Confirmation Retreat 2024 Day 1: Relationship with God and One Another
It was another hot and humid day as we took a break from our busy school lives to attend the confirmation camp at the Minor Basilica of St. Anne, Bukit Mertajam. The familiar sight of the beautiful church greeted us as we arrived, unchanged and just as awe-inspiring as I remembered from my last visit. When I reached the church with my older brother, a friend accidentally misguided me and I headed toward the old dormitories. As we walked, my brother kept sharing his stories from his confirmation camp days in those same dormitories, and his memories only fueled my excitement. Eventually, I met up with my friend again, and he guided me to the correct location within the church.
I then headed to the conference room, as instructed by my catechism teacher. My kind friend guided me to our dormitories upstairs in the new building. Bro. Boni handed me a keycard and keys to my room, which immediately made me feel like I was getting a taste of university life on campus. And I wasn’t wrong; right upstairs, there were multiple rooms surrounding a common area, complete with a big TV and plenty of chairs—perfect for gatherings and movie nights. To my surprise and delight, my room was the biggest one.Above the TV hung a beautiful cross of Jesus, and the walls were adorned with various religious paintings, adding a sense of holiness to the entire space. After taking in my surroundings, I made my way back to the conference room and waited for everyone else to gather in the conference room.
We started the session with some light singing. Brenda and Joshua handed out booklets, and we picked a few songs to sing together. After the singing, we were briefed on the house rules. Then, we were introduced to the two main goals of the confirmation camp: to strengthen our relationship with God and to build better connections with our neighbours. After the briefing, we enjoyed tea time, munching on donuts and curry puffs. That evening, we gathered for prayer in the small chapel. The chapel had a holy atmosphere, and with the earlier briefing still fresh in my mind, I truly felt myself getting closer to God. After a short break, we prayed at the St. Anne’s Shrine. Bro. Boni handed us a candle, which we carried to the shrine to light and place it there while offering our prayers. Unfortunately, it began to rain, but that didn’t dampen the solemnity of the moment. Afterward, we returned for a delicious dinner, feeling fulfilled and spiritually enriched despite the weather.
After dinner, we returned to the conference room for an ice-breaking session. We were introduced to a lively song and tasked with creating actions that matched its rhythm. Our class split into two groups and competed to come up with the most creative moves. We then combined our actions to create an ultimate performance. Next, we were presented with a variety of Catholic songs and sang our hearts out well into the night. To end the day, the father came to lead the night prayer in the chapel.
Of course, we couldn’t let such a great day end without making full use of our awesome dormitory, so we decided to have a movie night. Once back in our rooms, we took turns showering, and those who finished early got to pick the movie. We brought out the snacks provided by the parish and settled in for a fun evening. We chose ‘The Conjuring” for our movie and gathered in the common area to watch. As we enjoyed the film, we laughed, joked, and made the most of the night. Despite needing to keep the noise down after 10:30 p.m., it didn’t dampen our spirits. By the time the movie ended and it was midnight, we were ready to head to bed to prepare for the next day’s activities. By Shawn Ooi
