+ then you are encouraged to look at the section “Becoming a Catholic” for the adult Journey in Faith programme).
The Confirmation programme starts in October each year, and usually runs through to Pentecost Sunday, in May or June. The sessions are monthly, and include a whole variety of things including the popular “Ask a Priest” where you can ask literally anything you have ever wanted to know about the Church and its teachings.
Preparing for Confirmation is seen very much as the decision of the young person. It is important that parents are encouraging and supportive, and it may well be that encouragement which means a young person comes to the programme in the first place. As the months go by, however, we do encourage each young person to make this a personal decision, a personal commitment, and we always respect decisions to defer by a year or more if that is right for the individual. For this reason we have a number in year eleven, twelve and thirteen who present themselves; they form their own group during discussion times and they are very welcome.
The programme includes a weekend retreat at the Diocesan Youth Retreat Centre, Walsingham House, and also a “Youth Action day” of service to those in the parish community who may need the energy and muscle of the young to lift and shift heavy objects, weed, paint fences and mow lawns. This happens during the Easter holidays.
After the celebration of Confirmation the group come back together for a Barbecue, and the older youth activities in the parish are then open to them, with a wide range of social and spiritual opportunities including trips to Lourdes and World Youth Day, weekends away, and their own area upstairs in Holy Trinity hall in which to relax and listen to music. See the “Youth Activities” section for more about this.
Download the Confirmation 2024 Application Form: PDF | DOCX
It is important to apply in good time; once the programme has started we cannot take on new people and so late applications are deferred to the following year.
For any questions about the Confirmation programme, please contact Fr Sabu.