There were lots of smiles and a few tears of joy on Thursday 14 November as a group of 18 secondary students from St Francis Catholic College received the sacrament of Confirmation at St Anthony of Padua Catholic Church in Melton South. Among the students, one was also baptised, and many had their first Reconciliation and received Holy Communion for the first time in their lives. It was the largest number of secondary students to receive these sacraments in the parish in recent years.
The students had all participated in the ‘Decision Point’ sacramental program—a joint initiative of the school and parish. Every Thursday, they had gathered with Andrew Sciberras, Liturgy Coordinator at the Melton campus, and John Kavanagh, Liturgy Coordinator at the Cobblebank campus, to discuss the Catholic faith, including the sacraments, God and who he is, and the role of the Church. Each week, students were given an activity to do at home—and sometimes with their parents—to cultivate the Christian virtues. They might be asked to cook for their families or clean the house, for instance, or to ask their parents about their first job or discuss their confirmation saint or sponsor.
As I attended the weekly lessons, the Word of God interested me and inspired me to continue.
Year 8 student Aibert says he was ‘a little nervous’ when he first joined the program. ‘None of my friends were in the program, and I was outside of my comfort zone,’ he says. ‘I was doubtful if I would continue, but as I attended the weekly lessons, the Word of God interested me and inspired me to continue.’ Aibert describes the process as ‘an amazing spiritual journey’ and says that when he was received into the Catholic Church, he found the experience to be ‘very rewarding’.
Aibert says that before his confirmation, he ‘did not truly understand Confession—and the ways of God—but that is clearer to me now, and I am very glad I have had my sins washed away.’ He says he is ‘very excited to be fully part of the Catholic family and to have received the Holy Spirit into my soul’.
Shelby was in Year 7 this year and decided to take part in the program after her religion classes at school gave her an opportunity to ‘immerse’ herself more in the teachings of the Catholic faith. ‘I feel blessed to have been given the opportunity to complete the sacraments of initiation within my high school,’ she says. ‘Confessing my sins made me feel refreshed, lighter, and my soul felt clean. The experience was peaceful, and it made me happy to know that my sins had been forgiven by God himself—through the priest.’
After these amazing days, I feel much closer to God. I am extremely happy and excited.
Shelby was given the opportunity to proclaim the second reading at Mass, and while she was ‘very nervous’, she felt honoured to be asked. ‘After these amazing days, I feel much closer to God. I am extremely happy and excited to have now completed all my sacraments of initiation.’
‘To see the students’ dedication and willingness to participate in what the program has to offer was very edifying for me,’ says Andrew. ‘There were some who attended every session, completed every section of the book and willingly and joyfully took part in all the virtue tasks’—an outcome he describes as ‘amazing and inspiring’. He prays that the benefits ‘will be shown through the years to come.’
The ceremony might be the highlight of their journey, but the journey does not stop. The journey goes on if they want to grow and mature in their faith and bear fruits.
Andrew says that one of the highlights of his years running the sacramental program occurred just a few weeks ago when one of his students told him that because of her recent faith journey, her parents had decided to return to Sunday Mass to support her desire to continue growing in the faith. ‘This is what it is all about: our unity to Christ in the Church he established,’ Andrew says. ‘My heart was filled with joy at the hearing of these words, and in a very real way … the student became the teacher.’
Fr Alex Clemente, Parish Priest at St Anthony of Padua, says the Mass was ‘a moment of renewal’ for students and parents alike—many of whom were moved to tears and seemed to be ‘deeply touched’ during the ceremony. Fr Alex hopes that the parish and the school can continue to work together to support students to grow and deepen in their faith. ‘The ceremony might be the highlight of their journey, but the journey does not stop,’ Fr Alex says. ‘The journey goes on if they want to grow and mature in their faith and bear fruits.’
Banner image: Shelby (Year 7) receives the sacrament of Confirmation at St Anthony of Padua Catholic Church, Melton South. (Photo courtesy of St Francis Catholic College.)
