Auxiliary Bishop Subrato Boniface Gomes of Dhaka called on 142 newly confirmed Catholic teenagers to become courageous witnesses to Christ, describing them as “soldiers of Jesus” committed to defending and living out their faith.
The bishop administered the Sacrament of Confirmation to the teenagers at Holy Rosary Church in Tejgaon, Dhaka, on October 30, marking a milestone in their spiritual formation.
Dressed in white and accompanied by their parents, godparents and parishioners, the young Catholics received the sacrament after six months of weekly catechetical preparation.
In his homily, Bishop Gomes compared the commitment of Christians to that of soldiers prepared to make sacrifices for their country.
“Through the reception of the Sacrament of Confirmation, you become soldiers of Jesus,” he said. “Jesus Christ is your commander. Just as a soldier is prepared to sacrifice for the freedom and sovereignty of his country, you too must be ready to dedicate yourselves to Jesus and to the Christian faith.”
The bishop, a former parish priest of Tejgaon, described Confirmation as a sign of growing maturity in faith and a call to greater responsibility in Christian life.
He explained the close relationship between Baptism and Confirmation, saying that Baptism brings believers into the life of Christ, while Confirmation strengthens them through the Holy Spirit.
He urged the teenagers to remain faithful to Christian values and demonstrate their commitment through “good and holy works.”
Bishop Gomes also expressed his appreciation for youth-centered parish activities, noting that the candidates had undergone a lengthy period of preparation before receiving the sacrament.
For the teenagers, the six-month formation program provided an opportunity to deepen their understanding of Catholic faith through prayers, Bible stories and catechetical lessons.
“We learned different prayers and listened to stories from the Bible,” said Augustine Rozario, one of the newly confirmed teenagers. “These lessons strengthened our faith.”
Mark Corraya said the bishop’s comparison of young Christians to soldiers of Jesus had made a particular impression on him.
“We carry Jesus within us and must bear witness to Him through our words and actions. As Christians, we must remain steadfast in our faith,” he said.
Allen Gomes said the candidates had prayed for the grace to remain faithful to the teachings of the Church and the Christian values imparted by their parents and godparents.
Parents also welcomed the parish's formation program, saying it helped strengthen their children's spiritual foundation and complemented the faith education provided at home.
In Bangladesh, where Christians constitute less than one percent of the predominantly Muslim population, the formation of young Catholics remains an important pastoral priority.
The celebration highlighted Confirmation not merely as the completion of a period of religious instruction but as a call for young believers to take an active role in witnessing to Christ within their families, communities and wider society.
Radio Veritas Asia (RVA), a media platform of the Catholic Church, aims to share Christ. RVA started in 1969 as a continental Catholic radio station to serve Asian countries in their respective local language, thus earning the tag “the Voice of Asian Christianity.” Responding to the emerging context, RVA embraced media platforms to connect with the global Asian audience via its 21 language websites and various social media platforms.
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