Christ’s entire mission occurred in communion with the Spirit. Before He died, Christ promised that the Spirit would be given to the Apostles and to the entire Church:
"And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever. This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, because he abides with you, and he will be in you." - John 14:16-17
Filled with the Holy Spirit following Pentecost, the apostles began to proclaim "the mighty works of God," and Peter declared this outpouring of the Spirit to be the sign of the messianic age. Those who believed in the apostolic preaching and were baptized received the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Confirmation completes Baptism and is reminiscent of Pentecost. It deepens our baptismal life that calls us to be missionary witnesses of Christ in our families, neighborhoods and the world-at-large. It also increases the gifts of the Holy Spirit; these being Wisdom, Understanding, Knowledge, Fortitude, Counsel, Piety and the Fear of the Lord.
Confirmation is received through two different channels depending on your age:
- Catechetical Programme
Children who have been baptized may enrol for catechism classes starting from Level 1 and be confirmed when they reach Level 10 of our parish catechetical programme. - Youth (above 16)/ Adult Confirmation
Confirmation will be received by adults in RCIY/A, together with Baptism at Easter.
RCIA/ RCIY
RCIA stands for the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults. As Jesus said “Come and See” in John 1:39, we warmly invite all inquirers and our separated brethren to come and join us in our journey to explore and deepen our faith. This journey prepares adults to receive the sacraments of Christian initiation (Baptism, Confirmation, Holy Eucharist).
To fully understand the level of commitment as a Catholic, the RCIA journey allows one to deepen their knowledge and clarify any doubts they may have before deciding to get baptised.
The starts in June and the journey concludes with baptism being celebrated the following year at the Easter vigil. The year long journey is anchored by weekly sessions held on Tuesdays, from 8pm - 10pm, at the John Paul II Hall (Level 1, Parsonage).
RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults) sessions start in June and the journey concludes with baptism being celebrated the following year at the Easter vigil., every Tuesday from 8 - 10pm. Jesus invites everyone - both Inquirers and Companions are invited to come and see!
RCIY (Rite of Christian Initiation for Youths) run from June to Easter vigil the following year too, session is every Sunday from 10.15am to 12pm. This is for youths (between the ages of 13 to 23) who are interested in learning more about the Catholic faith or baptised youth who have not received the Sacrament of Confirmation due to exceptional circumstances. A “Come and See” information session is usually held just before sessions officially begin, do contact the parish to find out more.
The Programme:
A rundown of what the journey looks like from start to end - A typical session starts off with a prayer followed by a short time of praise and worship. The designated speaker (either a Priest or a guest speaker) will then delve more into the topic of the week. Depending on the flow of conversations and time limitations, there may be sharing in break-out groups where inquirers, candidates, companions and facilitators get to participate.
The 4 key areas of the RCIA journey are:
- Evangelisation and Pre-catechumenate
As an Inquirer, this is a time for you to ask questions, be introduced to Gospel values, and experience the beginnings of faith. If you feel that you are ready and would like to take the next step, this period concludes with the celebration of the Rite of Acceptance into the Order of Catechumens.
- Catechumenate
As a Catechumen, this is a time for your faith to be nurtured, attending sessions to learn about Catholic faith and teachings. If you feel that you are ready and would like to take the next step towards initiation, this period concludes with the celebration of the Rite of Election/Enrollment of Names where there will be a diocesan-wide celebration of Catechumens.
- Purification and Enlightenment
As an Elect, this period (usually during Lent) preceding your initiation is meant to be a time of reflection, intensely centered on conversion, marked by the celebration of the scrutinies and preparation for the rites of the Sacraments of Initiation. During this time, you are still free to make a final decision whether you wish to be fully initiated into the church.
- Mystagogy/Postbaptismal Catechesis
Now that you have been initiated, as a neophyte, you are fully a part of the community. This is a time for deepening of your faith.