It was a joyous occasion on the 18 th November, Bishop Raphael of Saldanha Bay Diocese sealed our confirmation candidates with an indelible mark of confirmation. Sixteen young people in total were confirmed. Preaching on Mathew 25: 14-29, the parable of the talents, the Bishop urged the confirmation candidates not to bury their talents like the person in the text who preferred to bury his talent instead of multiplying it.
He said to them, the man who buried his talent, represented no change. He counselled the candidates not to be like the man in the text who presented no change, but to be agents of change and to continue growing in faith and spirituality. Moreover, as a sign of their attachment to the Church and to Christ, the Bishop led all the newly confirmed to a place within the Church premises where every one of them planted a tree. The tree will always remind the confirmed of their journey with the Church and with Christ. They were also urged to look after their trees until they grow to full stature. Planting a tree, is not only a reminder of their journey with the Church
and Christ, but it is also a giving back to the mother earth. Trees hold soil together, act as windbreak, provide wood, give us shade and provide Oxygen, just to mention but a few. We wish the young people a good life and a journey with Christ throughout their life.
By Ven. Tobias Mutale
Archdeacon of Maitland