High School Confirmation

What does it mean to be “ready” for Confirmation?

There is no rush to get started if your teen or family isn’t ready this year. Some indicators of readiness is if your teen:

• Attends weekly youth group 
• Was BAPTIZED in the Roman Catholic Church, and you can produce the baptismal certificate at time of registration (along with your teen’s birth certificate)
• Desires the Sacrament of Confirmation.
• Attends Mass on every Sunday and Holy Days of Obligation
• Goes to sacramental Confession at least once a year

There are no conveyor belts to Heaven and the Sacraments! Check the questions below to evaluate if this is the right year for your family to pursue Confirmation:

• Do you attend Holy Mass on every Sunday and Holy Days of Obligation?
  If you are attending monthly or occasionally, then you are not ready to start immediate preparation for Confirmation for your teen. Jesus commands us to “Keep Holy the Sabbath” and to worship God every Sunday and on Holy Days of Obligation at the Holy Mass. It is a mortal sin to miss Mass on Sundays.

• Do you go to sacramental Confession at least once a year?
  The Church requires her members to attend the Sacrament of Confession at least once a year. This is not only to help us fight sin, but to also prepare our souls to receive grace. Too many high schoolers have not gone to Confession since their first time (over 60%!). Please help your teen prepare for the sacrament by bringing your family to confession.

• Do you pray regularly at home?
  Our faith life begins at home. A child learns from the example of their parents and the importance of daily prayer as a family cannot be understated. To help a teen maintain their prayer life after confirmation, it is vital to have a family that prays with them daily.
• Are you able to attend  the weekly youth group?
  Our faith requires sacrifices and commitments. To prepare to receive the sacrament it is vital that your teen attends youth group each week and grows in their faith. This means making Confirmation Preparation a priority over sports, band, theater, and other extracurricular activities. If this year is too full that it can’t be made a priority, then let us plan for another year.

If you have answered “no” to any of the questions above, then please reach out and contact us. We desire to work with families and come up with a plan that will help address the needs of your family while upholding the dignity, standards, and power of the sacraments.

• Families attend Mass every Sunday and Catholic parent(s) go to confession at least once a year, as required in the Church Precepts
• Students will attend weekly Faith Formation classes
• Parents will attend weekly Parent Cafe sessions or volunteer for Faith Formation
• Parents will work with their children to complete the books for First Reconciliation and First Eucharist
• Students will attend either a day of reflection or confirmation retreat
• Parents are welcome to participate in the Alpha program (optional)

Teens:

• Must be enrolled in the Youth Group for two full years. During their second year, they may begin immediate preparation to receive the sacrament.
• Must be baptized in the Catholic faith and have received their previous sacraments of first reconciliation and communion.
• Must attend 4 “Days of Reflection” over the course of their 2 years; we offer 3 of these days a year (one in the fall, one in the spring, and one in the summer). At least one of the “Days of Reflection” must be the summer day of reflection.
• Must turn in all required forms and documents no later than the end of December. If these forms and documents are not submitted by December, your teen will not get confirmed that year. (see required forms below).
• Must attend summer youth group during the second year. Our faith journey does not end with the school year, and our summer sessions provide valuable formation for those preparing to receive in August. 
• Must be able to attend the confirmation Mass. A candidate cannot have a proxy stand in for them to receive the sacrament. They must be available themselves to stand before the bishop and be anointed. To help you better prepare, our confirmation Mass is usually within the first two weeks of august. We cannot provide you with a more accurate date until later in the year since we must wait for the cardinal or bishop to send us their availability.

Confirmation sponsors have an important role in the lives of those receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation.

Below are some helpful guidelines to remember as you choose your sponsor.

WHAT IS THE ROLE OF A CONFIRMATION SPONSOR?
The sponsor prays for their candidate, answers questions, and serves as a role model in the faith. Choose someone who lives his or her Catholic life well: daily prayer, weekly Mass, knowledgeable about the faith. Obviously, the sponsor doesn’t have to be perfect, but he or she must be striving to live our Catholic faith every day. Although it is not absolutely necessary, it is most helpful if the sponsor is local so that he or she can frequently meet up with you.

DO SPONSORS HAVE TO BE CATHOLIC?
Yes, sponsors must be fully initiated (Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist) Catholics who attend Mass regularly and are able to receive the Eucharist. An unbaptized or non-Christian person is not eligible to be a sponsor for Confirmation.

DO SPONSORS HAVE TO BE MARRIED IN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH?
Yes, if married, a sponsor’s marriage must be recognized by the Catholic Church. If married civilly or in another Christian tradition, he or she is not eligible to serve as a sponsor until the marriage is recognized in the Catholic Church.

HOW MANY SPONSORS CAN I HAVE?
Per canon law, you may only have one official confirmation sponsor who will commit to helping you on your faith journey for life.