CONFIRMATION 2005 – An Archdiocesan Celebration of Initiation for 5000

By Catholic Communications, Sydney Archdiocese

19 May 2005

Over 5000 candidates and 35 000 sponsors, parents, friends and parish members will gather to celebrate the Sacrament of Confirmation at the Sydney SuperDome on Sunday 22 May 2005.

This is a special event for the Archdiocese of Sydney which was first held in the Jubilee year of 2000. Confirmation, normally held in individual parish communities, is being held as an experience for the whole Archdiocese.

Bishop Anthony Fisher OP, Convenor of Confirmation 2005, said “The response to Confirmation 2000 at the SuperDome, which involved 4,700 candidates (and 45,000 people) from all around the Archdiocese, was overwhelmingly positive. It was agreed to hold a similar celebration this year.”

Cardinal George Pell, Archbishop of Sydney, will preside at both the ceremonies, at 12.30pm and 4.30pm. Cardinal Pell will be assisted by his two auxiliary bishops, Bishop Julian Porteous and Bishop Anthony Fisher OP; two retired auxiliary bishops, Bishop Geoffrey Robinson and Bishop David Cremin; and Bishop Sir Desmond Moore MSC, retired Bishop of Alotua, Papua New Guinea; as well as many of the priests in the Archdiocese.

Cardinal Pell: “I am confident that Confirmation 2005 will be a deeply moving experience of this Sacrament of the Holy Spirit for those being confirmed, a wonderful celebration of the Eucharist for those accompanying them, and an occasion to remind us of our many bonds as the one Church in Sydney.”

Two separate sessions are needed to accommodate all candidates and their sponsors, parents, friends and parish members. Parishes have been allocated to a particular session based on parish mass times, distance from the SuperDome and the numbers of candidates.

Children particularly are excited at this year’s celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation.

Tanya, from Our Lady of Mt Carmel at Mt Prichard, said “After Bishop Anthony Fisher talked to us about our Confirmation at the Sydney SuperDome, I began thinking how special this Confirmation will be. Not many people get to celebrate this moment the way that we are going to.”

Further comments from children can be found in this link.