Sacrament of Confirmation
What is Confirmation?
The sacrament of Confirmation is first and foremost an act of God’s initiative in giving the candidates the gift of the Holy Spirit who helps them to be more authentic disciples of Jesus by bestowing spiritual gifts. Confirmation is the completion of Christian Initiation, of the candidates’ sharing in Christ’s Paschal Mystery, which culminated in the sending of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.Confirmation, then, should be understood in the context of Christian initiation, and not as a method of marking the “coming of age” of a candidate, since the sacrament of confirmation is in fact administered to people from infancy through adulthood (Archbishop J. Peter Sartain, The Age of Confirmation: A Proposal)
Goals for Confirmation
1. To provide catechesis to the candidate that prepares them to receive that gift of the Holy Spirit who helps them to be more authentic disciples of Jesus through the sacrament. To strive to awaken in the candidate a sense of belonging to the Church of Jesus Christ, the universal Church, as well as the parish community.
2. To empower and support parents in their role as primary educators of the faith to:
a. Strive to increase a spirit of faith in their children;
b. Help their children to prepare to celebrate the sacrament fruitfully
c. Give expression to their own faith through active participation in and celebration of the sacraments.
3.To foster proper preparation for the sponsor to take care that the person to be confirmed behaves as a true witness of Christ and faithfully fulfills the obligations that come with the sacrament.
What do I need to do to start preparation?
~Requirements for Participation in Confirmation Sacramental Program~
1. The Candidate has been baptized and received the sacrament of Eucharist.
(A copy of Birth Certificate and a recent Baptismal Certificate are required)
2. The family is registered as members of the parish.
3. The candidate has attended and completed every prior year of religious instruction in a parish Religious Education program or Catholic School. If the candidate has not attended on a regular basis since receiving First Eucharist, he/she must attend a remedial program before entering the program of immediate catechesis on the Sacrament of Confirmation. (See Proximate Preparation pg 2)
4. Proximate preparation for parent/child takes place in the parish in which the family is a registered member
5. Sacramental preparation is separate from and in addition to the regular religious
formation/education and youth ministry that occurs in school or parish programs.
Requirements for Reception of the Sacrament of Confirmation:
Before being admitted to the Sacrament of Confirmation, the candidate should complete all of the following elements:
1. The life of the candidate and practice of the faith (including weekly attendance at Mass and
reception of the Sacrament of Reconciliation and Eucharist)
2. Participation in any parish rites in preparation for Confirmation.
3. Attendance and successful completion of proximate and immediate preparation for Confirmation.
4. Attendance at the parish Confirmation retreat.
Proximate Preparation
If the candidate has not attended religious faith formation regularly since receiving First Eucharist, he/she must attend a remedial program before entering the program of immediate catechesis on the Sacrament of Confirmation. Please note that we are here to support you and have resources available for you to fulfill the proximate preparation requirement. It is not too late! It is important to have a clear understanding of the stages of catechetical preparation. The chart below provides a breakdown of Remote and Proximate Preparation.
Remote Preparation for Confirmation
(Birth to 3rd Grade)
Celebration of the sacraments of:
- Baptism
- First Eucharist / Reconciliation
Catechetical Formation:
- Creation
- First Eucharist / Reconciliation Sacramental Preparation
- Creed
Parish Community and Family
- Participation in the Sacraments
- Cultivation of life of prayer
- Engagement in parish life
(3rd Grade to 6th Grade)
Catechetical Formation
- Creed
- Morality
- Sacraments
- Prayer
Parish Community and Family
- Participation in the Sacraments
- Cultivation of life of prayer
- Engagement in parish life
Upon Registration, Families will receive proximate preparation material to take home if needed.The following are examples for proximate preparation for the element of parish community and family at St. Mary of the Valley.
If you participated in
- Youth Ministry Programming (Weekly Formation, Youth Convention, Retreats,Service Projects etc.)
- Generations of Faith with your family
- Bible or Book Studies
- Spanish Prayer Group Fridays @ 7pm
- If you're 18 and over: REVIVE Young Adult Ministry meets every other Sunday 5-7pm
- Family Faith Formation programing
- Families of Faith Newsletter in English and Spanish
Engagement in parish life is an element of proximate preparation therefore Candidates are encouraged to meaningful ministry in our parish, this can be done by joining ministries such as VBS Planning Team, Choir (English and Spanish), Art and Environment, Hospitality Ministry, etc.
What do I do during Confirmation Preparation?
~Immediate Preparation
Catechetical Formation for Confirmation includes the 11 topics listed below, a confirmation retreat, and meaningful pastoral ministry.
Catechetical Formation (7th Grade to Adult)
- The Creed
- The Sacraments of Initiation
- The Holy Spirit (The Trinity and Pentecost)
- The Gifts and Fruits of the Holy Spirit
- The History of Confirmation (Scripture and Tradition)
- The Signs, Rite and the Minister of Confirmation
- The effects of the Sacrament of Confirmation
- The Confirmation Sponsor
- The call to holiness and being sent forth to disciple as exemplified in the lives of the saints
- The meaning of Christian vocation (marriage, priesthood and consecrated life)
- Learning to pray with the Holy Spirit
- Participation in the Sacraments
- Cultivation of life of prayer (retreat)
- Engagement in parish life ( meaningful pastoral ministry)
Registration for 2022 Confirmation opens January 1- 31st 2021. Immediate preparation starts January 10, 2022. Fee: $60
