Confirmation

We had Confirmation on Sunday as part of the regular Sunday Mass in Koroit. I collected Oisín at around six in Melbourne Airport and made a mad dash for Warrnamboo to get changed and then out to Koroit for 10.30 a.m. Normally Confirmation is done by the priest but we had a visiting bishop from Sydney: Brian Finnegan D.D. who was born in nearby Port Fairy. It was a very simple ceremony but none the worse for that. It was very much an integral part of weekly worship rather than “The Big Show.” I looked after the choir and because it was a Sunday and there is footy/netball on from an early hour, it was difficult to round them up. I had to extend down to Grade Three and plan a big ‘Party’ for Monday to get the numbers up to twelve! They were lovely and sweet and I took particular joy in doing ‘Seinn Alleluia’ and ‘An Irish Blessing’. Fr. Bill, who is Dutch announced that he was going to come into school and teach the children some Dutch hymns. The teachers from the school did all the readings and were also Ministers of The Eucharist. School and Parish are very closely linked. Teachers who teach in Catholic schools, in my experience here, tend to be actual practising Catholics. (That old chestnut of choice over habit/tradition…)

Before the conferring, all the children (about twenty) were invited behind the altar and were blessed by both the Bishop and Priest, in turn. Then ‘The Bish’ sat out front on the throne. The children came from behind him and their sponsors from the front. It was the same as home after that. At the end all the kids processed out with the lads, then returned for photos. Then, back to the school where the P+F again stepped up to the plate. A number of people came up in the church and hall afterwards to remark on how lovely the choir sounded. They were good but not that good. I have bigger plans for First Communion in September. I remember when I came to Trim twelve years ago and we did a Jig, with the hard shoes for the offertory procession, we woke up a few people in the church. So a bit of “Awake from your slumber…” is planned for later in the year. Watch this space.

BTW they make their Confirmation in Grade Three in this Diocese. First Reconciliation is in Grade Two and First Communion in Grade Four. Remember the order that we learnt the list of sacraments? Such was the way in the Early Church, though that was mainly to cater for adult conversions. Interesting ages and sequence. First Reconciliation was a couple of months ago, but that was so low key that a sub teacher just in for the day did it. I wonder will they do the white dresses for First Communion?