Archbishop of Sydney

Confirmation 2005

Sydney SuperDome 22 May 2005
SuperDome, Homebush

By + Cardinal George Pell
Archbishop of Sydney
22 May 2005

Today we are gathered here around the Cross as followers of the one true God. We are Christians, disciples of Jesus Christ the Son of God, who lived, died and rose from the dead for us nearly two thousand years ago. And of course we are Catholics, those Christians who unite around the successor of St. Peter, the rockman on whom Christ built the Church; that successor who was elected recently by the Cardinals in Rome to become Pope Benedict XVI.

All of you would have seen on television at least some part of the Mass which was celebrated in St. Peter’s Square during the funeral of Pope John Paul II, one of the largest funerals in history, despite the fact that the Italian government contacted the governments of Poland and other European countries urging them to prevent their people from travelling to Italy for the burial. They were frightened of an uncontrollably large crowd.

Many of you would have also watched the Mass which was celebrated as the new Pope Benedict commenced his work as pope, Bishop of Rome and Vicar (or representative) of Christ himself.

So too today, your confirmation will be celebrated with a Mass, the same Eucharist which your priest celebrates for you and with you in your local parish.

All candidates realise that as you are already baptised, and have made your first confession and first Holy Communion, you are about to become through this Sacrament of Confirmation full members of the Catholic Church. You are joining an ancient community or family which not only goes back to Christ, but even further back than that to Abraham and to Moses, the lawgiver of the Jewish nation, God’s chosen people, whom he led in their great escape from Egypt.

Scholars dispute exactly when Moses lived, but it was probably about 1250 years before Christ or 3250 years ago. That is a long time. God’s chosen people with special teachings and their own special ceremonies have stood the test of time and will continue long into the future.  You belong to that family, that people. Our faith is something precious; to know that God loves us, to know the difference between right and wrong, to know that God will forgive any sin or crime if we are sorry and repent. These are great advantages, wonderful blessings.

We have received these good things from those who went before us, who followed Jesus’ instructions recounted in today’s gospel to go out to all the nations, to make disciples there and baptise them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  Our debt is to those who have done this here in Australia which is nearly as far from Israel and Egypt as it is possible to be.

In the first reading Moses is telling his people that God has chosen them, alone among all the nations, as his own special family. We now share in that promise. Through Confirmation you will participate fully in this membership. Please God, all of you will listen to God speaking to you in your hearts, through your parents, teachers and priests. Please God you will be open-hearted, want to understand, seek to hear the call to faith and right living.

Please God you will want to be led by the Holy Spirit and realise that it is a privilege to be one of God’s special children, to know that you are not slaves, not condemned to a blind obedience, not driven only by fear. You are members of God’s Catholic family, truly sisters and brothers of Jesus Christ the Son of God, heirs of God and people who will be entitled to be happy forever with God in heaven if you remain good and remain faithful.

Jesus himself was baptised by John the Baptist and anointed with the Holy Spirit. Christ is not a surname like Brown or Nguyen or Mangiamelo but means the anointed one, Jesus the Messiah. So a Christian is a follower of Christ, but also someone who has been chrismed or anointed at baptism and confirmation.

There are many layers of symbolism when we anoint with oil, which is used to heal wounds and bruises, as a cleansing agent and often to prepare athletes for competition and struggle.

Today, as always, Christians not only have to struggle against evil, found first of all in our own hearts, but many have to struggle to believe in the reality of an unseen God of love.

This sacrament leaves a permanent seal on the soul of each person confirmed, which can never be repeated and cannot be erased, no matter where the long years ahead may take these children. They will always belong to Christ, be enrolled in his service and therefore guaranteed God’s protection in the last times, if they want it.

To all the candidates I say this: I pray that this sacrament will deepen your sense of belonging to your parish, to your Catholic school community. This communal celebration involving many parishes should also strengthen your sense of being part of the Archdiocese of Sydney, gathered as you are today around your Archbishop and Bishops. And I hope too you will be proud of your membership of the universal Church, with 1.1billion Catholics worldwide today, but stretching back into the mists of time and reaching into eternity.

I pray that through this Confirmation and Eucharist today you will believe more strongly that the Lord is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath; that you will keep the commandments given to you for your own wellbeing and for the wellbeing of your descendants after you.

And finally I ask you to pray for yourselves, as I ask your family, loved ones, priests and teachers to pray for you that you will grow up to be good Australians and good Catholics, who will spread light, peace and happiness to all around you and particularly to those who are closest to you.

View photos from Confirmation 2005 here.