Episcopal Visitation & Confirmation Leigh-on-Sea

Last Wednesday marked the culmination of many weeks work for me as Bishop Alan Williams sm (read more about him here),  visited my Parish for the first time and Confirmed 34 in a beautiful liturgy.

We have prepared the Confirmandi with a series of monthly sessions based around the Ascension Press programme Chosen, which mixes vibrant short video presentations with discussion and challenging questions. We tried to ground the teaching we did in solid Catholic principles which expose how living a Catholic life has practical and real implications for each of us every day. We built up the underpinning principles and then showed how these truths effect the decisions we face every day. We also included liturgy in every session, exposing the blessed Sacrament and praying together each week.

We asked the candidates to write a short essay on what they had learned and why they wanted to be Confirmed and prepared them for the Sacrament on the final session with the Sacrament of Reconciliation & a penitential liturgy. They seemed well prepared to me and Fr Kevin commented how much progress they had made. We joined together with our neighbouring Parish of St. Peter's for preparation and it was wonderful to have Fr Jeff Woolnough with us, supporting & inspiring our young people as well as Fr. Kevin.

Bishop Alan conducted a beautiful Liturgy on the Wednesday evening and I really hope he saw some of the joy that our hard work evangelising has wrought. Fr Kevin commented that it was testament to the fact that if you spend enough time forming young people, it pays off.

Here are some pictures from the Mass. Please pray for our Confirmandi!

















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