Confirmation at St. Mary's

"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, [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."

Requirements & Guidelines

Following is a list of requirements and guidelines for the Confirmation Program at St. Mary Help of Christians Church.

Holy Mass Attendance

Candidates for Confirmation must attend Mass every Sunday and Holy Day of Obligation. If a child is not attending Mass, then we reserve the right to delay the reception of the Sacrament.

Class Attendance and Preparation

Confirmation Candidates should be enrolled in St. Mary Help of Christians School, Sunday Youth Ministry (Faith Formation) or another Catholic School. He/she must actively participate in class and complete all assigned work. Christian Formation students can miss no more than 3 classes. All work must be made‐up. High School candidates may attend Life Teen on Sunday evenings.

All candidates are expected to know and be able to answer basic questions concerning the Sacrament of Confirmation.

Nights of Learning

We will have two nights of learning that will be required for all confirmation candidates. These nights are to be attended by the candidate and their parent.

Confirmation Retreat and Practice

Each candidate is required to attend a Confirmation retreat. Confirmation candidates and sponsors are required to attend a practice for Confirmation, usually held on the retreat date.

Sacrament of Baptism Information

Each candidate is responsible for supplying the Parish Office with a copy of his/her Baptismal Certificate.

Sponsors

Each candidate will select a sponsor for Confirmation. This person must be at least 16 years old and a practicing Catholic who has already been confirmed. Please see “Eligibility Certification for Sponsors” form.

Sacrament of Confession

All candidates will be given the opportunity to receive the Sacrament of Confession prior to receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation.

Confirmation Name

Each candidate should select the name of a saint to use at the time of Confirmation. This name should reflect the candidate’s new role as a Christian. The baptismal name may also be used again in Confirmation.

When choosing a name, candidates should read about the various saints and their lives. They should study the life of the saint whose name they will take and be prepared to tell the Bishop why they chose him or her. A listing is available of the saints. A saint report is required by each candidate. His/her teacher will send home the requirements.

Service

Each candidate is encouraged to perform acts of service for the church and community as they prepare for Confirmation.