Confirmation
On 14th June the Confirmation candidates from Salisbury and Tisbury joined together again for a day’s retreat led by Father Joseph. The day began with Mass at Wardour Chapel, followed by a tour. Very kindly, Lord Talbot had arranged for us to spend the day at Old Wardour Castle. Walking there we paused for the Angelus at noon. The group took part in sessions on the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, wrote prayers, played games, discussed the Fruits of the Holy Spirit, enjoyed a picnic as well as a birthday cake for Pentecost. A day blessed with fine weather and joy. Thank you to all who were there
Dear Confirmation parents,
The feast of Pentecost approaches this Sunday, and we’re just over 2 weeks away from our Confirmation Mass. A few reminders of the last stages of our journey together…
1:1s (Weeknights this week)
Thank you for booking time slots to meet with Catherine or me this week. These will take place at the PARISH CENTRE (next to St Elizabeth Hall) at 131 Exeter St (not the church site). Plenty of place to wait inside if you want to bring a book or whatever. The 1:1s will last about 20 minutes, and are an opportunity for each young person to talk over their own journey so far, and what the next step for them might be after Confirmation. Absolutely nothing to be anxious about!
PLEASE BRING: (1) Name of sponsor, (2) name chosen for Confirmation saint, (3) the ‘readiness’ sheet with red/amber/green flags, from last session—with the form on the back signed.
Pentecost Vigil Mass (This Saturday, 4pm)
This Sunday is the great feast of the Holy Spirit, Pentecost. Our Vigil Mass at St Gregory’s will be the moment for our Confirmation candidates to formally pledge their intention & submit their request to be Confirmed. Please come to St Gregory’s Hall at 4pm, for a short session, and a time of prayer & adoration, before Mass begins at 6pm.
Pre-Confirmation Retreat Day (Next Saturday, 14th, 10.15am - 5pm)
A day to get ourselves in the right frame of mind and heart for Confirmation. Please arrange your own transport, drop-off at 10.15am and collect at 5pm from All Saints’ Chapel, Wardour Castle. More detailed directions to follow.
PLEASE BRING: (1) Water, (2) weatherproof shoes & clothes for walking in a field, (3) packed lunch.
Confirmation Mass Rehearsal (Tuesday 17th June, 7pm, St Gregory's Church, Salisbury)
ALL candidates and parents must attend the rehearsal for the Mass - this is absolutely necessary to check the seating plan accommodates everyone and to walk through the Confirmation Rite to make sure that everyone knows what will happen - when to move from their seats etc. If Confirmation sponsors are available to attend with you, that is ideal. This is the time to ask any final practical questions and for us to iron-out any last minute hiccups. There is absolutely no time at all immediately prior to the Confirmation Mass so this is your last chance to ask questions/clarify anything you're not sure of.
Confirmation Mass (Thursday 19th June, 7pm, St Gregory’s Church, Salisbury)
Advance warning that because our number of candidates is very high (praise God!), and as the organ refurbishment means the gallery is out of use, space will be at a premium at St Greg’s. Please plan for guests to be limited to: candidate + sponsor + 3 others, per candidate.
After Mass, there will be a bring & share reception, so we will be asking each family to bring a contribution. Could boys’ families bring something savoury, and girls’ families bring something sweet? (Not to stereotype!) Food contributions can be dropped off in the hall prior to Mass.
Very many thanks, please keep all the candidates (and us!) in your prayers over the coming days.
In Christ always,
Fr Joseph Columba.
Pax
9 May 2025
Dear Confirmation parents,
What a wonderful day to be a Catholic! 🙏🏼 May God bless our new Holy Father, Pope Leo 14th.
Just to keep you in the loop, I’ve sent a message to the group WhatsApp regarding the 1:1 meetings I mentioned in my last email to you. This was my message to them:
Those links again…
For the boys: https://zcal.co/frjosephcolumba/confirmation
For the girls: https://zcal.co/i/GijT-JFS
Just in case you may wish to co-ordinate with them about their choice of slots! Please do also talk to them about the upcoming Confirmation, especially as regards sponsors and patron saints—some of them may need a little help!
Pax,
Fr J.
Dear Parents,
Next Tuesday is a joint session between our Confirmation 2025 cohort, and Youth Group.
When? 7-9pm, Tuesday night
Where? The Parish Centre
🍽️ This session includes a meal.
Youth Group parents, please note there’ll be no regular meeting next Wednesday 5th, because it’s Ash Wednesday. There will be a 6pm Mass at St Osmund’s with distribution of ashes.
