Confirmation Sacramental Preparation

At Confirmation we receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit and confirm our baptismal promises. Greater awareness of the grace of the Holy Spirit is conferred through the anointing of chrism oil and the laying on of hands by the Bishop.

Confirmation perfects Baptismal grace; it is the sacrament which gives the Holy Spirit in order to root us more deeply in the divine affiliation, incorporate us more firmly into Christ, strengthen our bond with the Church, associate us more closely with her mission, and help us bear witness to the Christian faith in words accompanied by deeds. (CCC 1316)

Through the Sacrament of Confirmation we renew our baptismal promises and commit to living a life of maturity in the Christian faith. As we read in the Lumen Gentium (the Dogmatic Constitution of the Church) from the Second Vatican Council:  Bound more intimately to the Church by the sacrament of Confirmation, [the baptized] are endowed by the Holy Spirit with special strength; hence they are more strictly obliged to spread and defend the faith both by word and by deed as true witnesses of Christ. (no. 11)

Scriptural Foundation for Confirmation

In the Acts of the Apostles we read of the coming of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost. While baptism is the sacrament of new life, Confirmation gives birth to that life. Baptism initiates us into the Church and names us as children of God, whereas Confirmation calls us forth as God’s children and unites us more fully to the active mission of Christ in the world.

After receiving the power of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, the Apostles went out and confirmed others, showing Confirmation to be an individual and separate sacrament: Peter and John at Samaria (Acts 8:5-6, 14-17) and Paul at Ephesus (Acts 19:5-6).  Also the Holy Spirit came down on Jews and Gentiles alike in Caesarea, prior to their baptisms. Recognizing this as a Confirmation by the Holy Spirit, Peter commanded that they be baptized (cf. Acts 10:47).

CONFIRMATION SACRAMENTAL PREPARATION is for students in Grades Nine and Ten attending public, private and parochial schools. The program typically consists of classroom instruction and discussion, service to the parish and community, field trip, retreat attendance, and written assignment. Class time is Sunday mornings in-between the Parish Masses in the school.

Sacramental Information Sheets need to be filled out for each 10th Grade Confirmation student. Please be prepared to submit a copy of your child’s Baptismal Certificate if your child was not baptized or made First Communion at Our Lady’s.

CONFIRMATION SERVICE - Service to others in the spirit of charity and good will is an important part of the Confirmation program. There is not a specific number of required hours of service, but participating in the following events is mandatory for all Confirmandi: Advent Service Project; Filling of Holy Water Bottles for Easter Services; Turkey-Rama Fundraiser and other events determined according to need as the year progresses.

Students may also consider serving as a Lector at Mass, volunteering as a Religious Education aide when Confirmation class is not in session, helping with our Baptismal ministry, helping with various projects sponsored by our Knights of Columbus Council, along with other parish needs throughout the year. Other service projects, such as cancer walks, are encouraged as well. Please inform the Coordinator of your service activities within and outside the parish.

CONFIRMATION RETREAT - The retreat typically is held on a Sunday in the spring on Our Lady's Campus, from 9:00AM to 3:00PM and consists of attendance at the 9:00AM Parish Mass followed by a speaker presentation, active participation, discussion, and ends with Adoration. Refreshments and lunch are served. 

WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT FOR GRADE TEN - Tenth graders are required to submit a short essay (one or two pages) typically addressing the following three questions. However, these questions may be subject to change year-to-year. The essays need to be typed and due to the Coordinator by March, either physically or electronically.

1) Why did you choose the specific Confirmation name for yourself?

2) What reasons persuaded you to select your Sponsor for your Confirmation?

3) In what three ways did your study and preparation for Confirmation help to bring you to a deeper understanding of the mystery of God's gifts to you and to help you have a deeper sense of God's love for you?

CONFIRMATION SPONSOR FOR GRADE TEN - All Grade Ten Confirmandi need to choose a sponsor for their Confirmation, who must be a confirmed Catholic however should not be a parent. Students should consider a godparent as a possible sponsor because of the connection between the sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation. Also, students should consider the following traits when picking a sponsor:

• Faithful to Sunday Mass and receiving sacraments;
• Living witness to the Catholic faith;
• A person of prayer;
• Aware of responsibility to follow Jesus in service to others;
• Someone who knows you well and whom you know well.

TIPS for CHOOSING a CONFIRMATION SPONSOR

Because of the connection between the sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation, the church encourages you to ask your godmother or godfather to be your Confirmation sponsor: “It is desirable that the one who undertook the role of sponsor (godparent) at Baptism be sponsor at Confirmation.” (code of canon law, canon 893)

If there is a valid reason why the baptismal godparent cannot serve as your Confirmation sponsor (e.g. death, non-practicing Catholic), then you need to choose a person who fits this description from canon law: “the sponsor must be a confirmed Catholic living a life in harmony with the Catholic Church.” (code of canon law, canon 874)

Your sponsor must be a baptized and confirmed Catholic however should not be your mother or father.

You may consider an aunt, uncle, older brothers or sisters, a cousin, a parent of a friend, a neighbor, or a teacher. It is a privilege to be a Confirmation sponsor. The person you ask should recognize and respect the responsibility and role of Confirmation sponsor.