The Catechism of the Catholic Church states:  “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.  For ‘by the Sacrament of Confirmation, (the baptized) are more perfectly bound to the Church and are enriched with a special strength of the Holy Spirit.  Hence they are, as true witnesses of Christ, more strictly obliged to spread and defend the faith by word and deed.’” (CCC, 1285)

GUIDELINES:

1. This is a two year program
2. Must be in the 7^th grade to begin program
3. Must have received the sacraments of Baptism, First Reconciliation, and First Communion.
4. Currently attending faith formation classes.
5. Must attend ALL classes and special retreats for the sacrament.
6. Students must be attending Mass on Sunday and receiving the Sacrament of Eucharist.
7. The Pastor, catechetical leaders and the parents are responsible for determining when the student is ready to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation.
8. Parents are to be involved in the preparation of the Sacrament by giving good example and helping the student in the home and by attending Sunday Mass.

Those students requesting the Sacrament of Confirmation must attend 20 of 30 Faith Formation classes for each year of sacramental preparation.  If the student does not attend two-thirds of our yearly classes, the sacrament will be postponed until the next class is offered.
Proper validation of a candidate’s baptism is to be provided before the candidate receives the Sacrament of Confirmation.  The certificate of baptism or a copy of it from the church of baptism is the normal means of showing proper validation.


“Like Baptism which it completes, Confirmation is given only once, for it too imprints on the soul an indelible spiritual mark, the ‘character’, which is the sign that Jesus Christ has marked a Christian with the seal of his Spirit by clothing him with power from on high so that he may be his witness.” (CCC, 1304)
(Revised, April 2016)