Confirmation

The following is required of students preparing for the Sacrament of Confirmation:

Two-year program, beginning in 7th grade and completion in 8th grade
● Have received the Sacraments of Baptism, Reconciliation, and Eucharist
● Regular attendance at weekend Mass
● Attendance at regular Faith Formation classes
● Attendance at second semester Sacrament classes
● Complete community service as described below
These additional requirements are for eighth grade only:
● Parent/Student Meeting
● Attend Confirmation Retreat
● Complete & turn in required documents
● Confirmation Practice
● Sacrament of Confirmation

Community Service for 7th & 8th Grade:

Service is an important way to help us understand how Jesus wants us to live. When we are a help to someone else, there is something that happens inside of us that lets us know we have shown a little of Jesus to others.

We are asking 7th and 8th graders to take part in the “Giving and Growing” service project program.  This program consists of five sessions. The first will be a talk and discussion on the importance of works of charity as Christians. The next three will be service projects done together. The fifth session will be a
time to discuss and share personal experiences from the service projects. It is important to attend these sessions as they are a requirement for the Confirmation program.

NOTE: If your child has not made their Confirmation and is past eighth grade—or—if you are an adult, have received your other sacraments, and wish to receive the sacrament of
Confirmation, please call the director, Emilija Lapas, at 924-4220.

You are asked to choose someone to be your sponsor for Confirmation. This person can be either male or female. He/she must be a baptized, confirmed, practicing Catholic whom you admire for the Christian values you see in his/her life. It is desirable that the one who undertook the role of sponsor at Baptism be sponsor for Confirmation.

Your sponsor will be an important person in your faith life. He/she is to accompany you on your journey towards greater faith, hope and love. Your sponsor should be someone you admire, someone who has qualities in his/her life that you would like to have. He/she should be someone who can encourage you, listen to you, and share his/her own experience of faith with you. This person should be someone you are comfortable with, someone who will accept you and your questions about life. A good sponsor is one who likes you, cares about you and will be with you on your faith journey. This person should be able to spend some special time with you. This special time can help you get to know your sponsor better and learn some good things about yourself.

Requirements for Confirmation Sponsors:
(Taken from The Code of Canon Law, canons 874, 892 and 893)

To perform the role of sponsor, a person must fulfill the following conditions:

● Not be the father or mother of the one to be confirmed
● Be at least sixteen years of age, having received Baptism, Eucharist, and Confirmation
● Be a practicing Catholic, participating in the Mass on Sundays and Holy Days, receiving the Sacraments of Eucharist and Reconciliation regularly
● If married, be validly married according to the laws of the Catholic Church. If divorced, not have remarried outside of the Catholic Church.

“The sponsor’s function is to take care that the person confirmed behaves as a true witness of
Christ and faithfully fulfills the duties inherent in this sacrament.”  Canon 892

Choosing Your Saint:

In the Roman Catholic Church, the sacrament of Confirmation is a sacrament of initiation. Once you have received the
sacrament of Confirmation (traditionally, this is administered at around sixteen years of age), you are considered an adult by the Church. One aspect of receiving Confirmation is that you are asked to choose a saint for your Confirmation name. This new name signifies your change in status—you are now fully initiated into the Catholic faith. Further, the saint whose
name you choose becomes a patron saint in your new endeavor to grow in the life of faith as an adult. You can pick a saint you really wish to be like. (To choose a saint’s name for your Confirmation requires some careful thought and research.)

The first thing to understand is why you are being asked to choose a saint. The saints aren’t just dead people that you see in stained glass windows and on holy cards. The Communion of Saints is: [The] communion of “holy persons” (sancti) in Christ who “died for all,” so that what each one does or suffers in and for Christ bears fruit for all. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 961) Basically, all of these saints who came before you are part of your extended family. They are those wonderful
relatives who are praying for you and rooting for you to get to Heaven.

This how-to will give you some ideas while searching for your Confirmation name:

● First of all, don’t treat this as a box to check off and pick St. Francis because you have a vague idea about his life. The
first thing you should do is pray. Ask the Holy Spirit for guidance in choosing a saint that will be best for you.

● The second thing you should do is some research. Saints are as unique and diverse as the rest of humanity. Although there are far more saints in heaven than there are canonized (official) saints, each canonized saint has a specific and individual path to sainthood which is intended to be an example to the rest of the Church. Read about the lives of the saints; we have many books in the Faith Formation library that can be checked out. We also have a list on our website, (www.stjameshighland.org, click on Faith Formation, then Confirmation Documents), which shows patron saints by month, in case you want to choose a saint whose feast day is on your birthday. You can also look online (make sure to google, “Roman Catholic Saints”) to find websites that give brief biographies of each saint (www.americancatholic.org/; www.catholic.org/saints/; www.ewtn.com/saintsholy) are a few acceptable resources. Does any saint’s life story particularly appeal to or inspire you? This could be your Confirmation saint.

● No matter who you choose, remember to pray to your Confirmation saint often as you navigate your new life as an
adult in the Church!

Notes:

(1) It is common, although not absolutely necessary, to choose a Confirmation saint of the same gender as your own.

(2) The Baptismal name you were given, if a saint’s name, may be chosen.

Completing Your Report:

After You Have Selected the Saint You Would Like to Be Named After (and Who Will Continue to Pray for You), Type a One Page Report About the Saint’s Life. the Report Must Include the Following:

● A Cover Page, Featuring a Picture of Your Saint or Other Meaningful Artwork; Saint’s Name & Feast Day (designate The
Specific Person (e.g. Thomas the Apostle or Thomas Aquinas); if A Patron Saint, of What; Date Canonized; Your Name Should Be at The Bottom Right Corner.

● a Brief Story of What You Have Learned About the Saint Written in Your Own Words (including when And Where He/She Lived, Family Life, Job, What Your Saint Did that Was Remarkable or Inspiring, the Virtues He/she Demonstrated, Etc.).

● An Explanation of The Reasons Why You Have Selected This Saint.

● How Is This Person a Good Role Model for You to Follow as A Confirmed Catholic?

● Ideas of How You Will Develop Your Devotion and Relationship with This Saint.

● Include the Resources from Which You Obtained Your Information (Website, Book, Etc.).

Turn in Your Saint Report to The Faith Formation Office When You Come to Class By the Established Deadline.