What is the Sacrament of Confirmation?
“The prophets of the Old Testament foretold that God’s Spirit would rest upon the Messiah to sustain his mission. Their prophecy was fulfilled when Jesus the Messiah was conceived by the Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. The Holy Spirit descended on Jesus on the occasion of his baptism by John. Jesus’ entire mission occurred in communion with the Spirit. Before he died, Jesus promised that the Spirit would be given to the Apostles and to the entire Church. After his death, he was raised by the Father in the power of the Spirit. Confirmation deepens our baptismal life that calls us to be missionary witnesses of Jesus Christ in our families, neighborhoods, society, and the world. . . . We receive the message of faith in a deeper and more intensive manner with great emphasis given to the person of Jesus Christ, who asked the Father to give the Holy Spirit to the Church for building up the community in loving service.” (USCCB)
Preparation for the Sacrament of Confirmation
The Sacrament of Confirmation deepens our baptismal life that calls us to be missionary witnesses of Jesus Christ in our families, neighborhoods, society, and the world. Through Confirmation, our personal relationship with Christ is strengthened. We receive the message of faith in a deeper and more intensive manner with great emphasis given to the person of Jesus Christ, who asked the Father to give the Holy Spirit to the Church for building up the community in loving service.
The Holy Spirit bestows seven gifts—wisdom, understanding, knowledge, fortitude, counsel, piety, and fear of the Lord—to assist us in our mission and witness. The impact of these gifts accompanies us in the various stages of our spiritual development.
At St. Jude, youth in 8th grade prepare for the Sacrament of Confirmation, which typically takes place at the cathedral in the spring. Please note, even if your child attends ASA, Sacramental Preparation for Confirmation is the responsibility of the individual parishes. Therefore, all children in eighth grade who are eligible for Confirmation, even those who attend ASA, need to go through our Confirmation Prep program. Our Confirmation prep for ASA students occurs during the lunch/recess hour during the ASA school day on the first and third Thursday of the month. Confirmation prep for students who do not attend ASA occurs during our Sunday night religious education classes. We have occasional events and retreats throughout the program that bring both groups of students together for fellowship and friendship.
If you have any questions or need more information, please contact Marty Smith at msmith@stjudes.net.
Confirmation Preparation includes:
- Regular Meetings
- Opportunities for candidates and sponsors to grow together in faith
- A Confirmation Retreat
- A Saint paper
- Service projects