30th August 2023

Dear Parents and 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 2024. The Home, the School, and the Parish, have a vital role 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 accept 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 present for Registration & Request for the Sacrament of Confirmation, we do not assume that this is your choice, or the choice of the young people concerned. It is a stage at which some ritual celebration seems to be needed in life, but as there are many forms of creative and meaningful ritual celebrations in modern times, it is important that you make a choice that matches what is of value to you and your family.

I ask you to consider if your child wishes to present for the Sacrament of Confirmation in 2024. The young people are not obliged to present for Confirmation simply because they are in finishing Primary School. It will be necessary to complete the Registration & Request process before Confirmation occurs, and important that you have time as a family to consider if your child, supported by you, wishes to make this commitment to the Roman Catholic Faith. Trust that you will have the support of the parish with whatever decision that you make. We do not assume that all will choose to present to make a final sacramental commitment to faith. It is possible to present for the Sacrament of Confirmation at any stage later in life, if not now.

All Registrations & Requests for the Sacrament of Confirmation are now made online by means of a Google Form directly to the parish. I wish to thank Scoil Treasa, for sending this email and accompanying letter to you, with the link to the Registration & Request Google Form. In some family situations, both parents / guardians may wish to ‘Submit’ a Registration & Request Google Form with your contact details.

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Please ‘Submit’ this Registration & Request Google Form immediately or at the very latest by 15th September 2023.

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 once again check the baptismal details of all children baptised in Parish of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Firhouse.

Please do not give the Baptismal Certificate to the class teacher in Scoil Treasa but 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 Google Form requires you to give me a contact email address, I will be able to contact you by email if I need to.

In our parish school of Scoil Treasa the class teacher will be covering the catechetical material in the ‘Grow in Love’ Catechetical Programme, and I encourage you as parents / guardians to journey with your child in this ‘Grow in Love’ Catechetical Programme, and whatever else you may be able to do in helping your child to prepare for the Sacrament of Confirmation.

I will be in touch with you in due course about a Preparation Meeting for all parents / guardians of those who have submitted the Registration & Request Google Form for their child preparing for the Sacrament of Confirmation in 2024. 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.

With every good wish.

Yours sincerely,

Peter J Reilly

Fr Peter Reilly PP