4,000 young people to be confirmed
Confirmation ceremonies begin in the Diocese of Meath on Thursday 12 February 2015, and between now and the end of May a total of 4,000 young people will receive the sacrament in 67 ceremonies officiated by Bishop Michael Smith.
Click here for the list of confirmation ceremonies for 2015.
For the young people, their parents, other family members, and teachers it will be a very special occasion and the culmination of long preparation and tuition.
For Bishop Smith, too, and the Diocese of Meath it will also be a very special occasion as 4,000 young people are confirmed in their faith and in the values and principles they have learned since the cradle.
Two weeks ago, on 29 January, Bishop Smith marked the 31th anniversary of his episcopal ordination as a bishop, in 1984, and in three weeks time, on Sunday, 9 March, he will mark the 52nd anniversary of his ordination as a priest, in 1963.
Bishop Smith has never lost his enthusiasm for meeting young people at Confirmation ceremonies, and this is reflected in his delight at standing in to family and other photos with them and members of their families.
THIS THURSDAY
This year the honour of hosting the first of the 67 Confirmation ceremonies will be with the people of Kilskyre and the first of the 2014 ceremonies will be in the Church of St. Alphonsus Liguori, Carnaross, when young people from Carnaross and Kilskyre will receive the sacrament in a ceremony commencing at 11am this Thursday, 12 February.
That afternoon it will be the turn of young people from Clonmellon, the parish where Bishop Smith first served as a priest almost half a century ago, in 1967.
The Confirmation ceremony will be held in Sts. Peter and Paul Church, Clonmellon commencing at 3pm.
DELVIN AND ATHBOY
On Friday of this week, 13 February, Confirmation will be in the Church of the Assumption, Delvin, at 11am.
This Friday afternoon it will be the turn of young people in neighbouring Athboy, with the Confirmation ceremony in St. James’s Church at 3pm.
CASTLEPOLLARD
For young people from Castlepollard, Collinstown and Coole, Confirmation will be in St. Michel’s Church, Castlepollard on Thursday, 26 February, at 11am.
KILLUCAN AND KINNEGAD
Confirmation for young people from the Killucan and Raharney areas will be in St. Mary’s Church, Raharney on Thursday, 5 March, at 11am.
That afternoon it will be the turn of young people from the Kinnegad, Coralstown, The Downs and Clonard areas, with Confirmation in the Church of the Assumption, Kinnegad at 3pm.
MULLINGAR
Confirmation for young people in Mullingar will be at two ceremonies, at 11am and 3pm on Saturday, 21 March, in the Cathedral of Christ the King.
