A joyous celebration
‘Alleluia, alleluia!
Man does not live on bread alone,
but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.
Alleluia!’
This was the Gospel Acclamation from our Senior School Mass on Wednesday 14th June. This is a particularly apt passage as we celebrated on that day the recent Confirmation of several St Augustine’s Priory pupils. After celebrating the receiving of their First Holy Communion by pupils last week, it was fitting that this week saw the joyous celebration of our Confirmation candidates.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church says, ‘Baptism, the Eucharist, and the sacrament of Confirmation together constitute the “sacraments of Christian initiation,” whose unity must be safeguarded. It must be explained to the faithful that the reception of the sacrament of Confirmation is necessary for the completion of baptismal grace. For “by the sacrament of Confirmation, [the baptized] are more perfectly bound to the Church and are enriched with a special strength of the Holy Spirit. Hence they are, as true witnesses of Christ, more strictly obliged to spread and defend the faith by word and deed.”
The Catechism goes on to state, ‘It is evident from its celebration that the effect of the sacrament of Confirmation is the special outpouring of the Holy Spirit as once granted to the apostles on the day of Pentecost.’
So, a journey which is begun at Baptism and continues through Holy Communion, finds its completion at Confirmation.
We would like to congratulate all the Augustinian candidates who received the Sacrament of Confirmation recently in their parishes: Taylor Cameron, Ellie Kingsmill, Sorcha Tipping, Antonia Higgins, Emilie Walsham, Cordelia Beadsworth, Amelia Phillips, Naomi Jeffries and Libby Jarvis.
Parents joined staff and pupils at this Mass which was beautifully celebrated by Fr Thomas and followed afterwards with refreshments in the Rose Garden.
The Sacrament of Confirmation is a milestone in the life of members of the Church and we rejoiced with our pupils and their families on this momentous occasion.
