As Catholics we grow in grace, just as we physically grow from childhood, through adolescence, into adulthood. The Sacrament of Confirmation is the spiritual equivalent of the physical growth process. Confirmation is necessary for the completion of baptismal grace, making the recipient “more perfectly bound to the Church and are enriched with a special strength of the Holy Spirit.”
Once confirmed, a Catholic is considered a true witness of Christ, and so is more strictly obliged to spread and defend the faith by word and deed. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1285)
In our Archdiocese, most young people receive the sacrament when they are 11-12 years old. Although many receive the Sacrament of Confirmation in their early teenage years, long after they have already received their first Communion (Holy Eucharist) and Penance, Confirmation is considered the second Sacrament of Initiation.
- Archdiocesan Standards For Preparing Children And Youth For The Sacraments (PDF, see especially pages 61-72.)
- Archdiocesan Sacramental Standards Additional Resources (PDF, primarily for teachers)
Registrations for the Sacrament of Confirmation are typically for children Grade 6 and above. For adults new to Catholicism, there is a program called RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults.) The RCIA is a process for prospective Catholics where candidates are gradually introduced to Catholic beliefs and practices.
Please contact your local Parish Office to register for the next Confirmation or RCIA preparation session.