After another successful Mass followed by dinner and fellowship with the ACE community in Dublin, we returned home for the last Saturday Vigil Mass of Ordinary Time before the start of Lent. This liturgy was also particularly special because it contained the Ceremony of Light and “The Pledge” for Scoil Mhuire’s sixth class students preparing for the Sacrament of Confirmation in April.
In addition to the Enrolment Ceremony which took place earlier in the year where the Confirmation Candidates renewed their Baptismal Promises in front of the parish community, part of the preparation for Confirmation within the Irish Church includes a Ceremony of Light and taking a pledge against drugs and alcohol. The Ceremony of Light is a beautiful symbolic service where we reflect back to the children’s first sacrament, remembering that at Baptism, parents took light from the Paschal candle as a sign of the faith they would hand on to their children, helping and supporting them as they try to live out this faith in their lives. During the ceremony, light from the Paschal candle was distributed to the candidates’ parents holding the candles their children received at Baptism. The parents then handed their lighted candles to their sons or daughters, showing them that they would be there supporting their children as they try live out the call of their Confirmation. Facing their children now holding the candles they said, “Let us together keep the light of faith burning in your life.” It was a beautiful ceremony and I’m so thankful to have witnessed this special moment between the parents and their children.
Saturday night was not only my first time to witness the Ceremony of Light, but also provided us newbies the opportunity to see one of the things we’ve heard so much about for the last six months, something that most Irish people commonly refer to as “The Pledge.” A quick Google search about this pledge can provide you with some more interesting details on the history of this common part of Irish culture. But basically, at the age of Confirmation, the students are presented with the opportunity to take a pledge against drugs as well as drinking alcohol until they are at least eighteen (the legal drinking age in Ireland). Having gotten to know a few of the Scoil Mhuire students fairly well over the last few months throughout the Confirmation preparation program, I was extremely proud of all the students who decided to come forward to take their pledge in front of the entire community. Like one of their teachers commented to me after Mass, “They all took it very seriously and have started showing that they understand what it means to become an ‘adult’ in the church by making their Confirmation.” Amen to that!
As one of the co-coordinators for Kennedy Park’s Confirmation program, Jess (who just celebrated a BIRTHDAY on Sunday!), will be heading up the next Ceremony of Light this coming Saturday for that group of sixth class students. Please keep them all in your prayers!
