Teens write letter to Fr Ben asking to make Confirmation
By Aideen O'Flaherty
PUPILS from five schools, including three teenagers from Tallaght Community School (TCS), made their Confirmations together in St Aengus’ Church in Balrothery recently.
Three sixth classes from Scoil Aonghusa, two classes from Scoil Íosa, a class from St Rose’s National School, which caters to children with reading difficulties and dyslexia, St Joseph’s Special School and a sixth-year and two fifth-year students from Tallaght Community School made their Confirmations.
Tallaght Community School students with Fr Ben Moran in St Aengus Church
The three students from TCS, Dominika Lyko, Jakub Lyko and Weronika Kapuscinska, are all originally from Poland where children typically become confirmed when they are in their early teens. However, the students wrote a letter to Fr Ben Moran requesting permission to make the sacrament this year.
Fr Ben, who is the parish priest for Balrothery, told The Echo: “The students from TCS were able to combine their studies with their Confirmation.
“What struck me most was their enthusiasm, they wrote a letter to me asking could they make their Confirmation.”
Fr Ben added that the presence of the three teenagers “added a different dimension and flavour to [the service].”
Speaking after the ceremony, which was celebrated by Bishop Eamonn Walsh, newly confirmed fifth-year TCS student Dominika said: “It’s a very special day for us all, it was a great occasion and it means a lot to us.
“We’ve been looking forward to this day for a long time.”
On the day a total of 72 young people made their Confirmation at the well-attended ceremony and, according to Fr Ben, the inclusion of students from five different schools made the ceremony a wide-reaching community occasion.
“You’ve got teamwork and co-operation, the students were all working together and learning from each other in different schools.
“This brought them together as part of a community and through faith.”
