Two Cloyne schoolchildren to be confirmed by Pope Francis in Rome

Two Co Cork 12-year-old altar servers, a boy and a girl, will be confirmed by Pope Francis in Rome on Sunday. It is believed that Emily Mulcahy from Cobh and Edmond Roche from Fermoy will be the only children from Ireland or Britain taking part in the Confirmation ceremony.

Last Monday it was announced by the Vatican’s office of liturgical celebrations of the supreme pontiff that Pope Francis will celebrate Mass at 10am on Sunday in St Peter’s Square for those confirmands from around the world who are on pilgrimage to Rome for the Year of Faith. It said he will administer the sacrament to some of them.

Emily Mulcahy will be accompanied on the trip to Rome by her parents Paul and Margaret, her sister Sophie and twin brothers Andrew and Luke while Edmond Roche will be accompanied by his mother and older brother David.

Emily is in sixth class at St Mary’s primary school in Cobh while Edmond is also in sixth class, at Gaelscoil de hÍde in Fermoy.

They are going to Rome following an invitation received by the diocese of Cloyne to send two children to be confirmed by the pope as part of the Year of Faith celebrations.

Both children and their families are to meet the Bishop of Cloyne William Crean in Cobh today .

He said it was “a fantastic opportunity for Emily and Edmond to be confirmed by our new Holy Father at this important stage in their lives. Personally, I am delighted that they will be confirmed by Pope Francis, who is making such a wonderful impression on the world. It is a great honour for the diocese of Cloyne to be invited to take part in this special ceremony.”

Emily’s class were confirmed by Bishop Crean in Cobh Cathedral on Saturday April 13th April last, where she received a blessing, while Edmond’s classmates were confirmed by Bishop Crean in Fermoy yesterday. Both children, and their families, are delighted to be going to Rome.

The Vatican’s Council for the New Evangelisation chose Cloyne out of the 26 Catholic dioceses on the island when selecting which should be invited to send two children to represent Ireland at the ceremony.