For the last four weeks, Dad and I have been going to classes, getting ready for my confirmation. I needed to ask someone to be my confirmation sponsor and I also needed to pick a patron saint.
"Charlotte?" I asked.
"Yeah?"
"Do you think you could be my confirmation sponsor?"
"Wait? What? Really?" she asked, staring.
So then I needed to pick a saint. Mum gave me a saint book with fifty-seven saints in it and I spent ages reading about saints and all the good things they had done. Unfortunately for me all the saints were amazing people, but I couldn't find the right one.
Mum as always had a solution. She gave me two more saint books. So now I had two more books filled with saints to choose from.
"I have three books and I still can't find one," I told Mum.
So she produced another two saint books and these ones were massive.
"Sit here and we will have a look at them together," she said.
We read story after story before I decided to have Saint Maximilian Mary Kolbe.
Mum bought me a dress and a pretty white cardigan, and Imogen baked a chocolate cake with twelve fondant icing fruits to represent the fruits of the Holy Spirit.
The day arrived and I spent all morning thinking about the confirmation. In the afternoon, Sophie curled my hair and Charlotte's.
When dinner was eaten and cleaned up I changed into my black dress and slipped on my pretty white cardigan over the top. Sophie fastened her silver crucifix around my neck and lent me a pair of earrings. Mum gave me a pretty silver beaded bracelet with a Miraculous Medal on it. It is gorgeous.
I slipped on my shoes before we all stepped outside. We climbed into the car and drove to the church. I went into the chapel with the other candidates. A lady pinned a brooch onto my cardigan. It was gold and in the shape of a dove. We all sat in the chapel as more children entered. When all sixty-one children had arrived, we all stood up and walked out of the chapel and into the church. I entered the pew next to Charlotte. Our pew was the very last one in the church. I noticed that Callum and Casey had arrived. Callum gave me a wave.
We had the presentation of the candidates first where our names were read out and we had to answer.
"Gemma-Rose Elvis."
I stood up hoping I would be heard. "Present."
Apparently I said it loud enough because they moved on. Then the laying of hands and finally the actual Confirmation.
"Maximilian be sealed be with the gift of the Holy Spirit," the bishop said.
Chrism dribbled down my nose. It had a very strong smell. I had this terrible itch on my nose, but I couldn't itch it without getting my fingers oily.
When the confirmation was over all the candidates lined up in front of the altar with the bishop and we had photos taken, and then we got to have individual pictures with the bishop.
When we arrived home we had the cake Imogen had cooked. It was good and very sweet. Then we went to bed happy but tired.
Have you had your Confirmation?
What is your Confirmation name?
