Dear Parent(s), Guardian(s) of children preparing for Confirmation in St. Senan’s Parish,

I apologize for not getting the time of Confirmation to you sooner. Hopefully, your plans have not been negatively impacted and you will still have a lovely and memorable family day.

Covid has definitely knocked us about. But it’s also given us the opportunity to look at things differently, perhaps pushed us into looking at things differently!

Apart from Covid, life in Ireland has changed. We hear much about the decline of the Catholic Church’s dominance in Ireland. No argument there… but it’s also something of a smokescreen because the really important issue is not the decline of the Catholic Church but, rather, if the decline also corresponds to a decline in the dominance of God in our lives.

That’s the really important issue and in the end it’ll decide everything.

So, for a changed and changing Ireland I’ve put together a short but intensive home-based preparation programme for Confirmation. While it’s designed with Confirmation in mind it’s actually a map of the path to intimacy with God… not a quality map mind!

For now if I can initiate a faith conversation within the family and the family home, and alert people to the intimacies of God I will have achieved much.

It’s base-line is God’s respect for human freedom and how God will not breach our personal space until he’s invited in.

Parents and guardians are requested to access the material on the Parish Facebook page as it’s uploaded or here on the Parish Website (much of it is already on the website under the Sacraments – Confirmation tabs). Alternatively drop an email to saintsenan@gmail.com and we’ll forward a copy by return.

See below for an outline of the programme together with a suggested time-frame for the completion of each session.

Session 1: Using our freedom to choose God; Mon Feb 21st – Tues Feb 22nd

Session 2: How we choose God; Wed Feb 23rd – Thurs Feb 24th

Session 3: Prayer: Convincing God we’re serious; Fri Feb 25th – Sat Feb 26th

Session 3.1: Prayer: How to pray; Mon Feb 28th – Tues March 01st

Session 3:2: Prayer and the Holy Spirit; Wed March 02nd – Thurs March 03rd

Session 4: Mass as prayer; Fri March 04th – Sat March 05th

Session 5: Avoid offending God; Mon March 07th – Tues March 08th

Session 6: Actively do good; Wed March 09th – Thurs March 10th