What is Confirmation?

• A Sacrament of Initiation that strengthens one’s relationship with the Church and commitment to being an active member.
• Through this sacrament, the Holy Spirit and his gifts help us to live our baptismal promises, grow into the likeness of Christ, and share his mission.
• The preparation process for Confirmation offers an opportunity to deepen one’s commitment to a specific way of life – as a follower of Jesus.

Confirmation is one of the three Sacraments of Initiation (Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist). For those who were baptized as infants and received First Communion as little children, the celebration of Confirmation as a young adult presents a very special opportunity to affirm the decision made by their parents and godparents on their behalf.

Confirmation it is not a graduation from religious studies or a celebration of Catholic adulthood. It is a “Rite of Passage”, into life as a fully initiated and accountable member of the Church. In most of our communities there are two primary rites of passage for teens: 1) getting a driver’s license and 2) voting. After completing these processes teens venture further out into the world, reaching for new ways to share their energy and make their voices heard. Confirmation is very similar!

As our young people prepare for Confirmation, our entire community will support them in prayer and action as they deepen their understanding of the fundamental beliefs of our Faith and broaden their participation in the life of the community.

The Church’s vision of Confirmation includes Word, Worship, Community and Service. The Word of God is the Scripture, the history of God’s loving relationship with our ancestors in the faith. Our Worship is our prayers of praise and thanksgiving to God our Father, through Jesus Christ, by the power of the Holy Spirit, most especially in the Eucharistic liturgy. Participation in the community’s Sunday celebration is a powerful act of belonging and nourishing oneself. And after we have celebrated we go forth to love and serve one another and those beyond our own community, just as Jesus commanded his first disciples.

With the guidance of the Holy Spirit, our Confirmation candidates will live a life dedicated to spreading God’s love and helping to build God’s dream for our world.