After ten years of catechism class and a pandemic later, my class finally got confirmed.
It all started in 2012, when our parents signed us up for weekly catechism classes with the parish. At that time, I felt forced to attend classes every week. I initially did not even bother to talk to others as I did not feel a sense of belonging to the church. But after a few more months of class, I became more willing to talk to others as I became more comfortable in the new environment. I feel like this change was made possible by my catechism teacher, Auntie Melissa, as she always made sure to be friendly and encouraging.
However, I feel like the first time my class really became more cohesive was during the confirmation camp in 2018. During this camp, we realised that we were all brothers and sisters in Christ, and that there was no reason to feel uncomfortable around each other. After all, we had already been journeying together for six years at that time. Personally, this camp acted as a turning point in my faith journey as it was my first time encountering the presence of God in others.
After the camp, my class realised that we had a shared goal: to become closer to God. So, we made sure to support each other in our faith journeys. We would remind each other to thank God in the morning, to pray before meals, and read the Bible. I realised that having a church community to turn to really helped me to grow in my faith, as I knew that others were going through the same thing as I was.
The following year, our class carried out a project on Reverence in the church. We worked together to film a video portraying all the acts of Reverence carried out around the church. Through this project, we were able to deepen our theoretical knowledge of the faith.
At this time, I feel that my faith was the strongest it had ever been, and I would even look forward to going to church. But, the pandemic came. Face-to-face activities were all put on hold, and we could no longer meet in church.. This was a big hurdle that all of us had to conquer together, as it was much more difficult to stay strong in the faith while participating in church activities online. It just was not the same. However, my catechists tried their best to engage us via Zoom through class discussions and reflection sessions. The supportive community I had was what helped me through this challenging phase.
One period of time when I really felt the loving presence of God was last year, during my O level preliminary exams. I was very stressed at that time as I had to juggle studying and all my extra-curricular activities. I became really anxious and was struggling mentally and physically. Thankfully, I had many people around me who constantly supported and encouraged me. The help I received allowed me to offer my burdens up to Him, and I was able to do well for my exams. I continued to pray and offer up my days to God, and I am certain that nothing would have been possible without the divine intervention of God. And for that I am truly thankful.
Right after our exams were over, we started preparing for confirmation. Our teachers gave us a 50-question long reflection form to fill out. I feel that this reflection allowed us to gain a better understanding of where we were in our faith journeys, and know what areas we were still lacking in.This reflection form all encompassed a few bible knowledge questions, which really made us reflect on various Bible passages. Overall, this experience was rather enlightening, and I learnt many new things. Father Terence also organised a day-camp for us, and gave us plenty of time to reflect on our faith journey so far. During the camp, I questioned so many aspects of my life, and wondered why I was not doing anything more to improve my faith. This made me realise that I still had a long way to go in terms of my faith.
On the days leading up to our confirmation, our parents held a nine-day Novena session and prayed for all of us. This gesture reminded me that I was not alone in this, and that I had a supportive community to fall back on in times of need.
On the day of the confirmation, I felt a range of emotions, from excitement to nervousness. I was excited to be sealed with the Gifts of the Holy Spirit but nervous as I would be expected to proclaim the faith without a doubt. But after the whole process, I felt at peace and was really happy. Looking back, I think that the grace of the Holy Spirit allowed me to be calm, and gave me the joy I experienced that day.
I have heard that many teenagers tend to leave the church after confirmation, but that will not be the case for me. I hope that my friends and I will continue to participate in church activities and meet up for fellowship from time to time. This way, we will be able to continue supporting each other in our lifelong faith journey, and grow together as brothers and sisters in Christ.
Written by: Grace Chan