In the June edition of the diocesan e-newsletter Bishop Michael wrote that having begun in Bundaberg, the celebration of the sacrament of Confirmation over the following months would take place in various other venues around the diocese including Blackall, Tambo, North Rockhampton, the Valleys parishes, Emerald, Springsure, Mackay, the Capricorn Coast, Gladstone, the Peak Downs Cluster and Blackwater.  As I look at the photo of the 15 children of St. Mary’s Clermont who celebrated the Sacrament with Bishop Michael in October (November newsletter), I am reminded of my own Confirmation and the differences in the way our church now celebrates. Although I was not quite 7 years old when I made my First Communion, it was another five years before my class mates and I at our local Catholic school, were permitted to receive the sacrament of Confirmation. This took place after our Bishop visited the school to question us and to ensure that we were well prepared. We were rather nervous about this!  As understanding of our faith develops so the church’s theology is modified and now it is common to celebrate Confirmation and Eucharist together.

For the girls and boys who live on properties here in the western part of the diocese and who are unable to attend a school, Catholic or State, it is not so easy to prepare for the sacraments. The pattern of life for children as well as their parents is less predictable. It can be subject to change with little or no warning. This makes it difficult to arrange for lessons and to cover the programme within a set time. Rather than being face-to-face, most lessons are via the telephone although over the period of two or three or however many months it takes us to cover the lessons preparing for Confirmation and First Communion (Eucharist) I plan to visit the properties three or four times. 

Again as I look back to my own childhood, I recall that I was one of perhaps thirty or forty girls and boys when I received each of these sacraments. It was very different for Toby. On Sunday, December 1^st in St. John’s church at Alpha, some months after we had begun the programme, he and his family gathered with the community take this next step in his faith journey. Just as it is not easy to organise times for talking (phone or face-to-face) so it is challenging to organise a time when Bishop Michael can travel the long distance involved - requiring him to stay overnight - and be sure that the one candidate or small group of children will be present. On this occasion, Father Peter Tonti who had been ministering in the west for the past month was delegated by Bishop Michael as celebrant. May our loving God bless Toby and his family who will nurture his continued growth in faith.

Sr. Mary Farrelly