Sacrament of Confirmation

The sacrament of Confirmation builds on the sacraments of Baptism, Penance, and Holy Communion, completing the process of initiation into the Catholic community. You become an adult member of the church, and receive a special outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Through receiving the Holy Spirit, you become an active, responsible adult in the Church. This enables you to be more aware of your faith and what it means to you and to respond to that knowledge throughout your life. Moreover, through this Sacrament, you become a messenger of that Good News and, with the Spirit’s help, fulfil the Christian imperatives of mission, of loving others, of service, and to find your own special calling.

 

Confirmation, a sacrament of initiation, establishes young adults as full-fledged members of the faith. This sacrament is called Confirmation because the faith given in Baptism is now confirmed and made strong. During your Baptism, your parents and godparents make promises to renounce Satan and believe in God and the Church on your behalf. At Confirmation, you renew those same promises, this time speaking for yourself.

 

During Confirmation, the focus is on the Holy Spirit, who confirmed the apostles on Pentecost and gave them courage to practice their faith. Catholics believe that the same Holy Spirit confirms Catholics during the Sacrament of Confirmation and gives them the same gifts.