Holy Spirit helps confirmands be aware of occasions of sin

KINARUT, Papar – On Aug 28, 132 young parishioners came together at St Augustine Church to share in the gift of the Holy Spirit through receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation.

These confirmands had been preparing themselves for this special day for the past one year. They attended classes and participated in camps.

Archbishop John Wong, who celebrated the Mass and conferred the Sacrament, explained to the candidates that they now have the help of the Holy Spirit to become more aware of the occasions of sin, particularly in the daily usage of social media in a borderless world.

He also listed seven deadly sins according to Catholic teaching, namely: lust, envy, anger, greed, gluttony, sloth, with pride being the deadliest of all, the root of all evil and the beginning of sin.

Speaking to his young audience, the Archbishop acknowledged that with technology advancement people freely and frequently express their views through the various social media channels, leading them to spend more time on the devices.

He warned that this phenomenon, if not balanced with a deep foundation of faith, can be a counter to knowing God and ultimately His creation by providing more attractive alternatives of beliefs easily available in social media especially to youngsters. – SOCCOM Penampang