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holy-spirit

CONFIRMATION

“Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent them Peter and John, who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit.For He had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they began laying their hands on them, and they were receiving the Holy Spirit.

Acts 8:14-17

Confirmation is the sacrament whereby God completes the graces of a person’s baptism and deepens His seal within them, marking them as belonging to Him (2 Corinthians 1:22, Ephesians 1:13-14).  When received within a life of faith, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit through confirmation empowers us to live the Christian life, which we simply couldn’t do otherwise.  Thus, it is not a person’s “adult choice to be Catholic,” rather it is God who chooses us, and we can then choose Him day by day.

Restored Order

Since the year 2020, the Archdiocese of Denver celebrates the Sacrament of Confirmation and First Eucharist (First Communion) for third graders.

Preparing Children for the Sacrament of Confirmation

  • A child must be baptized. A copy of the certificate must be on file with the parish office.

  • Attend the Religious Education Program.

  • Each child is required to complete the Confirmation materials with their parents.

  • Children and their parents are expected to attend Mass.

  • Child interviews with pastor or his representative that they have an understanding of the Sacrament of Confirmation.

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To contact a priest, please call or email:
970-824-5330
smhfsi@qwestoffice.net

Image by Zoltan Tasi

FAQS

Learn More

  • Confirmation requires two years of preparation in the second and third grades. First Reconciliation occurs in second grade. Confirmation and First Communion are received together in third grade.

  • Confirmation is a gift of God’s grace, increasing the presence of the Holy Spirit in our life. Some have mistakenly held that Confirmation means choosing to become an adult in the Church. Rather, Confirmation completes the graces given at Baptism and can be given at any time (if there is a risk of death), though age seven through sixteen is the range in the United States.

  • The Archbishop has set a number of objectives for preparation for Confirmation and First Communion:

  • The Archdiocese of Denver has provided a curriculum for 2nd and 3rd grades at www.saintsdenver.com.

  • If a parent has a just cause for requesting Confirmation and First Communion at another age, they should speak with the pastor. If the age is younger than third grade, the pastor will need to send a letter to the Archbishop’s office.

  • The parents should speak with the pastor and/or catechetical leaders of the parish to arrange for preparation.

  • Adults and children older than seven are prepared for baptism and confirmation together through the Rites of Initiation.

  • The Code of Canon Law stipulates requirements for sponsors. Speaking of Confirmation sponsors, it states:

    • Can. 892 Insofar as possible, there is to be a sponsor for the person to be confirmed; the sponsor is to take care that the confirmed person behaves as a true witness of Christ and faithfully fulfills the obligations inherent in this sacrament.

    • Can. 893 §1. To perform the function of sponsor, a person must fulfill the conditions mentioned in can. 874. (see below)

    • 2. It is desirable to choose as sponsor the one who undertook the same function in baptism.

     

    The following requirements apply to both godparents for Baptism and Confirmation sponsors:

    • Can. 874 §1. To be permitted to take on the function of sponsor a person must:

    • 1/ be designated by the one to be baptized, by the parents or the person who takes their place, or in their absence by the pastor or minister and have the aptitude and intention of fulfilling this function;

    • 2/ have completed the sixteenth year of age, unless the diocesan bishop has established another age, or the pastor or minister has granted an exception for a just cause;

    • 3/ be a Catholic who has been confirmed and has already received the most holy sacrament of the Eucharist and who leads a life of faith in keeping with the function to be taken on;

    • 4/ not be bound by any canonical penalty legitimately imposed or declared;

    • 5/ not be the father or mother of the one to be baptized.

    • 2. A baptized person who belongs to a non-Catholic ecclesial community is not to participate except together with a Catholic sponsor and then only as a witness of the baptism.

     

    If a sponsor cannot attend the Confirmation is it permissible to use a proxy? Yes.

  • Taking a Confirmation name is a pious practice. It is not required unless one did not take a Christian name at Baptism. The name should be that of a saint and be of the same gender as the candidate.

  • No. All parishes must transition to Restored Order Confirmation by 2020.

  • Parents interested in homeschooling should discuss this possibility with their parish.

Image by Josh Eckstein

“Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent them Peter and John, who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. For he had not yet fallen upon any of them; They had had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Then they began laying their hands on them, and they were receiving the Holy Spirit.”

Acts 2:3-4

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