The much anticipated ‘Confirmation Morning with the Bishop’ was held again in 2025 at Ashton School in Cork on Saturday morning 8th March. Every year, Bishop Paul Colton invites all the young people who hope to be confirmed in the year ahead to meet him for a morning of fun, games, activities, singing and refreshments. 

After the ice breaker game which was supervised by young leaders from the Cork Diocesan Youth Council (CDYC), the confirmands took part in five different groups and activities. 

Peter Stobart, Director of Music at St Fin Barre’s Cathedral, who heads up the Diocesan Church Music Scheme, taught everyone the hymn the Bishop chose to be sung at each of the Confirmation Services in the Diocese this year, O Jesus I have promised.

A session of fun group games was led by Hilda Connolly, Diocesan Youth Officer. These games are designed to developing deeper bonds of trust and respect with one another. It allows them the opportunity to act a little crazy and burn off some energy!

Intentional Discipleship in Cork, Cloyne and Ross is being integrated in the Diocesan programme Charting a Future with Confidence. At the Confirmation morning, the Very Reverend Cliff Jeffers, Dean of Ross, with the help of two ladders, explored with the young people what it means to be a disciple.

The Archdeacon of Cork, Cloyne and Ross, the Venerable Andrew Orr, who is chairperson of Eco-Congregation Ireland introduced the young people to another mission of the Anglican Communion of churches: To strive to safeguard the integrity of creation, and sustain and renew the life of the earth. The young people learned all about carbon footprint, and were also introduced to the ‘Communion Forest‘ which is about energising local initiatives that restore eco-sytems of many kinds in order to safeguard creation. This year each young person planted their own sunflower seed to take home and grow in their garden, and in partnership with Reforest Nation Bishop Paul Colton planted one Irish Hazel tree for each confirmand, for which the participants also received a certificate. Since 2022, more than 500 trees have been planted for our confirmands!

Matt Gould, Church Army Lead Evangelist and Community Leader at the Carraig Centre, used a twisty path laid out with masking tape to help participants think more about what ‘voices’ we listen to in Christian discipleship and the importance of listening out to the lead of the Holy Spirit who helps us understand God’s word in scripture. Lots of fun was had trying to follow a path when blindfolded, relying on the whole groups instructions – quite challenging! Participants then had a chance to walk the same path with a ‘helper’ to guide them, which was much easier. This activity helped participants appreciate from experience what Jesus said in John 14, where he promised ‘another helper to be with you forever… the Spirit of Truth’. Each participant was also given a bookmark with Psalm 119.105 printed on it: ‘Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path’. 

For many years, Bishop Colton, has spoken to each group of confirmands about prayer. Through his work in partnership with the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Sweden he discovered, several decades ago, the ‘Wreath of Christ’, a bracelet with prayer beads. Each year he has given a gift of one of these to each young person in the Diocese who has been confirmed to provide one way to help them with their praying. This year, the Bishop addressed all confirmands together and they watched a video message prepared by Bishop Paul, in which he explained everything about the prayer beads.