Four confirmands give their takes on Confirmation

KOTA KINABALU – Four from the 300 confirmed by Archbishop John Wong at the Sacred Heart Cathedral here on 11 June 2017, gave their takes on the sacrament.

Jude Escarraga, 16, flew in from New York, just to catch the Rites of Confirmation on time. “I wouldn’t miss this for anything, after all I have prepared for this since young and being able to come back has been made possible,”  he said.

Jude, who is currently studying Grade 11 in New York, looked at Confirmation with positiveness and hoped that the Holy Spirit will strengthen his faith further, and brings him closer to God. He sensed that with faith strengthened, he will be protected from harm and temptation.

Crystal Yong, 16, brimming with excitement, looked forward to have her faith finally confirmed and strengthened by the Holy Spirit, after knowing the existence of the Holy Spirit through the formation programme.

Having been introduced to the gifts of the Holy Spirit, she would like to ask from the Holy Spirit the gift of understanding so that she may understand who and what it is she is being given. Next she wants to be gifted with kindness so that she would know how to have a kind word for others. Last but not least, she asks for charity, “It’s hard to give. I want to be able to give good clothes away, not just those that I don’t want. I want to be able to give myself more generously, and not just for the show of it.”

Grace Ralon, 16, looked forward to be renewed in her faith by the Holy Spirit. “I have read and learned about the Holy Spirit from the sessions and from the Bible. But now I am going to be filled with the Holy Spirit. He will help me to understand more about the Gift God has given me. Because He is in me, I can now pray to the Holy Spirit and ask Him for guidance for my life,” she said.

Alban Maluda, 16, proud to be a Catholic, said “Now with Confirmation, I am fully ‘authorised’ to be a member of Christ’s family!”

He recalled his First Holy Communion interview when he was told that First Holy Communion was the ‘first part,’ but the greater part to come was Confirmation.

With Confirmation, he is sure that his faith will be so strengthened “that I will not stray away.”  Raring to go, he asked to be equipped with the virtue of humility so that he could empathise and sympathise with those in pain and in need. He looked forward to growing up to the point of being able to be actively involved in passing on his faith. He seriously thought that the formation programme needs younger faith formators! – CS