There was a weekend of celebration in Barra, as Canon John Paul Mackinnon welcomed Bishop Brian MacGee (Bishop of Argyll and the Isles) to the island on Friday 21 April.

Bishop Brian joined parishioners in Barra for a ‘Led by the Spirit’ meeting in Northbay Hall on Friday evening, before the congregation joined together to celebrate a confirmation mass at Our Lady Star of the Sea church on Saturday morning.

A group of 19 children have been preparing to receive the sacrament of confirmation, they and their families gathering at the church for the confirmation mass, which was followed by a celebratory social including special cakes baked for the young people.

Bishop Brian later wrote: “I had the joy this morning of confirming 19 young people in Castlebay. We reflected that Jesus fulfilled God’s promises to his people, and having formed his disciples and sent the Holy Spirit upon them, they continued his ministry.

“Now it is the time for our young people. They are now temples of the spirit and if they remain open to his grace we rejoiced at what great deeds the Lord would do through them today.”

The pictures show Bishop Brian McGee and Canon John Paul with the young people receiving the sacrament of confirmation, and the youngsters celebrating with cake afterwards (Sgoil Bhàgh a Chaisteil)