Confirmation Coordinator:
Anthony (AC) Cerna
(562) 455.4680
email: [email protected]
Confirmation is a Sacrament in which those who have been baptized receive the fullness of the Holy Spirit, whom the Lord sent upon His apostles at Pentecost. It is a sacrament that celebrates God’s special strengths and gifts.
In 1972 the Church published the “Rite of Christian Initiation” (RCIA). RCIA stresses the connections between the three sacraments of Christian Initiation: Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Eucharist.
Through Baptism, you receive grace and life from the Holy Spirit.
In Confirmation, your baptismal promises are renewed and the sealing with the Spirit serves as the preparation for a mature Christian life.
In Holy Eucharist, the great sign of Christian unity, we the faithful are nourished and strengthened. We are transformed into a more loving and united community of believers. Through these sacramental rites, the faithful are officially acknowledged as Christians, and are received as fully initiated members of the church.
By our Baptism, Confirmation, and through the Eucharist we are all commissioned to carry on the work of Christ and his Church.
We are called to promote the kingdom of God here on Earth.
Confirmation is a parish community celebration. It provides us all the opportunity to reflect on our baptismal commitment.
At Confirmation the parish community celebrates the Gifts of the Holy Spirit among us. These gifts help all Christians to live lives more fully committed to Christ. Wisdom, Understanding, Right Judgment, Knowledge, Courage, Reverence, Wonder and Awe. Living with the gifts of the Spirit, active in our lives, we are able to enjoy the fruits of the Spirit, which help all Christians make good moral choices and live as Christ has challenged each of us to do. Charity, Faith, Joy, Modesty, Kindness, Goodness, Peace, Patience, Self-Control, Chastity, Endurance, Mildness
High school teens (candidates) prepare to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation by participating in a two-year process called Youth Minsitry.
The Confirmation process is a team effort.
Candidates, parents, sponsors, and the catechetical (teaching) team all work together towards a common goal: to prepare the candidates for reception of the sacrament and to inspire in each candidate the desire to continue their own personal faith journey throughout their lives. The process encourages their own personal faith journey throughout their lives. It also encourages the formation of community and develops a sense of belonging. This is accomplished by class sessions to explore Catholic beliefs and traditions, individual and group faith sharing, retreats, Christian services and other related outside activities.
The candidates must freely choose to enter the process and make known their desire to be confirmed.
They must demonstrate adequate knowledge of the Catholic faith and be willing to participate in the required learning sessions, growing in the practice of their faith.
They should always strive to be in the state of grace and should attend mass regularly and frequently receive the sacraments of Holy Eucharist and Reconciliation.
The candidate must attend all class sessions throughout the teaching year (September through May).
Excessive absences will result in the candidates being asked to leave the process or repeat the year. In addition,
attendance at all confirmation retreats is mandatory.
The sponsor is the Candidates choice. We recommend you carefully consider:
There are persons in the parish community who would be eager to be a sponsor for confirmation. If you are unable to find a sponsor to journey with you, the parish may be able to provide you with a person who has expressed a sincere desire to be a confirmation sponsor.
The selection of a sponsor is an important decision you have to make.
Choosing that right person can make a big difference in your confirmation journey.
Each candidate needs to select a sponsor to walk the two-year journey of the confirmation
process with him or her. It is hoped that this sponsor-candidate relationship will evolve into a lifelong one. The choice of sponsor, therefore, becomes a very important decision. Sponsors make a difference and are an integral part of the faith journeys of their respective candidates both during and after confirmation. The purpose of the sponsor-candidate relationship is to lead the candidate into a deeper relationship with Jesus. It is essential that the person selected to be a sponsor meets the following criteria.
RESPONSIBILITIES OF A SPONSOR
Parents are the primary educators of their children. They serve as models for their children by being committed Christians. Parents should worship regularly with their families. They are asked to take an active interest in assisting their son or daughter with the immediate preparation for the sacrament of confirmation and must attend meetings, programs and prayer services that are planned in support of the candidate.
However, Canon Law prohibits parents from acting as Sponsors for their own children. They are also welcomed and encouraged to attend any or all adult education session along with the confirmation sponsors and are invited to observe any classroom session with advance notification to the catechist.