04.10.2021
First Confirmation since easing restrictions held in Castleknock
Archbishop Michael Jackson was delighted to be able to conduct a Service of Confirmation in St Brigid’s Church, Castleknock, for Castleknock and Mulhuddart with Clonsilla prior to the retirement of the Rector, Canon Paul Houston.The service was conducted with strict adherence to the guidelines currently in place.
In his address the Archbishop considered the Gospel from St Luke 9 with the candidates along with their parents and sponsors.
The text and context were Jesus praying alone and as part of this prayer asking the disciples: Who do the crowds say that I am?
He suggested that in saying: John the Baptist, Elijah, one of the ancient prophets, the crowd was not entirely wrong but was telling part of the story.
It was Peter, however, who told the whole story: The Messiah of God, he said. The Archbishop went on to say that it is rare for someone to be silenced for giving the correct answer. He suggested that the whole story of Messiahship is too much for people generally to take in one bite.
Offering encouragement to the candidates, he congratulated them in taking this step on their own initiative. He said that the path on which they had embarked was one of continuing to grow more and more into the fullness of faith in this Messiah in their everyday lives and in their church lives.
The Archbishop took the opportunity to thank Canon Houston for his sustained pastoral care and leadership of the parishes over many years and wished him all that is best in the years ahead.