24th August 2024

Dear Parents / Guardians,

I write to you at the beginning of this school year in relation to the Registration & Request of your child for the Sacrament of Confirmation in 2025. As of the end of June 2024, the After School ‘Seeds Of Faith’ Religious Education Classes are now the Official Dublin Diocesan Religious Education Classes for Catholic Children attending Schools other than Catholic Schools requesting the Sacraments of First Holy Communion and Confirmation.

The Home, Religious Education, and the Parish, have vital roles to play in the faith formation of your child. Only children Baptised as Roman Catholic can celebrate the Sacrament of Confirmation. We recognise that children may be Baptised in another Christian Church / Denomination or have received Baptism and Confirmation together as an infant and will not be receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation. To put the Sacrament of Confirmation in context: it is another step of commitment as one declares and accepts belief in our loving God as members of the Roman Catholic Community. While all who have been Baptised in the Roman Catholic faith and have received First Holy Communion are invited to make a Registration & Request for the Sacrament of Confirmation, we do not assume that this is your choice, or the choice of the young people concerned.

All Registrations & Requests for the Sacrament of Confirmation are made online by means of the Registration & Request Form directly to the parish. I wish to thank Firhouse Education Together National School & Gaelscoil na Giúise, for sending this letter to you, with the link to the Registration & Request Form. In some family situations, both parents / guardians may wish to ‘Submit’ a Registration & Request Form with your contact details. Please ‘Submit’ the Registration & Request Form immediately or at the very latest by 20th September 2024. (Link at bottom of this page.)

Your Child’s Baptismal Certificate from the Parish of Baptism will be needed, as evidence of Roman Catholic Baptism. If you do not have a copy of the Baptismal Certificate, please contact the parish of your child’s Baptism for a Baptismal Certificate immediately. For children Baptised in the Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Firhouse, we will check the Baptismal details of all children Baptised in Parish of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Firhouse. Please forward the Baptismal Certificate directly to me by email attachment or drop it into the Parish Office between 9.30 am – 4 pm. If you wish to email me the Baptismal Certificate, use the email address firhouseparishsaf@gmail.com to send a scanned copy or a photo of the Baptismal Certificate to me directly please. As the Registration & Request Form requires you to give me a contact email address, I will be able to contact with you by email if I need to.

The ’Seeds of Faith’ Religious Educator will be covering the Religious Education Material in the ‘Grow in Love’ Religious Education Programme, and I encourage you as parents / guardians to journey with your child in this ‘Grow in Love’ Programme, and whatever else you may be able to do in helping your child to prepare for the Sacrament of Confirmation. There will be 28 ‘Seeds of Faith After School Religious Education Preparation’ in person classes per year, starting on Wednesday 2nd October, and the payment is €140 for one child, €200 for two children in any one family, and €240 for three or more children in any one family, partaking in either the First Holy Communion or Sacrament of Confirmation Classes. This payment can be paid in total in October, or in two instalments, one in October the other next February. In order for safeguarding to be protected it will be necessary for two parents to be present in the building where the Seeds of Faith classes will occur, and a rota of available parents / guardians we will be organised.

We are asking each family to contribute a donation of €20 to meet the running cost of the parish and administration involved in preparing for the celebration of the sacraments. If this request causes any hardship, please email firhouseparishsaf@gmail.com where all will be dealt with in confidence.

There will be a meeting for all parents / guardians of children wishing to attend the ‘Seeds of Faith’ Classes on Wednesday 25th September at 7.30 pm in Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, Ballycullen Avenue, Firhouse, D24 N5WC, and I will later in the year be in touch with you about a Preparation Meeting for all parents / guardians of those who have submitted the Registration & Request Form for their child requesting the Sacrament of Confirmation in 2025. I encourage you, either in your own Parish or another Parish, to partake in Saturday Evening or Sunday Mass as your family, with your child, prepares to celebrate their Sacrament of Confirmation.

Please complete and submit your Registration & Request Form on this link:

2025 Firhouse Confirmation Registration Form Seeds of Faith

With every good wish.

Peter J Reilly

Fr Peter Reilly PP