Confirmation parents, please note that Tuesday’s session will be at the Parish Centre (next to St Elizabeth Hall), not the usual hall next to St Osmund’s.
We will start with a meal at 7pm (vegetarian option available)… and there may even be a traditional Shrove Tuesday dessert…! 😉🥞 We have not been made aware of any allergies in the group.
Both groups have now seen the first 3 sessions of the Youth Alpha course. On Tuesday, we will do session 4. This will be the last time the Confirmation group will meet until Palm Sunday. But let me extend a very warm invitation to them to come along to Youth Group: we meet every Wednesday night during term time, from 6.30-8pm, at the Parish Centre.
In particular, for those that would like to complete the Alpha course, we will be running those sessions (which all include a meal) on the following dates:
Wed 19th March
Wed 2nd April
Wed 30th April
Saturday 4th May (TBC)
Wed 7th May
The Alpha course includes a Retreat Day, which we are hoping to offer on Saturday 4th May, so please pencil that in your calendars if your child would like to be part of that (NOT the 30th Apr as we previously suggested, which is Mother’s Day!).
Many thanks for all your support and prayers.
In Christ always,
Fr Joseph.
Pax
Dear Parents,
We’re very much looking forward to getting our Confirmation programme started next week (Tuesday 14th January).
Sessions will be 7pm until 9pm, and will take place in the Parish Rooms (the hall with the green door, right next to St Osmund’s church, Exeter St).
Hopefully you have all the programme dates in your calendars already; if not, they are all available at the link below — please let us know if there are any you won’t be able to make.
https://salisburycatholics.org/confirmation
We will be asking all of the youngsters to share their mobile phone numbers with us (if they have one) so that we can communicate easily via WhatsApp group throughout the programme and we will have some pizza and a few treats on the first night to help break the ice. Anyone who wishes to bring along a treat or two to share with friends new and old is never discouraged but there’s no obligation to do so, of course.
I am looking forward to seeing all the young people next Tuesday night.
Wishing you every blessing of this new year!
In Christ,
Fr Joseph.
Dear Parents,
According to our parish records, you have a child who is now of an age that they could join our programme of preparation for the Sacrament of Confirmation in 2025.
Fr Joseph is organising and running the programme again this year and I have attached a letter from him to your son/daughter inviting them to enrol if they would like to. We would be very grateful if you would pass this letter on to them.
We are holding an initial information evening at the Parish Centre, on Tuesday 8th October, at 7pm.
Please do come along—both parents and young people. Hopefully this will be an opportunity to outline the programme, and answer any questions you may have, before deciding whether or not you wish to apply for the programme.
The programme details – times and locations – can be found on the Parish website. In the meantime, if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact the Parish Office or Fr Joseph directly.
The Sacrament of Confirmation calls us to live a life of holiness and obedience to God’s will. That call is primarily through a renewal of our baptismal promises that were, in most cases, made for us by our parents when we were baptised. The Sacrament is usually conferred by a bishop who lays his hands on those being confirmed and anoints them on the forehead with holy oil. By these signs the grace of their Baptism is completed. They are filled with the Holy Spirit and the many gifts He has to offer, as the apostles were at Pentecost, and they are united more firmly with Christ and His Church.
The celebration of Confirmation for our young people is another highlight of our church year which normally takes places in May or June. If you would like to understand more about Confirmation, click here and take some time to read and watch the videos.
The Church identifies three roles for Confirmation sponsors: First, as a role-model in the faith. Because of this, the Church asks that a sponsor be at least sixteen years of age, be fully initiated in the Church (has celebrated the sacraments of Baptism, Eucharist and Confirmation), and be a practicing member of the Church. Second, a sponsor is a companion on the candidate's faith journey. Ideally, this should/could be one of the candidate's baptismal godparents. This is encouraged by the Church to show the close connection between the two sacraments. Finally, the Confirmation sponsor witnesses for the candidate before the Church. By their presence at the Confirmation celebration, the sponsor publicly proclaims the candidate's readiness.
Sacraments are not "things" that happen on someone else's timetable. There is no penalty for waiting to be Confirmed. What is important is that each candidate feels ready and willing to undertake the responsibilities of the Christian life.
Confirmation can be conferred when a baptised individual is determined to have the use of reason, has been suitably prepared and is properly disposed and able to renew their baptismal promises. In practice, the most common age to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation is around 14. We invite anyone who is in School Year 9 or above to join our programme of preparation.
If you are an adult who has not been Confirmed and would like to be prepared to receive this sacrament, please contact Fr Michael or Fr Saji on 333581.