Confirmation is the beginning of your new life as Apostles of Christ. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that “It is evident from its celebration that the effect of the Sacrament of Confirmation is the special outpouring of the Holy Spirit as once granted to the apostles on the day of Pentecost” (No. 1302).
Confirmation is a new Pentecost for our entire parish. In that crucial event for the history of the Church, the fearful and disheartened disciples experienced a profound conversion that transformed them into courageous and fearless witnesses of Christ. In confirmation you are called to the same mission given to the Apostles at Pentecost. You are to become missionary disciples of Christ allowing the power of the Holy Spirit to transform you into courageous witnesses of the living Christ. Confirmation sends us out to share the joy of the Gospel to those we encounter.
Readiness for celebrating a sacrament cannot be determined by the calendar. The meaning of the Rite for those celebrating it, and its total impact on their faith-lives, will be strongly affected by many developmental factors besides age. These factors may include: the psychological maturity of the candidate, the depth of the candidate’s faith development, the degree of the candidate’s commitment to Christ and the faith community, the extent of candidate’s involvement in community worship and service, and knowledge and understanding of the basic teachings of the Church.
Since Confirmation celebrates the response of the individual to the Gift of Faith, the primary responsibility for determining when the candidate is ready for the Sacrament lies within the individual candidate. After prayerfully considering your readiness to begin the Sacramental formation process, you must meet with the Director of Religious Education to schedule a pre-interview.
The pre-interview must be attended by both the potential candidate for Confirmation and his/her parents. All expectations and requirements will be discussed during this meeting. This meeting must take place before any candidate can be placed in sacramental formation.
The Diocese of Charlotte and Sacred Heart Catholic Church have established the following requirements for a student to be eligible for the Sacrament of Confirmation:
- The Candidate must present evidence of their Baptism and First Holy Communion.
- Be enrolled in or have completed 10th grade.
- Must have attended two (2) years of previous Faith Formation immediately prior to the Sacramental year with at least 85% attendance and participation. More than four unexcused absences will automatically invalidate the year of Sacramental Conferral consideration. If the Candidate is attending High School, he/she must be a member of F.Y.S.H. with at least an 85% attendance and participation record.
If a student has missed one or more years of formation prior to Confirmation their knowledge of the Catholic Faith will be assessed, and they will be placed in additional classes before being allowed to participate in Sacramental Preparation. These classes must be attended by both the student and parents.
- Must attend Mass regularly: be a practicing Catholic.
- Must have attended all Sacramental Formation classes. Any absence must be made up within the week.
- Must complete the Confirmation Interview.
- Must demonstrate they have learned what was presented in formation and have obtained a practical knowledge of the Catholic faith on the Confirmation test.
- Must have 24 hours of service toward a service project of their own (service hours must be approved by the DRE) and participate in the group service project.
- Must attend the Confirmation retreat and rehearsal.
Parent’s Role
A parent’s role in a child’s life is that of the primary catechist and as such each of us is being called to manifest his New Life in our thoughts, words, and actions, especially in the life of the family. Parents are to walk with the candidate on the journey to Confirmation guiding them in the ways of the Catholic faith. Parents will be asked to attend some sessions with their child.
Sponsor’s Role/Requirements
In choosing a sponsor it is important to understand that the person you choose will shape your faith life. There are many things to consider when choosing a sponsor.
The primary responsibility of the sponsor is to provide the candidate prayerful support and guidance in his or her Christian walk and to “take care that the confirmed person behaves as a true witness of Christ and faithfully fulfills the obligations inherent in this sacrament” (canon 892). Being a sponsor is a lifelong commitment. A sponsor takes on the role of a spiritual parent who “brings the candidate to receive the sacrament, presents him to the minister for the anointing, and will later help him to fulfill his baptismal promises faithfully under the influence of the Holy Spirit” (Rite of Confirmation 5).
Some of the responsibilities of a sponsor to the confirmed before confirmation:
- Be a convinced, enthusiastic Catholic who lives a life of faith, and is committed to fulfilling the responsibilities of a sponsor
- Pray regularly for and with the candidate, showing him/her how to pray by example.
- Attend confirmation classes or special liturgies offered.
- Cultivate a supportive and encouraging relationship with the confirmand.
- Be involved in the catechetical preparation of the candidate with great heart and dedication.
- Have knowledge of the personal faith of the candidate and share your own faith experience.
- Lead and guide the candidate to a personal relationship with the Lord and to a deeper familiarity “with the Holy Spirit—his actions, his gifts, and his biddings—in order to be more capable of assuming the apostolic responsibilities of Christian life” (CCC 1309)
Some of the responsibilities of a sponsor to the confirmed after confirmation:
- Maintain regular contact with the confirmed by phone, email. Also, sending a card on the anniversary of his/her confirmation.
- Pray regularly for the confirmed and when possible pray with him/her.
- Help the confirmed to learn how to experience a deeper prayer life (e.g. eucharistic adoration).
- Encourage participation in the life of the Church, especially through his/her parish.
- Continue ongoing catechesis (e.g., sharing good books) and be available for questions.
- Help the confirmed to understand how to bear witness to Christ in the world and to fulfill his/her baptismal promises faithfully through the Holy Spirit. Confirmation preparation begins when Sacred Heart students are in the 10th grade. Qualifications for Confirmation require the students to have been enrolled in youth ministry for two consecutive years.
- If students have not been enrolled in Faith Formation at Sacred Heart they must meet with the Director of Religious Education to discuss proper placement in the program. Required documents for reception of Confirmation include a copy of the child's baptismal certificate, a sponsor verification form, and a Parish Confirmation Form.
Forms