Diocesan News
Diversity and variety of gifts celebrated at Pentecost Confirmation
Forty–one young people and adults from nine parishes in Dublin & Glendalough were confirmed in Christ Church Cathedral on the Feast of Pentecost (Sunday June 9). Archbishop Michael Jackson presided at the service which saw the cathedral filled to capacity as family, friends and parishioners gathered to support the candidates.
The candidates came from the parishes of Celbridge and Straffan with Newcastle–Lyons, Crumlin and Chapelizod, Drumcondra, Santry Glasnevin and Finglas, St Ann with St Mark and St Stephen, St Catherine’s Thomas Street, St Catherine and St James with St Audoen, Tallaght and Whitechurch.
Addressing those to be confirmed the Archbishop said that Christianity teaches us that behind the variety of gifts that people have, there is the same Spirit. Drawing on 1 Corinthians 12:4 ‘Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit’ he encouraged them to use their talents.
“While different people have different abilities and capacities, different personalities and instincts, different ways of doing things, different ways of being who they are, a community that is properly Spiritual has a common direction of travel. Its specific talents have a common origin and a common core and a common goal: The Spirit of God. Holy Scripture tells us that talents are to be used and not hidden, enjoyed by us, invested in others not buried for ourselves or lost out of fear. But Holy Scripture is also not shy to tell us that such proper use also brings personal benefits; and this is realistic because we need to do things for ourselves as well as for other people. Doing for others needs to be offset by doing for ourselves,” he said.
Archbishop Jackson added that the diversity of all the confirmation candidates was celebrated on Pentecost.
“We celebrate the open access we have to God the Father through Jesus the Son and in the Holy Spirit; and we await the further expression of this on Trinity Sunday. But for today we rejoice in The Spirit: When the day of Pentecost had come, the disciples were all together in one place. (Acts 2.1) – in the togetherness of variety itself. I suggest that confirmation – and your confirmation here and now today – puts you right in the path of such freedom to be children of God; to do everything of which the prophet Joel speaks: prophesy, see visions, dream dreams whoever we are: young and old alike and together. This gift is now in your hands. I encourage you to use it and enjoy it,” he concluded.
For further information please contact:
Diocesan Communications Officer, Dublin & Glendalough
087 235 6472
Mrs Lynn Glanville
dcodublin@gmail.com