SFX confirmands go beyond the classroom

Jun 30, 2023

By Christine Chuah
The Sacrament of Confirmation is a significant milestone in the spiritual journey of any Catholic.

On June 18, 34 students from the Church of St Francis Xavier (SFX) together with two young adults, one of whom is from the French community received the Sacrament of Confirmation from Most Rev Julian Leow, Archbishop of Kuala Lumpur. Concelebrating at the confirmation Mass were Fr François-Xavier Robert and SFX parish priest, Fr Norris Seenivasan, SJ.

These students committed themselves to a period of intense preparation over 18 months, which included attending weekly classes as well as engaging in a three-days-two-nights camp led by Martin Jalleh. It also included an Exposure Immersion Programme (EIP), to provide an avenue for the students to live their faith through action and encounter. The confirmands also had an opportunity to join a six-month internship programme, to experience serving at various ministries in the parish.

This year, our first in-person EIP post-Covid, we collaborated with SFX’s Society of St Vincent De Paul (SSVP) and the Migrant Ministry, to allow the students to serve the underprivileged in the community. The students also organised a “Sports Day” for a group of 12 migrant children. Everyone enjoyed making new friends and celebrating their newfound friendship with a pizza party for lunch!

Through these EIP activities, the students developed a strong sense of responsibility and dedication toward their faith and the wider community. Some of the students, under the guidance of a catechist, who is in the digital marketing profession, also built a website for the SSVP PJ chapter.

The Confirmation Day was a momentous occasion, for the confirmands and the community. The sense of unity and joy felt was a testament to the “one, holy, catholic and apostolic” Church that we profess and belong to.

As the new confirmed candidates, like the apostles, receive the courage, faith and confidence to go out into the world and proclaim the Good News through their words and their deeds, we pray they may be inspired to live out their faith with joy, courage and love and go forth to serve with humility, striving to be the hands and feet of Christ to those around them.