Confirmation

What is Confirmation?
Getting Ready for Confirmation
Your Diocese and Parish
You and Your Child
The Sponsor
Registering for Confirmation Preparation
Download: 2024-2025 Diary Dates for Confirmation

What is Confirmation?

When your child was baptised, they were welcomed into the Church as a child of God. They received sanctifying grace to prepare them to follow Christ.

Baptism is effective on its own, but Confirmation completes, or fulfils, Baptism. At Confirmation, your child is sealed in Christ, enriched with a special strength of the Holy Spirit. Confirmation marks the presence of Christ in us. It gives us the grace, courage, and wisdom of the Holy Spirit, so we can live out our Baptismal Roles as followers of Christ.

Getting Ready for Confirmation

The sacrament of Confirmation is a group effort involving our diocese, your family, your child, and of course, God. Everyone plays a part.

Your diocese and parish

Each diocese develops guidelines and core elements of Confirmation Preparation. Because the bishop administers the sacrament, the diocese usually arranges Confirmation dates with parishes during the Easter season.

Priests, Confirmation Catechists and Youth Ministers work with families to prepare children for the sacrament. They work out the logistics of parish preparation, which includes regular meetings, retreats, service and fellowship with peers.

You and your child

Ever since your child was baptised, you have been the first example and teacher of faith. During Confirmation preparation, you will want to set aside time to help your son or daughter in whatever way you can. This will include discussing their Confirmation homework, taking an active interest and involvement in their projects and attending four sessions especially for parents. It also includes listening to any concerns your child might have. Consider volunteering in our Confirmation preparation, if you have time.

Most important, you should continue to attend Mass regularly, pray, and grow in faith and love.

Each child is different. God speaks to each of us in different ways, and our dialogue with him can change over time. If your son or daughter expresses a different point of view, consider that this might be God’s way of calling both of you closer to him. Remember, too, that it is up to the individual to decide whether they wish to be Confirmed.

If your adolescent or teenage child is hesitant, encourage them to attend and complete our parish’s Confirmation Preparation with an open mind. Speak to our catechists and priest, and ask parishioners for guidance. Most importantly, continue to be a role model of our Catholic faith.

The sponsor

Whether your child’s sponsor is a man or woman, teenager or adult, he or she must be a Confirmed, practicing Catholic over 16 years of age .

Your child’s godparent is a good choice, but if that’s not possible, encourage your child to select a sponsor who is friendly, trustworthy, and a good listener. He or she should be available to attend Confirmation events, although a proxy can substitute if a sponsor can’t make it.

Registering for Confirmation preparation

Confirmation preparation usually begins in October and runs over 13 sessions, which take place on a Saturday afternoon and finish after the 6pm Saturday Vigil Mass.

Please see the weekly newsletter for ongoing information.