21.05.2018
Young People from Ten Parishes Confirmed in their Faith on Pentecost
Forty–five young people from 10 parishes were confirmed by Archbishop Michael Jackson in Christ Church Cathedral on the Feast of Pentecost (Sunday May 20). The cathedral was packed to capacity for the wonderful service which was sung by the cathedral choir.
The candidates were joined by their families and friends as they began the next stage on their journeys of faith. They came from Christ Church Cathedral, Dalkey, Drumcondra, Kill O’ the Grange, Monkstown, Whitechurch, St Catherine’s Church Thomas Street, St Catherine’s and St James’s with St Audeon, Santry Glasnevin and Finglas and Tallaght.
Archbishop Jackson thanked all the candidates for drawing the congregation together in the mother church of Dublin & Glendalough. He said confirmation gave rusty adults an opportunity to renew the promises of baptism as the candidates made the vows themselves with their own voices for the first time.
Drawing on the reading [Acts 2: 1–21] he outlined the parallels between the day of Pentecost and the confirmation service. He pointed to the diversity of the people from all over the Mediterranean basin who gathered in Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost, the distinction of their own languages which gave understanding and clarity and the development of abilities which they did not know they had were gifts from the Holy Spirit.
They were the same gifts that God opened to those who were confirmed, he said, adding that diversity, distinction and development were in no way confined to the religious world but were needed at work, school and everywhere to enable communities to be built and people to be free to live the life of the spirit.
