Confirmation

We typically celebrate in the Spring. The exact date depends on the schedule of the Bishop, but in any case the date is usually announced early so that you can plan and let loved ones know.

Yes! As we go through our sacramental preparation for Confirmation, Confirmation saints are chosen to be a person we want to be like, as well as someone who can pray for us from heaven. Through the process of canonization, when someone is declared by the Church to be a saint, the Church is proclaiming that this member of the faithful practiced heroic virtue during their life on earth, ‘the Church recognizes the power of the Spirit of holiness within her and sustains the hope of believers by proposing the saints to them as models and intercessors’ (CCC 828).

It is important to remember that as members of the Church, we are never alone, as St. Paul said, ‘We are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses’ (Hebrews 12:1). These witnesses are the saints who continually intercede for us (CCC 956); in choosing a confirmation saint, we are choosing a special friend to intercede for us in heaven and after whom we can model our lives while here on earth.

The primary responsibility of the sponsor is to provide the candidate prayerful support and guidance in his or her Christian walk and to “take care that the confirmed person behaves as a true witness of Christ and faithfully fulfills the obligations inherent in this sacrament” (canon 892).

Being a sponsor is a lifelong commitment. A sponsor takes on the role of a spiritual parent who “brings the candidate to receive the sacrament, presents him to the minister for the anointing, and will later help him to fulfill his baptismal promises faithfully under the influence of the Holy Spirit” (Rite of Confirmation 5).

Some of the responsibilities of a sponsor to the candidate before Confirmation:

• Be a convinced, enthusiastic Catholic who lives a life of faith, and is committed to fulfilling the responsibilities of a sponsor.
• Pray regularly for and with the candidate, showing him/her how to pray by example.
• Attend all the confirmation classes, retreats, or special liturgies offered.
• Cultivate a supportive and encouraging relationship with the confirmand.
• Be involved in the catechetical preparation of the candidate with great heart and dedication.
• Have knowledge of the personal faith of the candidate and share your own faith experience.
• Lead and guide the candidate to a personal relationship with the Lord and to a deeper familiarity “with the Holy Spirit—his actions, his gifts, and his biddings—in order to be more capable of assuming the apostolic responsibilities of Christian life” (CCC 1309).

Some of the responsibilities of a sponsor to the confirmed after Confirmation:

• Maintain regular contact with the confirmed by phone, email. Also, sending a card on the anniversary of his/her confirmation.
• Pray regularly for the confirmed and when possible pray with him/her.
• Help the confirmed to learn how to experience a deeper prayer life.
• Encourage participation in the life of the Church, especially through his/her parish.
  Continue ongoing catechesis (e.g., sharing good books) and be available for questions.
• Help the confirmed to understand how to bear witness to Christ in the world and to fulfill his/her baptismal promises faithfully through the Holy Spirit.

Yes. While it is wonderful that your child is studying the Catholic faith at his or her appropriate grade level in school, the seven Sacraments are celebrations of the Church and are therefore prepared for and celebrated in the parish community with which you worship. At St. Francis, we encourage faith formation that is ongoing and lifelong, extending far beyond the school-aged years. Thus, Sacramental Preparation is a freestanding parish process. This includes weekly Sunday Mass attendance, active participation in our parish community events, and attendance of all sessions for the preparation of the Sacraments.

Yes. If your son or daughter is joining mid-year, our Director of Faith Formation will consult with the parents in order to best place the child. A letter from the parish where the child was attending should be obtained and included with the registration paperwork. 

If one of the parents is a practicing Catholic, as long as the other parent is in agreement, the child can be Confirmed.

Under normal conditions when there is an amicable relationship between the parents, it is required that the other parent be informed of the plans for the child to celebrate Confirmation. Our experience is that there is rarely objection since it was often discussed and agreed when the parents were together. If there is other-than-amicable relationship, that is something to be discussed with the pastor/priest.