Our children, our future...

- Bishop Martin Hayes, Bishop of Kilmore, writes about the importance of the sacraments of Holy Communion and Confirmation...

I write as the countryside is covered in a thin blanket of snow, yet we see the green shoots of Spring emerging with the snowdrops, daffodils, and tulips in their different stages of blooming. Hopefully, we are emerging from the grip of the global pandemic so that we can continue to gather as family, as friends, and as parish communities.

As the preparations for the celebrations of Holy Communion and Confirmation are underway, I would like to encourage all involved, especially our children who will receive the Sacraments this year.

However, just as we are coming to terms with the impact of the pandemic, we are now faced in these days, with the reality of war in Ukraine. Our thoughts are with the people of Ukraine who are experiencing the terror of death and the destruction of their country. As the coronavirus pandemic has had, and is still having its global impact, so war and the threat of war affects all of us. We pray earnestly for the people of Ukraine. We pray in particular, that minds and hearts may be turned to ways of justice and peace; values that are central to the Gospel message of Jesus Christ.

We give thanks for the preparations that are underway for Holy Communion and Confirmation on the part of the children themselves, their families, teachers, schools, pastoral assistants, priests, deacons, and parish communities.

Our children who are preparing for Holy Communion are no doubt eagerly anticipating receiving Jesus for the first time. The focus of their preparations is on Jesus who came among us to bring peace on Earth. The Sacrament of Holy Communion celebrates the loving gift of Jesus Himself to each one of us to sustain us in our calling to ensure peace and harmony in our homes, local communities and in our world. As faith communities preparing to welcome our Holy Communion children, may their eagerness to receive Jesus into their hearts, inspire all of us to be peacemakers.

Our Confirmation children are preparing to receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit namely, wisdom, understanding, right judgement, courage, knowledge, reverence and wonder and awe in God’s Presence. They receive these gifts, to be able to give witness to our Christian faith. Each of the gifts of the Holy Spirit are worthy of our further reflection considering recent events in our world.

In supporting our Confirmation children in their preparations to receive these gifts, we are called to renew our appreciation of these gifts for our world today, torn as it is, by divisions, hunger, discord, and war.

It is appropriate that our children, as they enter their teenage years and make the transition to secondary school, receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Our young people are preparing to make their contribution in our world. We pray that they may be sustained by these gifts and that they may display the fruits of the Holy Spirit namely love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control. Our young people are our future and carry our hopes. May the gifts of the Holy Spirit inspire them and renew us so that the fruits of the Holy Spirit may become a reality in our world into the future.

The celebration the Sacraments of Holy Communion and Confirmation with our children is a time of renewal for all of us. The preparations for the Sacraments offer an opportunity for each of us to be inspired by our children who are receiving them. The readiness of our children to receive Jesus and the gifts of the Holy Spirit inspire us to be open to God’s graces again.