New pledge will not just be for confirmation pupils
It is hoped that the new programme will help not only confirmation kids but all sixth-class pupils. Stock Image.
Darren Butler is the national coordinator for the Irish Bishop's Drug Initiative, an organisation set up to provide a “pastoral response” to the problem of alcohol and drug issues in parishes and communities across the country.
Darren spoke to the Waterford News and Star in Mooncoin before a recent ministerial visit to a local secondary school.
He said that he delivers the programme that the Mooncoin TY students are training to facilitate but he thinks there is a lot of room for improvement and young people are the future of the initiative.
The programme used to be part of the confirmation preparation, but the need is there for everyone to participate. regardless of religious denomination.
And Darren is just one person, an adult at that, and peer support is a powerful thing.
“They are the process. I could do it myself because it’s a programme I am doing every day for months on end in numerous schools, but peer education is so much more powerful than an adult coming in and it feels like a lecture," said Darren.
Darren said that there are programmes around the country and the initiative was lucky to have such an active team in Mooncoin.
“It’s the team, the Mooncoin initiative should be taking all the credit for it because I just couldn’t go into a parish and do these things.
“These guys make it easy for me. They are volunteers, but they make me look good. That’s for sure,” said Darren.
The Irish Bishops' Drug Initiative are planning to relaunch the pledge in 2026.
The pledge is a commitment confirmation children make not to drink alcohol or smoke cigarettes until they are 18 years old and to never take illegal drugs.
The pledge has been around for a long time, but times and substances are changing.
Now so too will the pledge.
Darren said that the pledge is to be relaunched and will include vaping in the commitment.
“The reason was that we done a little bit of research around it and people found it was old-fashioned. It wasn’t relevant. I suppose the parents felt that if they were engaged with the church, it wasn’t something they came across or were part of,” said Darren.
If you are of a certain generation, the pledge might be something of a given in your coming-of-age story.
But young people today, the pledge and the planned support around might be a lifeline.
“What people don’t realise is that sometimes, some young people sail through that time, but for others, that summer between 6th class and First Year can be really challenging for them.
“So, we do a programme including the possibility of cigarettes, alcohol, vaping and snus.
“So, you know it’s not just a window, it’s not just a church initiative, it’s for anyone in the classroom.
“If they are catholic and they have confirmation coming up, they use it as their preparation.
“For everyone else its important information they need to know, and if they are not making a pledge, then you challenge them to challenge themselves to live a healthy lifestyle and get to 18 just like the confirmation candidates,” said Darren.
