“At first, I was nervous, but as soon as the (rite of) confirmation began, I felt awakened,” said Kathryn Gan candidly, one of 70 confirmands who recently received the sacrament of Confirmation at the Church of the Divine Mercy, Shah Alam.
The 17-year old continued, “It was a whole new experience filled with joy and wonder. It felt as though the Holy Spirit had descended from above to wish all of us a heartfelt congratulations.”
Parents, godparents, sponsors and the faithful of CDM gathered with great anticipation to bear witness to the celebration, which took place at the parish’s 10am mass on the 5th Sunday of Easter, 28 April.
In his special message, His Grace Archbishop Julian Leow, reminded the confirmands to stay connected to Jesus, the true vine, through prayers, reflections, meditations and the Holy Eucharist in order to be successful missionary disciples of Christ.
Timothy Choy, who connected with this message explained, “This feels like a big achievement and a huge milestone for me in my faith as a Catholic. Archbishop Julian’s message was very enlightening and the liturgy of the word had a deep meaning for me to ponder on as well.”
Fellow confirmand Aidan Kong, described his personal encounter, “It was an enlightening experience. I felt that the Holy Spirit had awakened my inner faith and has sent me out to the world.”
The St Cecilia Choir added a special touch to the celebration by incorporating the spirit-filled voices of Sunday School children aged 9 to 13 years.
Particularly moved by this was Ryan Mahendran. He exclaimed, “The confirmation mass was beautifully executed with the choir singing like angels. I truly felt alive in the mass.”
Summarising the latest milestone in her faith journey, Christie Ng, shared, “Through Confirmation, I feel that my personal relationship with Christ is strengthened ! It empowers me to live out my faith and serve as witnesses of Christ!”
This year’s Confirmation celebration was especially unique as it also coincided with the official installation of CDM’s new parish priest, Rev Fr George Harrison.
On behalf of the parish, we thank the Lord for our new Shepherd. We also congratulate our new confirmands. May the Holy Spirit be your guide on life’s journey as Christ’s witnesses.