“Baptism, the Eucharist, and the sacrament of Confirmation together constitute the “sacraments of Christian initiation, whose unity must be safeguarded. It must be explained to the faithful that the reception of the sacrament of Confirmation is necessary for the completion of baptismal grace.”

 ~ Catechism of the Catholic Church #1285

Confirmation

Preparation for the Sacrament of Confirmation begins when our children enter the 7th grade. From 7-9th grades youth meet once a week on Wednesday from 6:30-7:45pm in the Youth buildings. The youth dive deeper into their faith and begin to uncover the mysteries of our Catholic faith. In 9th grade students begin a yearlong study of their faith and immediate preparation for the coming of the Holy Spirit in the Sacrament of Confirmation.

If you find yourself, or someone you know, older than 9^th/10th grade and in need of confirmation, refer to our RCIA page for more information

What are the effects of Confirmation?

In short it is the full outpouring of the Holy Spirit as once granted to the apostles on the day of Pentecost. Confirmation brings Catholics a deepening of baptismal grace and unites us more firmly to Christ. It increases the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and leaves an indelible mark on the soul, just like baptism.

These 7 gifts are the tools we need to not only strengthen our faith but allows us to go out and continue spreading this faith just as Jesus did. Teens will learn how to use these gifts in their everyday lives.

What does a Confirmation sponsor do?

Confirmation sponsors “bring the candidates to receive the sacrament, present them to the minister for anointing, and will later help them fulfill their baptismal promises faithfully under the influence of the Holy Spirit whom they have received.” (Rite of Confirmation)

There are a few requirements to be a Confirmation sponsor. They must be spiritually fit to take on their responsibility which is evidenced by sufficient maturity to fulfill their function;

1. Membership in the Catholic Church and having received all of the sacraments of initiation (baptism, confirmation, and Eucharist);
2. Freedom from any impediment of law to fulfilling the office of sponsor. This means that a sponsor must be in good standing with the Church (no public dissent, believes in the teachings of the Church, and in full communion with the Church).

Since a sponsor has such a significant role to play in the development of confirmation candidate it is important that this person be one who is a living example of faith, one whose actions reflect the actions of Jesus.

A confirmation sponsor offers support and encouragement during the confirmation preparation process. Sponsors need not be of the same gender as the candidate.

The Church encourages us to consider our godparents as sponsors for confirmation. Confirmation’s strong connection to baptism makes one’s godparent a natural choice if this person meets the requirements above.

If you do not know someone who meets the criteria above then discuss your options with us to see if we can find someone suitable.

We join in with other churches from our diocese at Bethany Center located in Lutz, FL to experience an empowering retreat for the teens.  This over night allows teens to interact with others who too are preparing to receive the Holy Spirit. In addition to the main teachings there are break out sessions, adoration, confession and even some fun time. Additional information will be provided in their packets and students will need a parent permission form along with a current health form.

Requirement Deadlines (all information will be in the folder they receive the first day of class)

Sept. 18 ^th Registration

Oct.16 ^th Sponsor Information and Certification Form

Nov.13th  Confirmation Name Choice Form

Jan. 29th  Project Board

Feb. 12th Letter of Request for Sacrament of Confirmation

March 25 ^th Community Service hour sheet (20 hours required)